The Meaning of Numbers 21:24 Explained

Numbers 21:24

KJV: And Israel smote him with the edge of the sword, and possessed his land from Arnon unto Jabbok, even unto the children of Ammon: for the border of the children of Ammon was strong.

YLT: And Israel smiteth him by the mouth of the sword, and possesseth his land from Arnon unto Jabbok -- unto the sons of Ammon; for the border of the sons of Ammon is strong.

Darby: And Israel smote him with the edge of the sword, and took possession of his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, even unto the children of Ammon; for the border of the children of Ammon was strong.

ASV: And Israel smote him with the edge of the sword, and possessed his land from the Arnon unto the Jabbok, even unto the children of Ammon; for the border of the children of Ammon was strong.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Israel  smote  him with the edge  of the sword,  and possessed  his land  from Arnon  unto Jabbok,  even unto the children  of Ammon:  for the border  of the children  of Ammon  [was] strong. 

What does Numbers 21:24 Mean?

Context Summary

Numbers 21:21-35 - Victory Over The Amorites
Two great victories opened the eastern lands to the possession and settlement of two tribes and a half. It is not enough to know our heritage in Christ; we must possess our possessions.
Sihon, the king of the Amorites, made an unprovoked attack on Israel; and his action was the less excusable, because he had himself been an invader. As a proof of this, a passage is quoted from one of their national songs, in which the poet describes his invasion of the land, the burning of Heshbon and Ar, and the erection of new cities in their stead, Numbers 21:27-30. See also Judges 11:13-27. Sihon and Og suffered the same fate at the hands of Israel. General Gordon, when crossing the Sudan to attack the slave-trader, often heard these words in his heart: "Fear him not, for I have delivered him into thy hand." See Psalms 135:11; Psalms 136:19-20. Behind all history is divine and everlasting love! [source]

Chapter Summary: Numbers 21

1  Israel destroys the Canaanites at Hormah
4  The people murmuring are plagued with fiery serpents
7  They repenting are healed by a bronze serpent
10  Various journeys of the Israelites
21  Sihon is overcome
33  And Og

What do the individual words in Numbers 21:24 mean?

And defeated him Israel with the edge of the sword and took possession of his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok as far as the sons of Ammon for [was] fortified The border of the sons of Ammon
וַיַּכֵּ֥הוּ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לְפִי־ חָ֑רֶב וַיִּירַ֨שׁ אֶת־ אַרְצ֜וֹ מֵֽאַרְנֹ֗ן עַד־ יַבֹּק֙ עַד־ בְּנֵ֣י עַמּ֔וֹן כִּ֣י עַ֔ז גְּב֖וּל בְּנֵ֥י עַמּֽוֹן

וַיַּכֵּ֥הוּ  And  defeated  him 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: נָכָה  
Sense: to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
לְפִי־  with  the  edge 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: פֶּה  
Sense: mouth.
חָ֑רֶב  of  the  sword 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֶרֶב  
Sense: sword, knife.
וַיִּירַ֨שׁ  and  took  possession 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָרַשׁ  
Sense: to seize, dispossess, take possession off, inherit, disinherit, occupy, impoverish, be an heir.
אַרְצ֜וֹ  his  land 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
מֵֽאַרְנֹ֗ן  from  the  Arnon 
Parse: Preposition-m, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אַרְנׄון  
Sense: a river and surrounding valley in south Palestine, forms the border between Moab and the Amorites.
יַבֹּק֙  the  Jabbok 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יַבֹּק  
Sense: Additional Information: Jabbok = “emptying”.
עַד־  as  far  as 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
בְּנֵ֣י  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
עַמּ֔וֹן  of  Ammon 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַמֹּון  
Sense: a people dwelling in Transjordan descended from Lot through Ben-ammi.
עַ֔ז  [was]  fortified 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: עַז 
Sense: strong, mighty, fierce.
גְּב֖וּל  The  border 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: גְּבוּל  
Sense: border, territory.
בְּנֵ֥י  of  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
עַמּֽוֹן  of  Ammon 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַמֹּון  
Sense: a people dwelling in Transjordan descended from Lot through Ben-ammi.