By Way of the Spies

Numbers 21:1 (KJV) “And when king Arad the Canaanite, which dwelt in the south, heard tell that Israel came by way of the spies; then he fought against Israel, and took some of them prisoners.”

This seemingly straightforward verse in Scripture is actually an amazing insight into the world of the paranormal. 
Moses was leading the Israelites toward their Promised Land, having escaped from Egypt in the Exodus. As they traveled, their route detoured into the northern parts of the Arabian Peninsula. This was necessary because the Edomites would not allow them to go through their land to enter Canaan. 
While the wandering Israelites were still many miles away from Canaan and going in the opposite direction, a band of Canaanite warriors attacked them, capturing Israelite civilians and dragging them away. 
How did the enigmatic King Arad know about the Israelite presence many miles to the south of his land, on the other side of a neighbouring kingdom?
The simple answer is that he had spies. 
Here’s where it gets interesting: the usual word for spies in Hebrew is “ragal.” Moses uses that word many times to refer to spies. But not here. In this instance, he chose “Atharin.” That’s not even a Hebrew word. Moses borrowed it from the land and language of the place where this attack occurred. It’s Arabic. 
So why would Moses pick one Arabic word and use it in his Hebrew text? 
Because Hebrew doesn’t have a word for “spies without feet.”
The Israelites were being watched by supernatural spies. King Arad was employing some form of divination when he learned about Israel’s presence to the south. And the tip-off came when Moses’ brother Aaron passed away. Aaron’s death was detected by the spirits of the Rephaim, and they armed Arad with that knowledge so he could strike while the Israelites were mourning. It was a cruel blow to a suffering people. And it would be answered with swift vengeance - now that Israel had finally learned that this was spiritual warfare. 

- T.J. Steadman