Numbers 21:11-21

11 They journeyed from Oboth and camped at Iye-abarim, in the wilderness which is opposite * Moab, to the east *.

12 ¹From there they set out and camped in Wadi Zered.

13 From there they journeyed and camped on the other side of the Arnon, which is in the wilderness that comes out of the border of the Amorites, ²for the Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites.

14 Therefore * it is said in the Book of the Wars of the LORD, "Waheb in Suphah, And the wadis of the Arnon,

15 And the slope of the wadis That extends to the site of ³Ar, And leans to the border of Moab."

16 ⁴From there they continued to Beer, that is the well where the LORD said to Moses, "Assemble the people, that I may give them water."

17 ⁵Then Israel sang this song: "Spring up, O well! Sing to it!

18 "The well, which the leaders sank, Which the nobles of the people dug, With the scepter and with their staffs." And from the wilderness they continued to Mattanah,

19 and from Mattanah to Nahaliel, and from Nahaliel to Bamoth,

20 and from Bamoth to the valley that is in the land of Moab, at the top of Pisgah which overlooks * * the wasteland.

Two Victories

21 ⁶Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon, king of the Amorites, saying,

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Numbers 21:11-21 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 21

This chapter gives an account of the defeat of King Arad, the Canaanite, Nu 21:1-3 of the murmurings of the children of Israel, because of difficulties in travelling round, the land of Edom, for which they were punished with fiery serpents, Nu 21:4-6 and how that upon their repentance a brazen serpent was ordered to be made, and to be erected on a pole, that whoever looked to it might live, Nu 21:7-9 and of the several journeys and stations of the children of Israel, until they came to the land of the Amorites, Nu 21:10-20, when they sent a message to Sihon their king, to desire him to grant them a passage through his country; but he refusing, they fought with him, smote him, and possessed his land, concerning which many proverbial sayings were used, Nu 21:21-32 and the chapter is concluded with the defeat of Og, king of Bashan, Nu 21:33-35.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 6

1. Numbers 33:45
2. Numbers 22:36; Judges 11:18
3. Numbers 21:28; Deut 2:9, 18, 29
4. Numbers 33:46-49
5. Exodus 15:1; Psalms 105:2
6. Deuteronomy 2:26-37; Judges 11:19

Footnotes 4

[a]. Lit "sunrise"
[b]. I.e. a dry ravine except during rainy season
[c]. I.e. a well
[d]. Or "Jeshimon"