Matthew Poole and continuators on Numbers 21:3

3 And the LORD hearkened to the voice of Israel, and delivered up the Canaanite: and they utterly destroyed them , and their cities, and he called the name of the place Hormah.

When? Ans. Either 1. Some time after this, under Ioshua, who subdued, among others, the King of Arad, Ios. 12. 14. And so this is mentioned here by anticipation, that, the vow being now made and mentioned, the effect or performance of it might be recorded, though out of its place; and so this verse must be supposed to be added by some of the prophets, and inserted into Moses his history, as some other passages seem to be. Or 2. at this time: and so this is not the same Arad with that, Ios. 12. 14. nor this the same Hormah with that there mentioned, but another of the same name, which is most frequent in persons and places in Scripture. And this is the more probable, because that Arad and Hormah, Ios. 12. 14. are two distinct places, and had divers kings, whereas here the same place is called both Arad and Hormah; and because that Arad seems to be at some good distance from this and more within the country, and more northward, as may be gathered from the other places joyned with it, Ios. 12. whereas this Arad was near Edom, ver. 4. and in the south, ver. 1. Quest. 1. How could this be now done in the land of Canaan, when Moses neither entred himself nor lead the people into that land? Ans. Neither Moses nor the whole body of the people did this exploit, but a select number sent out for this purpose to punish that king and people who were so fierce and malicious that they came out of their own country to fight with the Israelites in the wilderness, and these when they had done this work returned to their brethren into the Wilderness. Quest. 2. Why did they not all now go into Canaan, when some of them had once entred it, and pursue this victory? Ans. Because God would not permit it, there being several works yet to be done, other people must be conquered, the Israelites must be further humbled and tryed and purged, Moses must die, and then they shall enter and that in a more glorious manner, even over Iordan, which shall be miraculously dried up and give them passage.

Marginal references: Gr. anat[illegible: 1+ letters] tized them. [illegible: 1 word] Heb.; That is, [illegible: 1 word] destruction.