Numbers 21:3 (KJV)

What does Numbers 21:3 mean?

Numbers 21:3 says that the LORD listened to Israel’s request and gave them victory over the Canaanites, allowing Israel to completely destroy them and their cities. The place where this happened was named Hormah, marking the event.

In this verse, Israel had just asked God for help against the Canaanites, who had attacked them and taken some prisoners. The LORD (the personal name for God, יהוה / Yahweh) responded to Israel’s plea, and Israel was able to defeat and destroy these enemies and their towns. The name "Hormah" means "destruction" or "devotion to destruction," and it was given to the place as a reminder of what happened there.

The Hebrew behind Numbers 21:3

• LORD (יהוה / Yahweh): This is the personal, covenant name for God in the Hebrew Bible, emphasizing that it was Israel’s God who responded and acted on their behalf.
• hearkened (שָׁמַע / shama‘): This word means "to listen" or "to pay attention." It shows that God was attentive and responsive to Israel’s prayer, not distant or indifferent.
• destroyed (חָרַם / charam): This word means "to devote to destruction" or "to completely destroy." It often carries the sense of something being set apart for God, usually by being destroyed, which is why the place was named Hormah (חָרְמָה / chormah), from the same root.

Why Numbers 21:3 matters

• Numbers 21:3 highlights that God’s response to prayer is not automatic but comes as a result of Israel’s direct plea and God’s willingness to act.
• The naming of the place as Hormah connects this event to earlier failures (see Numbers 14:45), showing a reversal—Israel succeeds where they had previously been defeated.
• The verse clarifies that the victory and destruction were not just military actions but acts carried out with God’s involvement and approval, setting the tone for later events in Israel’s journey.