Numbers 13:22
in Numbers 13They went up through the Negev and came to Hebron, where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, dwelled. It had been built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And they went up by the South, and came unto Hebron; and Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of Anak, were there. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)
KJV
And they ascended by the south, and came unto Hebron; where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of Anak, were. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)
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This verse in Numbers 13
Commentary
10 notes on this verseHebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt - The Zoan of the Scriptures is allowed to be the Tanis of the heathen historians, which was the capital of Lower Egypt. Some think it was to humble the pride of the Egyptians, who boasted the highest antiquity, that this note concerning the higher antiquity of Hebron was introduced by Moses.
This site's exposition
spied out the land from the Wilderness of Zin
on Numbers 13:21-22
At Hebron the men meet Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai by name. Joshua 15:14 records Caleb driving out those same three, so one of the two faithful men finished that business later.
This site's exposition
came to Hebron
Hebron held the cave of Machpelah, where Abraham bought his first ground in Canaan and the patriarchs lay buried, as Genesis 23:19 and 49:29-31 record. The Hebrew verb for came is singular. Wesley reads the survey of this part as left to Caleb.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
For the spies distributed their work among them, and went either severally, or by pairs; and it seems the survey of this part was left to Caleb. Anak - A famous giant, whole children these are called, either more generally, as all giants sometimes were, or rather more specially because Arbah, from whom Hebron was called Kiriath-arbah, was the father of Anak, Josh. xv, 13.
), probably because near there was the field of Machpelah, where the patriarchs were buried ( Gen. xxiii. 2 ), whose dead bodies did, as it were, keep possession of that land for their posterity. To this sepulchre they made a particular visit, and found the adjoining city in the possession of the sons of Anak, who are here named.
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Jehoshua - Oshea notes a desire of salvation, signifying, Save we pray thee; but Jehoshua, or Joshua, includes a promise of salvation, He will save. So this was a prophecy of his succession to Moses in the government, and of the success of his arms. Josh. is the same name with Jesus, of whom Joshua was a type.
And they ascended by the south,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
unto Hebron--situated in the heart of the mountains of Judah, in the southern extremity of Palestine. The town or "cities of Hebron," as it is expressed in the Hebrew, consists of a number of sheikdoms distinct from each other, standing at the foot of one of those hills that form a bowl round and enclose it.
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2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
So they . . . searched the land--They advanced from south to north, reconnoitering the whole land. the wilderness of Zin--a long level plain, or deep valley of sand, the monotony of which is relieved by a few tamarisk and rethem trees.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The progenitor of the Anakim was Arba “the father of Anak” Jos 15:13, from whom the city of Hebron took its name of Kirjath-Arba. Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai were probably not individual warriors, but names of three tribes of the Anakim. Hence, we find them still in existence half a century later, when Caleb, who now brought tidings of them, became their eventual destroyer Jos 15:14. Now Hebron ... - This parenthesis explains that these two cities had a common founder, and were built, or perhaps, at least in the case of Zoan (Tanis, see Exo 1:8, note; Exo 2:5, note) rebuilt, by the Hyksos, to which nations, once the conquerors of Egypt, the Anakim perhaps belonged. The Hyksos fortified and garrisoned Zoan as a defense of their Eastern frontier.
