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Ramban on Numbers 21:1/רמב"ן על במדבר כ״א:א׳

אוַיִּשְׁמַע הַכְּנַעֲנִי מָצִינוּ בְּכִבּוּשֵׁי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ: "מֶלֶךְ עֲרָד אֶחָד" (יהושע יב יד), וְעוֹד כְּתִיב בַּמַּסָּעוֹת: "וְהוּא יוֹשֵׁב בַּנֶּגֶב בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן" (במדבר ל״ג:מ׳), וְהַכָּתוּב לֹא יִקְרָא אֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן סְתָם מֵעֵבֶר לַיַּרְדֵּן מִזְרָחָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר: "אֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן לִגְבוּלֹתֶיהָ" (במדבר ל״ד:ב׳). וְעוֹד כִּי הָיָה רָאוּי שֶׁיַּחְלֹק מֹשֶׁה אֶת אַרְצוֹ שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ עֲרָד לְאֶחָד מִשִּׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְהַכָּתוּב יְסַפֵּר בְּכָל מָקוֹם כִּי אֶרֶץ סִיחוֹן וְעוֹג שְׁנֵי מַלְכֵי הָאֱמֹרִי נָתַן מֹשֶׁה לִשְׁנֵי הַמַּטּוֹת וַחֲצִי הַמַּטֶּה, וְתִשְׁעַת הַמַּטּוֹת וַחֲצִי הַמַּטֶּה לָקְחוּ נַחֲלָתָם אַחֲרֵי עָבְרָם אֶת הַיַּרְדֵּן בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן. וְאוּלַי נֹאמַר כִּי הֶחֱרִימוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת אַרְצָם וְלֹא יָשְׁבוּ בָהּ כְּלָל, וְאֵינוֹ נָכוֹן. וְכֵן רַשִׁ״י מְפָרֵשׁ ״וְהַחֲרַמְתִּי אֶת עָרֵיהֶם״ (במדבר כ״א:ב׳) שֶׁהִקְדִּישׁ שְׁלָלָם לַגָּבוֹהַּ. וְהַנָּכוֹן בְּעֵינַי כִּי זֶה מֶלֶךְ עֲרָד הוּא יוֹשֵׁב בַּנֶּגֶב מֵעֵבֶר לַיַּרְדֵּן יָמָּה בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן עַל יַד הַיַּרְדֵּן בִּגְבוּל בְּנֵי יְהוּדָה סָמוּךְ לְחֶבְרוֹן שֶׁהִיא בַּנֶּגֶב, וְשָׁמַע מֵרָחוֹק בְּבוֹא בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וּבָא דֶּרֶךְ הָאֲתָרִים אֶל עַרְבוֹת מוֹאָב לְהִלָּחֵם עִמָּהֶם שָׁם. וְזֶה טַעַם וַיִּשְׁמַע, וּלְכָךְ סִפֵּר הַכָּתוּב וְהוּא יוֹשֵׁב בַּנֶּגֶב בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן, כִּי בָּא מֵאֶרֶץ אַחֶרֶת אֶל מְקוֹם יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְנָדְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל נֶדֶר לַה' שֶׁאִם יִתֵּן אוֹתוֹ בְּיָדָם שֶׁיַּחֲרִימוּ כָּל אֲשֶׁר לָהֶם לַה', וְסִפֵּר הַכָּתוּב כִּי שָׁמַע הַשֵּׁם תְּפִלָּתָם וְנָדְרוּ נֵדֶר לַה' וְשִׁלֵּמוּ, כִּי הָרְגוּ אֶתְהֶם עַתָּה בִּימֵי מֹשֶׁה כְּמוֹ שֶׁצִּוָּה: ״כָּל חֵרֶם אֲשֶׁר יָחֳרַם מִן הָאָדָם לֹא יִפָּדֶה מוֹת יוּמָת״ (ויקרא כז כט), וְנָתְנוּ כָּל שְׁלָלָם לְאוֹצַר בֵּית ה'. וְהִשְׁלִים עוֹד בְּכָאן לְסַפֵּר כִּי הֶחֱרִימוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל גַּם אֶת עָרֵיהֶם אַחֲרֵי בּוֹאָם בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן אַחֲרֵי מוֹת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, לְקַיֵּם אֶת נִדְרָם אֲשֶׁר נָדְרוּ, וַיִּקְרְאוּ שֵׁם הֶעָרִים חָרְמָה. וְהוּא מַה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּסֵפֶר שׁוֹפְטִים (א טז): ״וּבְנֵי קֵינִי חֹתֵן מֹשֶׁה עָלוּ מֵעִיר הַתְּמָרִים אֶת בְּנֵי יְהוּדָה מִדְבַּר יְהוּדָה אֲשֶׁר בַּנֶּגֶב עֲרָד״, וְשָׁם כָּתוּב: ״וַיֵּלֶךְ יְהוּדָה אֶת שִׁמְעוֹן אָחִיו וַיַּכּוּ אֶת הַכְּנַעֲנִי יוֹשֵׁב צְפַת וַיַּחֲרִימוּ אוֹתָהּ וַיִּקְרָא אֶת שֵׁם הָעִיר חָרְמָה״ (שופטים א':י״ז), וְשָׁם נִשְׁלַם הַנֶּדֶר הַזֶּה. אֲבָל הִשְׁלִים הַכָּתוּב לְהַזְכִּיר הָעִנְיָן בְּכָאן. וְזֶה כְּעִנְיַן הַפָּרָשָׁה שֶׁאָמְרָה בְּרֶדֶת הַמָּן: ״וַיַּנִּיחֵהוּ אַהֲרֹן לִפְנֵי הָעֵדוּת לְמִשְׁמָרֶת, וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אָכְלוּ אֶת הַמָּן אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה עַד בֹּאָם אֶל אֶרֶץ נוֹשָׁבֶת, אֶת הַמָּן אָכְלוּ עַד בֹּאָם אֶל קְצֵה אֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן״ (שמות טז לד לה), וְהוּא לְאַחַר מִיתָתוֹ שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה עַד מִמָּחֳרַת הַפֶּסַח (יהושע ה יב). וְכֵן ״אֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת הָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר יִנְחֲלוּ לָכֶם אֶת הָאָרֶץ״ וְגוֹ' (במדבר ל״ד:י״ז) נְבוּאָה שֶׁיִּהְיוּ חַיִּים וְקַיָּמִים, כִּי לֹא יִתָּכֵן שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הַשֵּׁם מְיַחֵד לָהֶם אֲנָשִׁים עַל הַסָּפֵק, אֲבָל הָיָה רָאוּי שֶׁיְּצַוֶּה לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ בְּעֵת הַחֲלֻקָּה. גַּם נָכוֹן הוּא לוֹמַר שֶׁהֶחֱרִימוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַתָּה בִּימֵי מֹשֶׁה אֶת הַמֶּלֶךְ הַזֶּה וְאֶת עַמּוֹ לְפִי חֶרֶב, וְקָרְאוּ שֵׁם מְקוֹם הַמִּלְחָמָה חָרְמָה. וְאַחֲרֵי עָבְרָם אֶת הַיַּרְדֵּן הֵמִית יְהוֹשֻׁעַ גַּם אֶת מֶלֶךְ עֲרָד אֲשֶׁר מָלַךְ אַחֲרֵי כֵן עִם מַלְכֵי כְּנַעַן אֲשֶׁר מָלְכוּ בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם, וּבְנֵי יְהוּדָה בְּבֹאָם בְּעָרֵיהֶם הֶחֱרִימוּ אוֹתָם גַּם כֵּן וְקָרְאוּ שֵׁם הֶעָרִים חָרְמָה, כִּי הִשְׁלִימוּ אֶת נִדְרָם אֲשֶׁר נָדְרוּ אֲבוֹתָם "וְהַחֲרַמְתִּי אֶת עָרֵיהֶם". וּלְכָךְ אָמַר כָּאן ״וַיִּקְרָא שֵׁם הַמָּקוֹם חָרְמָה״, וְשָׁם כָּתוּב ״וַיִּקְרָא אֶת שֵׁם הָעִיר חָרְמָה״ - שֵׁם כָּל עִיר שֶׁהָיְתָה מִמֶּלֶךְ עֲרָד, כִּי הִשְׁלִימוּ נִדְרָם וְהָיָה שְׁלָלָם מֵחֶרְמֵי גָּבוֹהַּ. וְהִנֵּה כָּל הַנִּזְכָּר כָּאן הָיָה בְּבַת אַחַת, זוּלָתִי שֶׁהִזְכִּיר "וְאֶת עָרֵיהֶם" שֶׁהָיָה לֶעָתִיד בְּבוֹאָם בְּעָרֵיהֶם. וּלְכָךְ אָמַר ״וְהַחֲרַמְתִּי אֶת עָרֵיהֶם״ וְלֹא אָמַר ״אֶתְהֶם וְאֶת עָרֵיהֶם״, כִּי הִזְכִּיר הַנֶּדֶר הֶעָתִיד, כִּי הֵם בַּמִּלְחָמָה יָמוּתוּ וְשָׁם יִתַּמּוּ. וּלְשׁוֹן הַכָּתוּב נָאוֹת לְמַה שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁנוּ, שֶׁהָיָה רָאוּי לוֹמַר ״וַיִּתֵּן אֶת הַכְּנַעֲנִי בְּיָדָם וַיַּחֲרִימוּ אוֹתָם וְאֶת עָרֵיהֶם וַיִּקְרְאוּ שֵׁם הַמָּקוֹם חָרְמָה״, אֲבָל חִסֵּר הַכִּנּוּיִין לִרְמֹז שֶׁנָּתַן הַכְּנַעֲנִי בְּיַד מִי שֶׁנְּתָנוֹ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל, מֵהֶם עַתָּה וּמֵהֶם לֶעָתִיד, כִּי הַשֵּׁם שָׁמַע אֶת תְּפִלָּתָם וְהֵם קִיְּמוּ אֶת נִדְרָם:

1AND THE CANAANITE, THE KING OF ARAD, HEARD. We find [mentioned] amongst the conquests of Joshua: the king of Arad, one.²¹⁷ of the river Jordan: so how — as indicated in this section — could its king fight against Israel whilst they were still on the eastern bank of the Jordan: Moreover, in the section dealing with the [stages of the Israelites’] journeyings [in the wilderness], it is written, And the Canaanite, the king of Arad, who dwelt in the south in the land of Canaan,²¹⁸ and Scripture does not refer to [that land which is] on the eastern side of the Jordan as “the land of Canaan” without qualification, just as He said, the land of Canaan according to the borders thereof.²¹⁹, 34:2. Verses 10-12 ibid., define the eastern boundary of Canaan as the Jordan: hence we see that the word “Canaan” does not include land east of the Jordan. So the question reappears: how come that the king of Arad, a land west of the Jordan, came to fight the children of Israel who were now encamped east of the Jordan? Furthermore, [if Arad was to the east of the river Jordan], Moses should have given the land of the king of Arad to one of the tribes of Israel [as their inheritance, in the same way that he divided up the other lands which he conquered]; but Scripture always tells²²⁰, Verses 13-15; Joshua 12:6, etc. that