The First is a Great First Step
Numbers 21:1–3 (ESV) When the Canaanite, the king of Arad, who lived in the Negeb, heard that Israel was coming by the way of Atharim, he fought against Israel, and took some of them captive. 2 And Israel vowed a vow to the Lord and said, “If you will indeed give this people into my hand, then I will devote their cities to destruction.” 3 And the Lord heeded the voice of Israel and gave over the Canaanites, and they devoted them and their cities to destruction. So the name of the place was called Hormah. Something wonderful begins to happen for Israel in Numbers 21. They start winning battles against Canaanite kings. But here at Hormah, the more important thing is that they learn how to win battles. It's interesting how the text gives us clues that they have circled back in many ways from their tremendous fall of Numbers 13-14. First the text tells us that the Israelites are going "by the way of Atharim" - which means " by the way of the spies." S...