Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Numbers 21:18
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:
18. with the ruler’s wand, with their staves ] These do not seem to be implements suitable for digging a well. But it is suggested by Budde that there is ‘an allusion to a custom by which when a well had been discovered it was lightly covered over, and then, on a subsequent occasion, solemnly opened with a symbolic action of the sceptre-like staves of the Sheikhs’; see Gray, Numb. p. 289, where parallels are cited for the practice of singing to a well. R.V. marg. ‘by order of the lawgiver’ retains the improbable interpretation of the A.V. [Note: .V. The Authorised Version.]
The historical setting in which the song has been placed obscures its real nature. Popular snatches of song were sung during the intervals of labour in the field, or in honour of the vine at the vintage, or in honour of a well or spring at the time of drawing water. The present stanza appears to be of the latter class. Wells were highly prized; and the songs would, as it were, persuade them to yield up their precious contents.
And from the wilderness [they journeyed to] Mattanah ] The clause is doubtful, for (1) they had already left the wilderness (of Num 21:13) when they moved to Beer, and (2) the Lucianic recension of the LXX. omits ‘and from Mattanah’ in Num 21:19. Mattanah, if it was the name of a place, is unknown; but the word means ‘a gift,’ and Budde ingeniously suggests that the clause forms the last line of the song ‘from the wilderness a gift,’ omitting the initial ‘and’ ( ). The LXX. translators appear to have felt the difficulty of ‘from the wilderness’ and to have removed it by reading ‘And from Beer to Mattanah.’
The Targ. of Onkelos on this verse contains a legend according to which the well followed the Israelites on their journeys over hill and dale. In 1Co 10:4 S. Paul refers to the legend but combines with it a reference to the rock which produced water (Num 20:11).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
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: –
| | |
| Spring up, O well! Answer ye to it. | i.e. Repeat 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. By a decree, upon their own borders. | This was 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.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The princes digged; either by themselves, or by others whom they commanded to do it. By the direction of the lawgiver, or, with the lawgiver, i.e. Moses; they together with Moses, or they by Mosess direction and appointment, which is signified Num 21:16.
Their staves are here mentioned, either,
1. As the ensigns of their authority, Jdg 5:14, by which they gave this command of digging.
2. As the instruments of their work; not that they, did formally and effectually dig the well or receptacle for the water, for which spades were more proper than staves, but that as Moses smote the rock with his rod, so they struck the earth with their staves, making only some small impression for form sake, or as a sign that God would cause the water to flow forth out of the earth where they smote it, as he did before out of the rock.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
The princes digged the well,…. The princes and heads of the several tribes:
the nobles of the people digged it; the seventy elders, according to the Targum of Jonathan:
by the direction of the lawgiver; either the Lord himself, the lawgiver of his people, who pointed out the spot, and directed the princes where to dig, that is, be did this by Moses; and who, as Jarchi thinks, is the lawgiver, and not amiss: the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem render the word by Scribes, in the plural number, and interpret them of Moses and Aaron: and this the princes and nobles “dug with their staves”; either their walking sticks, or their rods, the ensigns of their authority; with these they smote the ground, or stuck them in a soft and sandy place, upon which the waters bubbled up and flowed out. Dr. Shaw n chooses to render the words, “with their united applause”, or “clapping of hands”, as the word in Chaldee signifies; or it may be expressed, as by Dr. Hunt, quoted by him, “by describing” or “marking out” the figure or fashion of the well “with staves”. Mr. Ainsworth thinks that this well signified Christ, the fountain of gardens, and well of living waters; and the waters of it the Spirit and his graces, which are a well of living water springing up unto everlasting life; the means of which are the labours of the governors of the church, the ministers of Christ,
by preaching the word, and opening the Scriptures; and such grace is worthy of a song, and to be had with joy out of the wells of salvation,
Isa 12:3:
and from the wilderness they went to Mattanah; from the wilderness near Arnon, which came out of the coasts of the Amorites, Nu 21:13 to a place which signifies a gift. The Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem render it,
“and from the wilderness it was given to them for a gift”
that is, the well; and so the people of God, that are called out of the wilderness of this world, and come up from it, are called to partake of the gifts and blessings of grace, which are freely given unto them of God.
n Travels, p. 67. Ed. 2.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(18) By the direction of the lawgiver.Better, with the rulers staff. The same word occurs in Gen. 49:10, where it stands in parallelism to the sceptre. (See Note in loc.)