it was the land of Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings, which Moses gave to the two tribes [Reuben and Gad] and to the half-tribe [of Menasheh], whereas the nine tribes and the [other] half-tribe [of Menasheh] received their inheritance after they crossed the Jordan into the land of Canaan. Perhaps we may explain [that the reason for this is] that Israel utterly destroyed their land, and did not settle therein at all. But that is not [the] correct [explanation of the word v’hacharamti in Verse 2]. Similarly Rashi explains [that the expression: And Israel vowed a vow unto the Eternal, and said, If Thou wilt indeed deliver this people into my hand,] then ‘v’hacharamti’ their cities²²¹ means that Israel would dedicate the spoils [of those cities] to the Most High [and not that they would destroy the cities themselves].²²²The correct interpretation appears to me to be that this king of Arad dwelt in the south²¹⁸ on the western side of the Jordan, in the land of Canaan near the Jordan, bordering onto the land of the children of Judah, near Hebron which is in the south;²²³. and he heard from afar of the coming of the children of Israel,²¹⁸ so he [the king] came by the way of Atharim²²⁴ to the plains of Moab to fight there against Israel. This is the meaning of the word ‘vayishma’ (and he heard) [i.e., he heard from a distance]. Therefore Scripture relates that he dwelt in the south in the land of Canaan,²¹⁸ [to point out] that he came from another land, to the place where Israel was [encamped]. Then Israel vowed a vow unto the Eternal²²¹ that if He would deliver him [the king of Arad] into their hand, they would dedicate all that they had to G-d. And Scripture [further] relates²²⁵ that G-d heard their prayer, and the vow that they had vowed unto G-d, they fulfilled,²²⁶. for they killed them now in the days of Moses, as He had commanded, None devoted, that may be devoted of men, shall be ransomed; he shall surely be put to death,²²⁷ and they gave all their spoils into the treasury of the House of the Eternal.²²⁸ Scripture continued by relating here²²⁵ that Israel also laid their cities waste when they came into the land of Canaan, after the death of Joshua, in order to fulfill the vow which they had made, and they called the name of the cities Hormah [Utter Destruction].²²⁹ [the last words in Deuteronomy] — reached the ear of Moses from the mouth of the Holy One, blessed be He”. Since there is no difference in time for G-d, it is written in the past tense, for past, present, and future are all the same to Him. See also Ramban Vol. II, p. 192, for the reason why the tenses are often used interchangeably in prophetic statements. It is with reference to this that it is stated in the Book of Judges, And the children of the Kenite, Moses’ father-in-law, went up out of the city of palm-trees with the children of Judah into the wilderness of Judah, which is in the south of Arad,²³⁰ and it is [further] written, And Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they smote the Canaanites that inhabited Zephath, and utterly destroyed it. And he called the name of the city Hormah.²³¹, Verse 17. It was then that this vow [recorded here] was fulfilled, but Scripture, however, completed the account of the matter here, just as it did in the section speaking of the descending of the manna, [where it states]: and Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept. And the children of Israel did eat the manna forty years, until they came to a land inhabited; they did eat the manna, until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan,²³² [an event which occurred] after the death of Moses, until the morrow after the Passover.