Numbers 21:10-20

Journey around Moab

10 The Israelites set out and camped at Oboth.

11 They set out from Oboth and camped at Iye-abarim in the wilderness that borders Moab on the east.

12 From there they went and camped at Zered Valley.

13 They set out from there and camped on the other side of the Arnon [River], in the wilderness that extends from the Amorite border, because the Arnon was the Moabite border between Moab and the Amorites.

14 Therefore it is stated in the Book of the Lord's Wars: Waheb^[a] in Suphah and the ravines of the Arnon,

15 even the slopes of the ravines that extend to the site of Ar^[b] and lie along the border of Moab.

16 From there [they went] to Beer,^[c] the well the Lord told Moses about, "Gather the people so I may give them water."

17 Then Israel sang this song: Spring up, well-sing to it!

18 The princes dug the well; The nobles of the people hollowed it out with a scepter and with their staffs. [They went] from the wilderness to Mattanah,

19 from Mattanah to Nahaliel, from Nahaliel to Bamoth,

20 from Bamoth to the valley in the territory of Moab near the Pisgah highlands^[d] that overlook the wasteland.^{[e] [f]}

Numbers 21:10-20 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.

Footnotes

• [a] The source of the Arnon River
• [b] A city in Moab; Nm 21:28; Dt 2:9,18,29; Isa 15:1
• [c] well
• [d] Moabite mountain plateau; Nm 23:14; Dt 3:17,27; 4:49; 34:1; Jos 12:3; 13:20
• [e] Or overlook Jeshimon
• [f] Nm 23:28