Deuteronomy 1:44

42 But the LORD said to me, “Tell them not to go up and fight, for I am not with you to keep you from defeat by your enemies.”

43 So I spoke to you, but you would not listen. You rebelled against the command of the LORD and presumptuously went up into the hill country.

Then 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.

45 And you returned and wept before the LORD, but He would not listen to your voice or give ear to you.

46 For this reason you stayed in Kadesh for a long time—a very long time.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
Then 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.
KJV
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.
WEB
The 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.
ASV
And 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.
DARBY
And 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.
BLB
And the Amorite who dwelt in that mountain came out against you⁺ and chased you⁺ like the bees do, and drove you⁺ back from Seir to Hormah.
ÅB
Da dro amorittene, som bodde der i fjellene, ut mot dere, og de forfulgte dere slik som en bisverm, og de slo dere sønder og sammen i Se'ir og drev dere like til Horma.
OTB
Amorittene som bodde i de fjellene kom ut mot dere; de jaget dere som en bisverm og slo dere ned fra Se'ir til Horma.
B1930
Da drog amorittene, som bodde der i fjellene, ut mot eder, og de forfulgte eder likesom en bisverm, og de slo eder sønder og sammen i Se'ir og drev eder like til Horma.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Psalms 118:12

    They swarmed around me like bees, but they were extinguished like burning thorns; in the name of the LORD I cut them off.

    Read in context
  • Numbers 14:45

    Then the Amalekites and Canaanites who lived in that part of the hill country came down, attacked them, and routed them all the way to Hormah.

    Read in context
  • Numbers 21:3

    And the LORD heard Israel’s plea and delivered up the Canaanites. Israel devoted them and their cities to destruction; so they named the place Hormah.

    Read in context
  • Isaiah 7:18

    On that day the LORD will whistle to the flies at the farthest streams of the Nile and to the bees in the land of Assyria.

    Read in context
  • Deuteronomy 32:30

    How could one man pursue a thousand, or two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, unless the LORD had given them up?

    Read in context
  • Deuteronomy 28:25

    The LORD will cause you to be defeated before your enemies. You will march out against them in one direction but flee from them in seven. You will be an object of horror to all the kingdoms of the earth.

    Read in context