²³³ Similarly, These are the names of the men that shall take possession of the Land for you etc.²³⁴ constitutes a prophecy that these men will [still] live and function [at that time]; for it is impossible [to say] that G-d would specify for them men about whom there was a doubt [as to whether they would still be living; for if so], He should rather have commanded Joshua [about them] at the time of the division of the Land. [But since the command was already given to Moses, we see that the Torah speaks of future events, and that this constitutes a Divine promise that these specified men would live until the time of the division of the Land.]It is also correct to say that already now in the days of Moses the Israelites destroyed this king [of Arad] and his people with the edge of the sword,²³⁵ and called the place of the battle Hormah, and after they crossed the Jordan, Joshua also killed the [then] king of Arad²¹⁷ of the river Jordan: so how — as indicated in this section — could its king fight against Israel whilst they were still on the eastern bank of the Jordan: who ruled after [the one in the days of Moses], together with the [other] Canaanite kings who ruled at that time. When the children of Judah came into their cities, they destroyed them as well, and called the name of the cities Hormah,²³¹, Verse 17. because [by destroying them] they fulfilled the vow which their fathers had made, and I will utterly destroy their cities.²²¹ Therefore He stated here, and he called the name of ‘the place’ Hormah,²²⁵ but there [in the Book of Judges] it is written, and he called the name of ‘the city’ Hormah,²³¹, Verse 17. meaning the name of every city which belonged to the king of Arad, as they fulfilled their vow, and their spoils were dedicated to the Sanctuary. Thus [according to this interpretation] everything mentioned here happened at the same time [in the days of Moses], except that He mentioned, and their cities,²²⁵ [the destruction of which] occurred at a later time, when they came into their cities. It is for this reason that it says [here], and I will utterly destroy their cities,²²¹ and does not say “[I will destroy] them and their cities,” because the verse [only] mentions their vow concerning the future, but they themselves [the people] died in the battle [at the time of Moses] and were destroyed there. And the language of the verse fits in well with this explanation of ours, for it should have said: “and He delivered up the Canaanites ‘into their hand,’ and ‘they’ utterly destroyed them and their cities, and ‘they’ called the name of the place Hormah.” But Scripture omitted the pronouns²³⁶]. Nor does it say vayacharimu (and “they” destroyed), but instead says: ‘vayachareim’ [literally: “and ‘he’ destroyed” — i.e., the one who destroyed them — now, or later on in the days of Joshua]. Similarly it does not say vayikr’u (“and ‘they’ called”), the name of the place Hormah [in the days of Moses] but ‘vayikra’ [“and ‘he’ called” — the one who called — now or later on]. in order to indicate that He delivered the Canaanites into the hand of whoever of the Israelites He delivered them, some of them now and some of them at a later time, for G-d hearkened to their prayer, and they fulfilled their vow.

