במדבר, פרק י״ד, פסוק מ״ה

Following the disastrous incident with the spies, the Israelites desperately attempt to correct their mistake by advancing up the mountain against God's direct command. This independent initiative ends in a devastating defeat and a humiliating retreat, as the local inhabitants seize the opportunity to hunt them down.

The Amalekites and Canaanites are depicted as descending from the mountain to attack. Commentators question how this aligns with earlier accounts stating these nations lived in the valley. One explanation is that they inhabited the mountainous region, specifically residing in the valley just beyond the peak the Israelites were trying to scale [רש״ר הירש]. Alternatively, the enemy forces were waiting in ambush at the mountain's summit, rushing down to block the Israelites' path and prevent their ascent [ספורנו, מלבי״ם]. Another perspective notes that these enemy nations permanently occupied the mountain and plotted this attack on their own initiative. Because the enemies were acting out of their own hostility rather than serving as God's official agents of punishment, the Israelites were merely defeated and forced to flee, rather than suffering the complete annihilation that a direct divine decree would have brought [שפתי כהן].

The assault itself is characterized by a dual description of striking and crushing. The concept of crushing here implies a total shattering and grinding down, much like a heavy millstone pulverizing its contents [רש״י, אבן עזרא, ביאור יש״ר, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This repetition in the narrative highlights the severe nature of the battle. Some interpret the two actions as being divided between the attackers, with the Amalekites striking and the Canaanites delivering the crushing blows [חזקוני]. Others see it as distinguishing between the types of casualties, separating those who were killed from those who were injured [חזקוני]. Another approach suggests that the first action refers to the actual killing of the men, while the second describes the complete dismantling of the Israelite military structure, breaking their ranks and scattering the soldiers in every direction [הכתב והקבלה]. It can also be understood as outlining the stages of the conflict: the enemies initially struck the Israelites during the pursuit, and once the battered Israelites fled back beyond their borders, the enemy forces delivered a final, crushing blow [העמק דבר].

The chaotic retreat comes to an end at a location known as Hormah. While one view suggests this word describes the action of the enemies pursuing the Israelites until they were utterly destroyed [אבן עזרא], the primary approach among commentators is that it refers to a specific geographic location. The site was named Hormah to commemorate the destruction and defeat that occurred there [רש״י, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Because this name was only assigned to the location after the event, commentators explain that Moses recorded it through prophecy, or that this detail was documented at the end of the forty years of wandering in the desert, by which time the area was widely known by this title [שפתי חכמים, מזרחי, ביאור יש״ר]. Furthermore, the inclusion of the definite article in the location's name indicates that at the time of the battle, it was not yet an official city name. Instead, it was a descriptive title assigned to the region, reflecting the utter devastation the Israelites suffered at the hands of their enemies [גור אריה, נתינה לגר].