The words behind it
18 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיַּעֲל֣וּ | vaiyaalu | and they went up | H5927 → | 890 times |
| בַנֶּגֶב֮ | vanegev | in the Negev | H5045 → | 112 times |
| וַיָּבֹ֣א | vaiyavo' | and he came | H935 → | 2568 times |
| עַד־ | ʾad- | to | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| חֶבְרוֹן֒ | chevron | Hebron | H2275 → | 72 times |
| וְשָׁ֤ם | vesham | and [were] there | H8033 → | 834 times |
| אֲחִימַן֙ | ʾachiman | Ahiman | H289 → | |
| שֵׁשַׁ֣י | sheshai | Sheshai | H8344 → | |
| וְתַלְמַ֔י | vetalmai | and Talmai | H8526 → | |
| יְלִידֵ֖י | yelidei | those born of | H3211 → | |
| הָעֲנָ֑ק | haanak | <the> Anak | H6061 → | 9 times |
| וְחֶבְר֗וֹן | vechevron | and Hebron | H2275 → | 72 times |
| שֶׁ֤בַע | sheva' | seven | H7651 → | 394 times |
| שָׁנִים֙ | shanim | years | H8141 → | 877 times |
| נִבְנְתָ֔ה | nivnetah | it was built | H1129 → | 376 times |
| לִפְנֵ֖י | lifnei | <to> before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| צֹ֥עַן | tzoan | Zoan | H6814 → | |
| מִצְרָֽיִם׃ | mitzrayim | Egypt | H4714 → | 641 times |
וַיַּעֲל֣וּand they went up
vaiyaaluH5927 →890 times
בַנֶּגֶב֮in the Negev
vanegevH5045 →112 times
וַיָּבֹ֣אand he came
vaiyavo'H935 →2568 times
עַד־to
ʾad-H5704 →1261 times
חֶבְרוֹן֒Hebron
chevronH2275 →72 times
וְשָׁ֤םand [were] there
veshamH8033 →834 times
אֲחִימַן֙Ahiman
ʾachimanH289 →
שֵׁשַׁ֣יSheshai
sheshaiH8344 →
וְתַלְמַ֔יand Talmai
vetalmaiH8526 →
יְלִידֵ֖יthose born of
yelideiH3211 →
הָעֲנָ֑ק<the> Anak
haanakH6061 →9 times
וְחֶבְר֗וֹןand Hebron
vechevronH2275 →72 times
שֶׁ֤בַעseven
sheva'H7651 →394 times
שָׁנִים֙years
shanimH8141 →877 times
נִבְנְתָ֔הit was built
nivnetahH1129 →376 times
לִפְנֵ֖י<to> before
lifneiH6440 →2123 times
צֹ֥עַןZoan
tzoanH6814 →
מִצְרָֽיִם׃Egypt
mitzrayimH4714 →641 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Isaiah 30:4For though their princes are at Zoan and their envoys have arrived in Hanes,
it leads to
- Isaiah 19:11
The princes of Zoan are mere fools; Pharaoh’s wise counselors give senseless advice. How can you say to Pharaoh, “I am one of the wise, a son of eastern kings”?
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Isaiah 19:11
Through
Psalms 78:12He worked wonders before their fathers in the land of Egypt, in the region of Zoan.
it leads to
- Psalms 135:9
He sent signs and wonders into your midst, O Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his servants.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Ezekiel 30:14
I will lay waste Pathros, set fire to Zoan, and execute judgment on Thebes.
- Psalms 135:9
Through
Isaiah 19:11The princes of Zoan are mere fools; Pharaoh’s wise counselors give senseless advice. How can you say to Pharaoh, “I am one of the wise, a son of eastern kings”?
it leads to
- Psalms 78:43
when He performed His signs in Egypt and His wonders in the fields of Zoan.
- Isaiah 30:4
For though their princes are at Zoan and their envoys have arrived in Hanes,
- Acts 7:22
So Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action.
- 1 Kings 4:30
Solomon’s wisdom was greater than that of all the men of the East, greater than all the wisdom of Egypt.
- Psalms 78:43
Through
Psalms 78:43when He performed His signs in Egypt and His wonders in the fields of Zoan.
it leads to
- Exodus 4:21
The LORD instructed Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders that I have put within your power. But I will harden his heart so that…
- Exodus 4:21
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies13
About Numbers
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PlaceThe NileEgyptThe land where Joseph rose, where Israel grew into a nation in bondage, where the Passover lamb was slain and the sea opened, and…
- PlaceJudean hill countryHebronThe city of the patriarchs, where Abraham bought the cave of Machpelah, Caleb took his inheritance, and David reigned seven years…
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.