בוְטַעַם כִּי בָּא יִשְׂרָאֵל דֶּרֶךְ הָאֲתָרִים – עַל דַּעַת אוּנְקְלוֹס (תרגום אונקלוס על במדבר כ״א:א׳), כִּי כַּאֲשֶׁר בָּאוּ הַמְרַגְּלִים וְעָלוּ בַּנֶּגֶב וְחָזְרוּ לָהֶם, הִרְגִּישׁוּ בָּהֶם יוֹשְׁבֵי הָאָרֶץ, וְשָׁמַע בָּהֶם הַכְּנַעֲנִי הַזֶּה שֶׁהָיָה יוֹשֵׁב בַּנֶּגֶב, וּבָא בַּדֶּרֶךְ שֶׁהָלְכוּ הֵם עַד הַגִּיעוֹ לְמַחֲנֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְיָפֶה פֵּרֵשׁ. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ אָמְרוּ (ר״ה ג): מָה שְׁמוּעָה שָׁמַע? - כִּי הֻקְשָׁה לָהֶם הַכָּתוּב בְּפָרָשַׁת הַמַּסָּעִים: ״וַיִּשְׁמַע הַכְּנַעֲנִי מֶלֶךְ עֲרָד וְהוּא יֹשֵׁב בַּנֶּגֶב בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן בְּבֹא בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל״ (במדבר ל״ג:מ׳), שֶׁלֹּא הִזְכִּיר שָׁם הַמִּלְחָמָה וְלֹא שׁוּם דָּבָר. עַל כֵּן אָמְרוּ שֶׁהַשְּׁמוּעָה הָיְתָה בְּמִיתַת אַהֲרֹן הַנִּזְכֶּרֶת שָׁם. יַזְכִּיר כִּי שָׁמְעוּ אוֹיְבֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּמִיתַת הַצַּדִּיק וְנִתְעוֹרְרוּ בָּהּ לְהִלָּחֵם עִמָּהֶם. וְכֵן אָמְרוּ (במדבר רבה יט יא) שֶׁהַכְּנַעֲנִי הַזֶּה הוּא עֲמָלֵק, וְלֹא כָּבַשׁ אַרְצָם וְלֹא חָלַק אוֹתָהּ, אֲבָל הֶחֱרִים עָרֵיהֶם:

2THAT ISRAEL CAME BY WAY OF ‘ATHARIM.’ According to the opinion of Onkelos [who rendered the verse: “that Israel came by the way which ‘the spies’ had gone”], the meaning is that when the spies came and went up from the south²³⁷ and returned, the inhabitants of the Land noticed them, and this Canaanite who dwelt in the south heard about them, and so he followed the same route which they had taken, until he reached the camp of the Israelites. Onkelos has interpreted it well. And our Rabbis have said:²³⁸ “What was the report which he [the Canaanite] heard?” — because they found difficulty with the verse in the section [dealing with the stages] of the [Israelites’] journeyings,²³⁹ which states, And the Canaanite, the king of Arad, who dwelt in the south in the land of Canaan, heard of the coming of the children of Israel,²⁴⁰ since it does not mention there any war, or any other event whatsoever. Therefore they said that the report was about the death of Aaron which is mentioned there,²⁴¹, Verses 38-39. and Scripture thus states that Israel’s enemies heard of the death of the righteous one, and they were consequently encouraged by that event to fight against Israel. Likewise the Rabbis have said²⁴² 18. that this Canaanite was Amalek, and [therefore the Israelites] did not conquer his land, nor take any part of it; but they completely destroyed their cities.