And from the wilderness they went to Mat-tanah.The Targums interpret this and Num. 21:19-20 of the well, And from the wilderness it was given to them for a gift, and from thence it was given to them in Mattanah, &c. The Targum of Onkelos is as follows: And from the time that it was given to them, it descended with them to the rivers, &c. The Targum of Palestine isAnd from the wilderness, &c. (as above).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
18. Mattanah cannot be identified. Le Clerc suggests that it may be the same as the mysterious Vaheb, (Num 21:14, note,) since its meaning in Arabic is the same as that of Mattanah in Hebrew. Neither this nor the other names occurring in this context are found in the catalogue of stations in chap. 33. This discrepancy may arise from the fact that the same station had several names, or from two contiguous stations being occupied at the same time. Kurtz thinks that the object of the writer in the thirty-third chapter is statistical, that is, to set forth, not all the halting places but the regular camps where the tabernacle was erected, while in earlier passages the object is historical. Hence more places are enumerated, as in Num 21:11 and Num 22:1, seven places are mentioned between Ije-abarim and the plains of Moab; in Num 33:44-48, only three places.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Num 21:18. By the direction of the law-giver, with their slaves Houbigant renders this verse, This is the well which the princes digged; which the nobles of the people digged in that place which their staff assigned, or pointed out. The Hebrew is, word for word, says he, in indicio facto per baculos ipsorum; expressing, that the princes with their staves marked out the ground where the well might be found. Syrus gives nearly the same translation, et indicaverunt eum baculis suis; and they shewed it with their staves. Those who follow our version understand the meaning to be, either that the waters sprung up with such ease and speed that the princes no sooner directed with their staves where to dig than their labours were successful; or that the princes, and those who bore staves, the badges of dignity, joined with the multitude in digging it.
They went to Mattanah Le Clerc takes this to be the same place with that called Vaheb; Num 21:14 for vaheb in Arabic signifies a gift, as matthan does in the Hebrew.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Num 21:18 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:
Ver. 18. The princes digged the well. ] Called therehence Beerelim, i.e., the well of the mighty ones. Isa 15:8 Nunquam vilior erat annona Romae, quam cum terram colerent iidem qui remp. regerent: quasi gauderet terra laureato vomere scilicet, et aratore triumphali. a
With their staves.
a Plin.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
they went. No mention is made of any of these places in the itinerary in Num 33. Why not supply “[the waters or streams] went” into all these places? See Num 21:16. The Structure shows the scope of this member to be an “event”; “journeys” are the subject of the preceding member. Compare note on Exo 15:27. Note the Alternation, which gives the interpretation: The princes digged the well; The nobles of the people digged it, With the lawgiver [They digged it] with their staves.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
princes: 2Ch 17:7-9, Neh 3:1, Neh 3:5, 1Ti 6:17, 1Ti 6:18
the lawgiver: Deu 5:31, Deu 33:4, Isa 33:22, Joh 1:17, Jam 4:12
And from: Num 33:45-47
Reciprocal: Gen 49:10 – lawgiver Exo 24:11 – nobles Num 20:8 – the rod
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
21:18 The princes digged the well, the nobles of the people digged it, by [the direction of] the {g} lawgiver, with their staves. And from the wilderness [they went] to Mattanah:
(g) Only Moses and Aaron, the heads of the people, struck the rock with the rod or staff, which gave water as a well that was deep digged.