Deuteronomy 1 · Verse 44

Deuteronomy 1:44

And the Amorites, which dwelt in that mountain, came out against you, and chased you, as bees do, and destroyed you in Seir, even unto Hormah.
Deuteronomy 1:44, King James Version

Deuteronomy 1:44 in other translations

BSBThen the Amorites who lived in the hills came out against you and chased you like a swarm of bees. They routed you from Seir all the way to Hormah.
WEBThe Amorites, who lived in that hill country, came out against you and chased you as bees do, and beat you down in Seir, even to Hormah.
ASVAnd the Amorites, that dwelt in that hill-country, came out against you, and chased you, as bees do, and beat you down in Seir, even unto Hormah.
YLTand the Amorite who is dwelling in that hill-country cometh out to meet you, and they pursue you as the bees do, and smite you in Seir--unto Hormah.
DARBYAnd the Amorite that dwelt on that hill came out against you, and chased you, like as bees do, and cut you in pieces in Seir, as far as Hormah.
BBEAnd the Amorites who were in the hill-country came out against you and put you to flight, rushing after you like bees, and overcame you in Seir, driving you even as far as Hormah.
WebsterAnd the Amorites, who dwelt on that mountain, came out against you, and chased you, as bees do, and destroyed you in Seir, even to Hormah.

What does Deuteronomy 1:44 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Deuteronomy 1:40-45

40-45. turn you, and take your journey into the ... Red Sea--This command they disregarded, and, determined to force an onward passage in spite of the earnest remonstrances of Moses, they attempted to cross the heights then occupied by the combined forces of the Amorites and Amalekites (compare Nu 14:43), but were repulsed with great loss. People often experience distress even while in the way of duty. But how…

Read the full comment on Deuteronomy 1:40-45 →

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 44 The Amorites - chased you - See the note on Num 14:40 : as bees do - by irresistible numbers.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Deuteronomy 1:19-46

Moses reminds the Israelites of their march from Horeb to Kadesh-barnea, through that great and terrible wilderness. He shows how near they were to a happy settlement in Canaan. It will aggravate the eternal ruin of hypocrites, that they were not far from the kingdom of God. As if it were not enough that they were sure of their God before them, they would send men before them. Never any looked into the Holy Land…

Read the full comment on Deuteronomy 1:19-46 →

Deuteronomy 1:44 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֵּצֵ֨אvai.ye.Tze'and he came outH3318
הָאֱמֹרִ֜יha.'e.mo.Rithe Amorite[s]H567
הַיֹּשֵׁ֨בhai.yo.Shevwho was dwellingH3427
בָּהָ֤רba.Harin the hill countryH2022
הַהוּא֙ha.Hu'<the> thatH1931
לִקְרַאתְכֶ֔םlik.rat.Khemto meet youH7122
וַיִּרְדְּפ֣וּvai.yir.de.Fuand they pursuedH7291
אֶתְכֶ֔ם'et.Khem<obj.> youH853
כַּאֲשֶׁ֥רka.'a.Sherjust asH834
תַּעֲשֶׂ֖ינָהta.'a.Sei.nahthey doH6213
הַדְּבֹרִ֑יםha.de.vo.Rim<the> beesH1682
וַֽיַּכְּת֥וּvai.ya.ke.Tuand they scatteredH3807
אֶתְכֶ֛ם'et.Khem<obj.> youH853
בְּשֵׂעִ֖ירbe.se.'Irin SeirH8165
עַד\־'ad-toH5704
חָרְמָֽה\׃cha.re.MahHormahH2767

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Deuteronomy 1:44

  • Psalms 118:12

    They compassed me about like bees; they are quenched as the fire of thorns: for in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.

  • Numbers 14:45

    Then the Amalekites came down, and the Canaanites which dwelt in that hill, and smote them, and discomfited them, even unto Hormah.

  • Numbers 21:3

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

  • Isaiah 7:18

    And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall hiss for the fly that is in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt, and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria.

  • Deuteronomy 32:30

    How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the Lord had shut them up?

  • Deuteronomy 28:25

    The Lord shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies: thou shalt go out one way against them, and flee seven ways before them: and shalt be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
chased you.When bees are provoked or disturbed, the whole swarm attack and pursue whatever annoys them, with great courage and fury, and sometimes are a most formidable enemy. They were so troublesome in some districts of Crete, that, according to Pliny, the inhabitants were actually compelled to forsake their homes. Ælian reports, that some places in Scythia were formerly inaccessible on account of the numerous swarms of bees with which they were infested. Mr. Park relates, that some of his associates imprudently attempted to rob a numerous hive which they found in their way. The exasperated little animals rushed out to defend their property, and attacked them with so much fury, that they quickly compelled the whole company of men, horses, and asses, to scamper off in all directions, The horses were never recovered, and a number of the asses were so severely stung, that they died the next day.
28:25; 32:30; Ps 118:12; Isa 7:18
unto Hormah.
Nu 14:45; 21:3

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Deuteronomy 1:43

    So I spake unto you; and ye would not hear, but rebelled against the commandment of the Lord, and went presumptuously up into the hill.

  • Deuteronomy 1:44

    And the Amorites, which dwelt in that mountain, came out against you, and chased you, as bees do, and destroyed you in Seir, even unto Hormah.

  • Deuteronomy 1:45

    And ye returned and wept before the Lord; but the Lord would not hearken to your voice, nor give ear unto you.

Read all of Deuteronomy 1

Deuteronomy 1:44 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y salió el Amorrheo, que habitaba en aquel monte, á vuestro encuentro, y os persiguieron, como hacen las avispas, y os derrotaron en Seir, persiguiéndoos hasta Horma.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et l’Amoréen, qui habitait cette montagne, sortit à votre rencontre, et vous poursuivit, comme font les abeilles, et il vous tailla en pièces en Séhir, jusqu’à Horma.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und die Amoriter, die auf selbigem Gebirge wohnten, zogen aus, euch entgegen, und verfolgten euch, wie die Bienen tun, und zersprengten euch in Seir bis Horma.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Itaque egressus Amorrhæus, qui habitabat in montibus, et obviam veniens, persecutus est vos, sicut solent apes persequi: et cecidit de Seir usque Horma.