גוַיִּשְׁבְּ מִמֶּנּוּ שֶׁבִי – אֵינָהּ אֶלָּא שִׁפְחָה אַחַת, לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ״י (רש״י על במדבר כ״א:א׳) מִדִּבְרֵי רַבּוֹתֵינוּ. נִתְעוֹרְרוּ הַחֲכָמִים בָּזֶה מִפְּנֵי דַּעְתָּם שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מְנֻצָּחִים כְּלָל מֵאוֹיֵב, זוּלָתִי בְּעֵת קַלְקָלָתָם, כְּגוֹן בְּמִלְחֶמֶת עֲמָלֵק הָרִאשׁוֹנָה מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאָמְרוּ ״הֲיֵשׁ ה' בְּקִרְבֵּנוּ״ (שמות יז ז), וּבַשְּׁנִיָּה מִפְּנֵי חֶטְאָם בַּמְּרַגְּלִים שֶׁהִזְהִירָם מֹשֶׁה מִמֶּנָּה (לעיל יד מא-מה). אֲבָל בְּכָל מִלְחֶמֶת מִצְוָה לֹא נִפְקַד מֵהֶם אִישׁ כָּל יְמֵי מֹשֶׁה, וּלְפִיכָךְ פֵּרְשׁוּ הַכָּתוּב הַזֶּה, וַיִּשְׁבְּ מִמֶּנּוּ הַשֶּׁבִי שֶׁהָיָה בְּיָדוֹ, וְהִיא הַשִּׁפְחָה הַזּוֹ שֶׁשָּׁבוּ אוֹתָהּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵהֶם, כִּלְשׁוֹן ״בְּכוֹר הַשְּׁבִי״ (שמות יב כט) שֶׁהוּא בְּכוֹר הַשִּׁפְחָה, כִּי לֹא אָמַר וַיִּשְׁבְּ מִמֶּנּוּ אֲנָשִׁים אוֹ נָשִׁים וָטַף. וְעַל דֶּרֶךְ הַפְּשָׁט עִנְיַן הַכָּתוּב, כִּי לֹא הָרַג מֵהֶם הַכְּנַעֲנִי הַזֶּה שׁוּם אָדָם, אֲבָל שָׁבָה מֵהֶם מְעַטִּים, וְכַאֲשֶׁר נָתַן הַשֵּׁם אוֹתוֹ בְּיָדָם הֵשִׁיבוּ אֶת הַכֹּל וְלֹא נִפְקַד מֵהֶם אִישׁ. וְהִזְכִּיר הַכָּתוּב הַזֶּה לְהוֹדִיעַ כִּי מִפְּנֵי שֶׁרָאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִתְּחִלָּה כִּי גָּבַר הַכְּנַעֲנִי, נָדְרוּ הַנֶּדֶר הַזֶּה לְהַחֲרִים כָּל שְׁלָלָם לַה' וַיִּשְׁמַע הַשֵּׁם בְּקוֹלָם. וְיִתָּכֵן שֶׁנֹּאמַר עוֹד כִּי קָצַף הַשֵּׁם עַל הַכְּנַעֲנִי הַזֶּה בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁבָּא מֵאֶרֶץ מֶרְחַקִּים לְהִלָּחֵם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל וְלֹא יָרֵא אֱלֹהִים, וְרָצָה שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לְחֵרֶם, עַל כֵּן הִגְבִּיר אוֹתוֹ מִתְּחִלָּה כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּדְּרוּ לְהַחֲרִימוֹ לַה':

3AND HE TOOK SOME OF THEM CAPTIVE. “It was only one maidservant [of the Israelites that was taken captive].” This is Rashi’s language, based upon the words of our Rabbis.²⁴³ on this verse. The Sages were induced to make this comment because they were of the opinion that Israel never suffered defeat at the hands of any enemy except at times when they sinned; such as at the first war with Amalek, because they had said, Is the Eternal among us, or not?²⁴⁴ and at the second [war with Amalek]²⁴⁵. on account of their sin in the [matter of the] spies, when Moses had warned them not to wage war.²⁴⁶, Verses 41-42. But in all wars which were by [Divine] command, not one man of them was missing²⁴⁷ throughout the days of Moses. Therefore the Sages explained this verse as meaning that they [the enemy] took captive from Israel that captive whom they had in their possession, namely this maidservant whom the Israelites had [previously] captured from them. [The usage here of the term shevi (captive) in the sense of “servant” is] similar to the expression ‘b’chor hashvi’ (the firstborn of the captive)²⁴⁸ which means the firstborn of ‘the maidservant’²⁴⁹, 11:5. [and so here too the word shevi denotes a maidservant], since Scripture here does not say: “and he captured men from him,” or “[he captured] women and children.”According to the plain meaning of Scripture, the sense of the verse is that these Canaanites did not kill any of the Israelites, but took a few of them captive, and when G-d [later on] delivered them into their hands, they brought them all back, and not a single one of them was missing. Scripture mentioned this in order to inform us that since the Israelites saw at first that the Canaanites were winning [the war], they made this vow to dedicate all spoil which they would take to G-d, and G-d hearkened to their voice. It is possible also that we explain that G-d was angry with these Canaanites because they came from a distant land to fight against Israel, and feared not G-d;²⁵⁰ therefore He wanted that they should be utterly destroyed, and caused them to prevail at first so that the Israelites would vow to destroy them [and dedicate the spoils] to G-d.