Numbers 21:10-20
Verse 12. They-pitched in the valley of Zared.] nachal zared. This should be translated the brook Zared, as it is in De 2:13, 14. This stream has its origin in the mountains eastward of Moab, and runs from east to west, and discharges itself into the Dead Sea. Verse 13. Arnon] Another river which takes its rise in the mountains of Moab, and, after having separated the ancient territories of the Moabites and Ammonites, falls into the Dead Sea, near the mouth of Jordan. Verse 14. The book of the wars of the Lord] There are endless conjectures about this book, both among ancients and moderns. Dr. Lightfoot's opinion is the most simple, and to me bears the greatest appearance of being the true one. "This book seems to have been some book of remembrances and directions, written by Moses for Joshua's private instruction for the management of the wars after him. See Ex 17:14-16. It may be that this was the same book which is called the book of Jasher, i. e., the book of the upright, or a directory for Joshua, from Moses, what to do and what to expect in his wars; and in this book it seems as if Moses directed the setting up of archery, see 2Sa 1:18, and warrants Joshua to command the sun, and expect its obedience, Jos 10:13." What he did in the Red Sea, and in the brooks of Arnon] This clause is impenetrably obscure. All the versions, all the translators, and all the commentators, have been puzzled with it. Scarcely any two agree. The original is eth vaheb besuphah, which our translators render, what he did in the Red Sea, following here the Chaldee Targum; but not satisfied with this version, they have put the most difficult words in English letters in the margin, Vaheb in Suphah. Calmet's conjecture here is ingenious, and is adopted by Houbigant; instead of vaheb, he reads zared. Now a zain may be easily mistaken for a vau, and vice versa; and a he for a , resh, if the left limb happened to be a little obliterated, which frequently occurs, not only in MSS., but in printed books; the beth also might be mistaken for a daleth, if the ruled line on which it stood happened in that place to be a little thicker or blacker than usual. Thus then vaheb might be easily formed out of zared, mentioned Nu 21:12; the whole might then be read, They encamped at the brook Zared, and they came to Suphah, and thence to the brook Arnon. Take the passage as we may, it is evidently defective. As I judge the whole clause to have been a common proverb in those days, and Vaheb to be a proper name, I therefore propose the following translation, which I believe to be the best: From Vaheb unto Suph, and unto the streams of Arnon. If we allow it to have been a proverbial expression, used to point out extensive distance, then it was similar to that well known phrase, From Dan even unto Beersheba. Verse 17. Spring up, O well, &c.] This is one of the most ancient war songs in the world, but is not easily understood, which is commonly the case with all very ancient compositions, especially the poetic. See Clarke on Ex 15:1, &c. Verse 18. The princes digged the well-with their staves.] This is not easily understood. Who can suppose that the princes dug this well with their staves? And is there any other idea conveyed by our translation? The word chapharu, which is translated they digged, should be rendered they searched out, which is a frequent meaning of the root; and bemishanotham, which we render with their staves, should be translated on their borders or confines, from the root shaan, to lie along. With these corrections the whole song may be read thus:- | i.e. Repeat Spring up, O well! Answer ye to it. the other part | of the song. The well, the princes searched it out. | This is the answer. The nobles of the people have digged it. | This was By a decree, upon their own borders. | the chorus. This is the whole of the quotation from what is called the book of the wars of the Lord. But see Dr. Kennicott's remarks at the end of this chapter.
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