Numbers 21:18

Numbers 21:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)The princes digged the well, the nobles of the people digged it, by the direction of the lawgiver, with their staves. And from the wilderness they went to Mattanah:
• New International Version (NIV)about the well that the princes dug, that the nobles of the people sank— the nobles with scepters and staffs.” Then they went from the wilderness to Mattanah,
• New King James Version (NKJV)The well the leaders sank, Dug by the nation’s nobles, By the lawgiver, with their staves.” And from the wilderness they went to Mattanah,
• New Living Translation (NLT)Sing of this well, which princes dug, which great leaders hollowed out with their scepters and staffs.” Then the Israelites left the wilderness and proceeded on through Mattanah,

Context of Numbers 21:18

16And from there they continued to Beer; that is the well of which the Lord said to Moses, "Gather the people together, so that I may give them water." 17Then Israel sang this song: "Spring up, O well!—Sing to it!— the well that the princes made, that the nobles of the people dug, with the scepter and with their staffs." And from the wilderness they went on to Mattanah, 19and from Mattanah to Nahaliel, and from Nahaliel to Bamoth, 20and from Bamoth to the valley lying in the region of Moab by the top of Pisgah that looks down on the desert.

Numbers 21:18 word by word

בְּאֵ֞ר חֲפָר֣וּהָ שָׂרִ֗ים כָּר֙וּהָ֙ נְדִיבֵ֣י הָעָ֔ם בִּמְחֹקֵ֖ק בְּמִשְׁעֲנֹתָ֑ם וּמִמִּדְבָּ֖ר מַתָּנָֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• The princesשַׂרώar · rulerH8269
• diggedחָפַרchâphar · to searchH2658
• the wellבְּאֵרbe'êr · wellH875
• the noblesנָדִיבnâdîyb · nobleH5081
• of the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• diggedכָּרָהkârâh · to pierceH3738
• the lawgiverחָקַקchâqaq · to decreeH2710
• with their stavesמִשְׁעֶ֫נֶתmish‛ênâh mish‛eneth · staffH4938
• And from the wildernessמִדְבָּרmidbâr · wildernessH4057
• to Mattanahמַתָּנָהmattânâh · MattanahH4980

Cross-references for Numbers 21:18

• 2 Chronicles 17:7In the third year of his reign he sent his officials, Ben-hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah;
• Nehemiah 3:1Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brothers the priests, and they built the Sheep Gate. They consecrated it and set its doors. They consecrated it as far as the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Tower of Hananel.
• 1 Timothy 6:17As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.
• Deuteronomy 5:31But you, stand here by me, and I will tell you the whole commandment and the statutes and the rules that you shall teach them, that they may do them in the land that I am giving them to possess.'
• Deuteronomy 33:4when Moses commanded us a law, as a possession for the assembly of Jacob.
• Isaiah 33:22For the Lord is our judge; the Lord is our lawgiver; the Lord is our king; he will save us.
• John 1:17For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
• James 4:12There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?
• Numbers 33:45And they set out from Iyim and camped at Dibon-gad.

Commentaries on Numbers 21:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18The 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 חפרו chapharu, which is translated they digged, should be rendered they searched out, which is a frequent meaning of the root; and במשענתם bemishanotham, which we render with their staves, should be translated on their borders or confines, from…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-20Verses 10-20 We have here the removes of the children of Israel, till they came to the plains of Moab, from whence they passed over Jordan into Canaan. The end of their pilgrimage was near. "They set forward." It were well if we did thus; and the nearer we come to heaven, were so much the more active and abundant in the work of the Lord. The wonderful success God granted to his people, is here spoken of, and, among the rest, their actions on the river…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18-20After moving north of the Arnon, the Hebrews left the wilderness on the eastern side of Moab and the newly conquered Amorite territory (see study note on 21:21–35). They turned west toward the ridgeline that rises up from the Jordan Rift valley, then traveled north to Pisgah Peak (see also 23:14; Deuteronomy 3:17, 27; 34:1, 5).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 17-1817-18. Then Israel sang--This beautiful little song was in accordance with the wants and feelings of travelling caravans in the East, where water is an occasion both of prayer and thanksgiving. From the princes using their official rods only, and not spades, it seems probable that this well was concealed by the brushwood or the sand, as is the case with many wells in Idumea still. The discovery of it was seasonable, and owing to the special interposition…Read the comment

Topics related to Numbers 21:18

• Beer
• Mattanah
• Thankfulness

In the dictionaries

• Beer
• Behold
• Exodus
• Mattanah
• Spy
• Bible, the
• Genealogy
• Images
• Jephthah
• Lawgiver

Commentaries on Numbers 21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings