16<\/strong>. The journey in a westerly, or north-westerly, direction is here begun.<\/p>\n Beer<\/em> ] The name means a ‘well’ (R.V. marg.). It is probably an abbreviation of a compound name; cf. Beer-sheba. A place called Beer-elim in Moab is mentioned in Isa 15:8<\/span>, but whether Beer is to be identified with that is not known.<\/p>\n Beer is probably the Well, afterward known as Beer-elim, the well of heroes Isa 15:8<\/span>.<\/P> <\/p>\n Num 21:16-20<\/span><\/p>\n Spring up, O well.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n A song of the pilgrimage<\/strong><\/p>\n 1. <\/strong>How indispensable are the things which we need.<\/p>\n 2. <\/strong>How many are the things which we need.<\/p>\n 3. <\/strong>How constant are our needs. We may change our place and our circumstances, but we never change our dependent condition.<\/p>\n 1. <\/strong>Promised by God.<\/p>\n 2. <\/strong>Bestowed in connection with human effort.<\/p>\n 3. <\/strong>Enkindled human joy, which was expressed in this song.<\/p>\n 4. <\/strong>Suitably commemorated. Let us be eager to perpetuate the memory of our mercies.<\/p>\n A song at the well-head<\/strong><\/p>\n 1. <\/strong>The supply promised here was a Divine supply: I will give them water. Who else could satisfy those flocks and herds? By what mechanism or by what human toil could all those multitudes of people have received enough to drink? God can do it, and He will. The supply of grace that you are to receive in your time of need is a Divine supply. You are not to look to man for grace.<\/p>\n 2. <\/strong>As it was a Divine supply, so also it was a suitable one. The people were thirsty, and the promise was, I will give them water. What dost thou want? Go and lay open thy needs before the Lord. Tell Him what it is thou requirest, if thou knowest, and then add to thy prayer, And what I know not that I need, yet give me, for Thou art able to do exceeding abundantly above all that I can ask or even think: not according to my apprehension of my necessities, but according to Thy perception of my needs, deal with Thy servant, O Lord, and grant me that which is most suitable to my case. Gather the people together, and I will give them water.<\/p>\n 3. <\/strong>Observe, too, that the supply promised was an abundant supply. No child of God shall be left to perish for want of the necessary supplies. I will give them water.<\/p>\n 4. <\/strong>As it was a Divine supply, a suitable supply, and an abundant supply, so also it was a sure supply. I will give them water. It is not, I may, perhaps, do it; possibly there shall be refreshment for them; but, I will give them water. Oh! the splendour of the Lords shalls and wills! They never fail.<\/p>\n 1. <\/strong>This song may be looked upon as the voice of cheerfulness. There was no water, but they were still in good spirits. Supplies were short, but their courage was still great. Cheerfulness in want, cheerfulness upon the bed of pain, cheerfulness under slander, singing, like the nightingale, in the night, praising God when the thorn is at the breast, this is a high Christian attainment, which we should seek after, and not be content without.<\/p>\n 2. <\/strong>I like, too, the look of these children of Israel, singing to the Lord before the water came, praising Him while they were yet thirsty, living for a little while upon the recollections of the past, believing that He who smote the rock, and the waters gushed out, and who gave them bread from heaven, would surely supply their needs. Let us pitch a tune and join with them, however low our estate may be.<\/p>\n 3. <\/strong>Note, again, that this song was the voice not so much of natural cheerfulness as of cheerfulness sustained by faith. They believed the promise, Gather the people together, and I will give them water. They sang the song of expectation. I think this is one of the peculiar enjoyments of faith, to be the substance of things hoped for. The joy of hope, who shall measure it?<\/p>\n 4. <\/strong>This song, also, was no doubt greatly increased in its volume, and more elevated in its tone, when the water did begin to spring. After the elders of the people had digged for awhile, the flowing crystal began to leap into the air; they saw it run over the margin of the well, the multitude pressed around to quench their thirst, and then they sang, Spring up, O well! Flow on, flow on, perennial fount! Flow on, thou wondrous stream Divinely given! Flow on, and let the praises of those who drink, flow also! Sing ye unto it, and ye that drink lift up your songs, and ye that mark your neighbours as their eyes flash with delight as they receive the needed refreshment, let your song increase as you see the joy of others. All ye who have received anything of Divine grace, sing ye unto it! Bless God by singing and praising His name while you are receiving His favours.<\/p>\n 1. <\/strong>We would remark of this prayer, that it went at once to the work, and sought for that which was required. What was <\/strong>needed? Not a well, bat water; not mere digging in the sand, but the obtaining and the drinking of the water. Let me remind you that it is very easy for us to forget what it is that we want, and to be satisfied with something short of it. Now, what we need is not the means of grace, but the grace of the means. Strive after vital godliness, real soul-work, the life-giving operation of the Spirit of God in your hearts, or else you may have the well, but you will not have any springings therefrom. Remember, then, it went direct to the point.<\/p>\n 2. <\/strong>Notice, also, that this prayer was the prayer of faith, like the song. Now, without faith it is impossible to please God: this is emphatically true with regard to prayer. He who pleads with God in unbelief really insults Hind, and will get no blessing.<\/p>\n 3. <\/strong>Notice, further, that it was united prayer. All the people prayed, Spring up, O well! I daresay that was a prayer-meeting at which everybody prayed, for they were all thirsty, and therefore they all said, Spring up, O well! What blessed meetings those are when the souls of all present are in it!<\/p>\n 1. <\/strong>When God intends to bless a people, effort is always esteemed to be honourable. The princes digged the well, the nobles of the people digged it. They were not ashamed of the work: And when God shall bless a Church and people, they must all feel that it is a very great honour to do anything in the service of God.<\/p>\n 2. <\/strong>But it was also effort which was accomplished by very feeble means. They digged the well, and they digged it with their staves–not very first-class tools. Would not the mattock and the spade have been better? Ay, but they did as they were told. They digged with their staves. These, I suppose, were simply their rods, which, like the sheiks in the East, they carried in their hands as an emblem of government, somewhat similar to the crook of the shepherd. These they used, according as they were commanded. Well, we must dig with our staves. We must dig as we can. We must use what abilities we have.<\/p>\n 3. <\/strong>It was effort in Gods order. They digged the well by the direction of the lawgiver. We must not serve God according to our fancies. Let us keep close to the good old paths which are laid down in Holy Writ, and, digging the well, we shall get the water.<\/p>\n 4. <\/strong>It was effort made in faith. They digged the well, but as they digged it they felt so certain that the water would come that they sang at the work, Spring up, O well! This is the true way to work if we would get a blessing. We must preach in faith, believing that the Word cannot return unto our Master void. We must teach in the Sabbath-school <\/em>in faith, believing that the children will be led to seek Christ early, and to find Him. We must distribute the tract in faith, believing that if we cast our bread upon the waters, we shall find it after many days. You must take care that you have this faith. (C. H. Spurgeon<\/em>.)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n The song at the well<\/strong><\/p>\n The song of the well<\/strong><\/p>\n What is celebrated with such sparkling joy in this little burst of melody is the happy union among all ranks, and the spirit of universal goodwill and co-operation in the work–giving cheerful angury for the future of the tribes in entering on the promised land, and a lively demonstration of popular confidence in their leaders.<\/p>\n 1. <\/strong>There is a personal lesson respecting the spirit in which we ought to do our work. When the people were called to bore for water in a novel fashion, how inspiriting it is to read, Then Israel sang this song! This lightened their toil, and helped to prosper the issue. Thank God, He gives us songs in the very night. Let us remember how our Lord Himself, on the eve of His betrayal, and in full view of the bitter Cross, alleviated His sorrows and braced His spirit for the task–He sang a hymn. What a lesson for this work-a-day world, when nothing worth doing can be undertaken without something being endured! But a cheerful heart doeth good like a medicine. And singing is infectious. They sang the song, and they digged the well. So work, and so sing.<\/p>\n 2. <\/strong>A social lesson–the blessings of united effort. We are to mark how zealously all ranks joined in the work, and how the leaders led in Israel. When Israel thus laboured, we hear of no disorder. Murmurings were stilled. High and low were full of heart and full of hope, because full of love.<\/p>\n 3. <\/strong>A philanthropic lesson–dig a well. This well became a lasting blessing, celebrated in immortal song. A disciple of Mohammed, it is said, came to the prophet one day and asked, What shall I best do as a memorial to my mother who is dead? to which he replied, Dig a well, and call it by her name, and put upon it, This well is for my mother. Beautiful idea! a monument truly serviceable, and therefore sure to last. Some memories are writ in water, but here a mothers name is blissfully perpetuated in supplying the pure refreshing draught to weary wayfarers. This form of good endures like a joy for ever, trickling down from age to age. Dig a well. Whoso giveth a cup of cold water shall in no wise lose his reward.<\/p>\n 4. <\/strong>A spiritual lesson. Gather the people to Me; I will give them water. The point here emphasised is the connection between promise, preparation, and prayer, if we would win the privilege of drawing water with joy from the wells of salvation. (A. H. Drysdale, M. A<\/em>.)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n The springing well<\/strong><\/p>\n This <\/em>rising fountain may be viewed as a beautiful emblem of the springing up of grace in the heart, when it becomes the subject of the life-giving influences of the Holy Spirit, and which Christ Himself takes occasion to illustrate by the same kind of allusion, when conversing with the Samaritan woman. The water that He will give to them that ask Him is admirably descriptive of the vitality, purity, and perpetuity of grace. The ministers of Christ, as these princes of the people, at the command of God, and under the superintendence of His providence, move the ground, where the water of life springs up and yields the purest satisfaction, and the heart becomes as if itself an inward source of good. How many hearts, through the gift of Christ, have become as wells of living water, rising fountains of spiritual thoughts, and of heavenly affections, sweet and refreshing! It was under the direction of His providence, and the influences of His Spirit, that they have become so. And now, it is only for time to bring forth His eternal purposes, and at the word of His grace the result will be, where least looked for or thought of, as when the fountain of Beer, not before known of, rose at the command, Spring up, O well! This it is that, seen amidst the barren wastes of nature, delights the eye and cheers the heart of every Christian, who not less longs and prays for the life of souls, and the communications of living streams from Christ, than those at this station longed for the cooling spring. (W. Seaton<\/em>.)<\/p>\n Beer, <\/B>and Mattanah, Nahaliel, and Bamoth<\/I> named here, Num 21:19<\/span>, are not mentioned among those places where they pitched or encamped, Num 33<\/span>. Either therefore they did not pitch or encamp in these places, but only pass by or through them, nor indeed is it here said they pitched or encamped in these places, which is said of those places, Num 33<\/span>, but only that they went<\/I> to them, Num 21:18<\/span>; or, these are stations omitted there, and to be supplied from hence; for though it be there said they went from such a place, and pitched in such a place, yet it is not said they went immediately from the one place to the other, and therefore they might take these places in their way. <\/P> Will give them water, <\/B>to wit, in a miraculous manner. <\/P> <\/p>\n 16. from thence they went toBeer<\/B>that is, a “well.” The name was probably givento it afterwards [see Jud 9:21<\/span>],as it is not mentioned (Nu33:1-56<\/span>).<\/P><\/p>\n And from thence they went to Beer<\/strong>,…. A place so called from a well which sprung up here, of which the following account is given:<\/p>\n that is, the well whereof the Lord spake unto Moses<\/strong>; promising him to give it to the children of Israel, without asking for it; which was a very singular favour, and for which they were thankful: saying to him,<\/p>\n gather the people together, and I will give them water<\/strong>; for as they were now gone from the river Arnon, and the streams and brooks of it, they might be in want of water, though they did not murmur as they had been used to do; and without their petition for it, the Lord promises to give it to them; and that they might be witness of the miracle that would be wrought for them, they are ordered to be gathered together.<\/p>\n 16. And from thence they went to Beer. Some think that a circumstance is here narrated, which had never been mentioned before, since a song is recorded, which we do not find elsewhere. But since Moses repeats the same words which he had used before, and speaks as of a very notorious matter, that he was there commanded to assemble the people, to partake of the water which God had given, it appears probable to me that the name was given to the place, whereby both God’s goodness and the people’s ingratitude might be testified to posterity. I do not, however, contend that this is the same place, from whence we previously read that water was extracted: for it was not there only that the people was satisfied by drinking it, but it flowed forth beside them wherever they went. In which sense Paul writes that “the Rock followed them,” (1Co 10:4<\/span>\ud83d\ude09 not that the rock was torn from its roots, but because God miraculously drew on the water which flowed from it, so that it should accompany them, and thus continually supply them with drink. And this we gather also from the next verse, where Moses says, that the people “sang this song, Ascend, Beer.” (125) For when they saw that, contrary to nature, the water rose into higher levels from the source which was recently called into existence, so as to supply them with drink in dry places, they began to pay more attention to the miracle, and to celebrate the grace of God. Still it might be the case that the water did not flow down like a river, but bubbled up from the open veins of the earth, whenever it was required. At any rate, by its ascent he indicates an extraordinary effect produced by God. When it is said, that “the princes digged the well,” there is, in my opinion, an implied contrast between a few persons, and those but little fitted for manual labors, and a great body of engineers. Whenever armies have need of water, the soldiers dig wells with much labor; here quite another mode of proceeding is expressed, viz., that the leaders of the people, together with Moses, dug the well, not by artificial or mechanical means, but by the simple touch of a staff. Moses, indeed, speaks of “staves,” in the plural nmnber, because mention of the princes is made; but I have no doubt but that the rod of Moses is contrasted with all other implements, in order to exalt the power and grace of God. I think, too, that the name of Beer was given to the place, where that water forsook the Israelites; since they had come to well-watered regions, which would supply water in abundance without miraculous interference. Let us, however, learn from this canticle, that, although the people had at first impiously rebelled against God, still, by long experience of the blessing, they were at length induced to gratitude, so as to burst forth into praise of God. Hence we gather, that they were not obstinate in their senselessness. <\/p>\n (125) See Margin A.V. The original word for a well is באר Beer. — W. <\/p>\n 16<\/strong>. <\/strong> Beer<\/strong>, so called because of the well <\/em> which was there dug by the princes, is possibly the modern Beer-elim, or “well of heroes.” Isa 15:8<\/span>. <\/p>\n Gather the people together <\/strong> They were to be witnesses of the last miraculous production of water. According to Jewish tradition a spot, dry and sandy, was pointed out by Moses. The princes surrounded with their staves the place where the water was to burst forth. The parched soil was pierced by the staves and a cooling stream gushed forth. Later commentators think that there is no trace of a miracle in this account. I will give them water According to the tradition in part adopted by St. Paul, this was one of the appearances, the last before crossing the Jordan, of the water which had “followed” the people from Rephidim through their wanderings. After Miriam’s death special acts were necessary to evoke the water. See especially 1Co 10:4<\/span>, note.<\/p>\n Num 21:16<\/span><\/em><\/strong>. <\/strong>And from thence they went to Beer<\/em><\/strong><\/strong> Or, as the context explains it, to the well which, by God’s direction, they dug, and from whence they were supplied with water in their necessity. Grateful for which, they sung the alternate song of praise mentioned in the next verse; where what we translate, Sing ye unto it, <\/em>is more properly rendered in the margin, answer ye unto it; <\/em>for the ancient manner was to sing their songs of praise alternately, as appears from Exo 15:20-21<\/span>. So the singing women answered one to another, 1Sa 18:7<\/span>. <\/p>\n If, as some suppose, the name of Beer, which means the ^four t-e! or well of life, was given in this place to intimate the well of life; we may learn a sweet lesson from this journey. All our pilgrimage here is but as from one Oboth to another; where the sweet enjoyments of creature comforts are but as in vessels. When we come to Beer, to the well of life, even to heaven itself; from thence will flow that river, the never ceasing streams whereof make glad the city of GOD. Rev 22:1<\/span> .<\/p>\n Num 21:16 And from thence [they went] to Beer: that [is] the well whereof the LORD spake unto Moses, Gather the people together, and I will give them water.<\/p>\n Ver. 16. And I will give them water.<\/strong> ] Now that they murmured not, they might have anything. Psa 34:10 Only we must be content to wait God’s time (is it fit to send for the prince by a post?), or to want that particular mercy, if God see it meet, being content that God be glorified, though we be not gratified. Surely if God saw us thus studying his share more than our own, we might have what we would, and God even think himself beholden to us, as one phraseth it.<\/p>\n they went. This Ellipsis is wrongly supplied. It should be “from thence toward Beer”. No mention is made of Beer in the list of journeys in Num 33. <\/p>\n spake. See note on Num 1:1. <\/p>\n Beer: Jdg 9:21 <\/p>\n Gather: Num 20:8, Exo 17:6, Isa 12:3, Isa 41:17, Isa 41:18, Isa 43:20, Isa 49:10, Joh 4:10, Joh 4:14, Joh 7:37-39, Rev 21:6, Rev 22:1, Rev 22:17 <\/p>\n Reciprocal: Lev 8:3 – General Psa 107:35 – turneth<\/p>\n And from thence [they went] to Beer: that [is] the well whereof the LORD spoke unto Moses, Gather the people together, and I will give them water. 16. The journey in a westerly, or north-westerly, direction is here begun. Beer ] The name means a ‘well’ (R.V. marg.). It is probably an abbreviation of a … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Numbers 21:16”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4365","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4365","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4365"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4365\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4365"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4365"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4365"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
I<\/strong>. <\/em><\/strong>The needs of human pilgrimage.<\/p>\n
II. <\/strong>The divine provision for the needs of human pilgrimage.<\/p>\n
III. <\/strong>The continuousness of human pilgrimage. The well was not the goal: a place to halt, but not to settle. (W. Jones<\/em>.)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
I<\/strong>. <\/em><\/strong>These people required water as we greatly need grace, and there was a promise given concerning the supply. The Lord spake unto Moses, Gather the people together, and I will give them water. Beloved, we <\/em>have a promise. A promise? nay, a thousand promises! Gods people were never in any plight whatever but what there was a promise to meet that condition.<\/p>\n
II. <\/strong>Observe the song. These people had not been singing for years; ever since the day when they had sung at the Red Sea, Sing unto the Lord, for He hath triumphed gloriously, the minstrelsy of Israel had been hushed, except when they danced before the calf of gold; but for their God they had had little or no music. But now they come together to the digging of the well, and the children of Israel sing this song, Spring up, O well; sing ye unto it.<\/p>\n
III. <\/strong>The song was a prayer. Spring up, O well, was virtually a prayer to God that He would make the well spring up, only it was faiths way of singing her prayer.<\/p>\n
IV. <\/strong>They began with a promise; they turned the promise into a song and into a prayer, and they did not stop there, but then they went to work. God helps them that help themselves, is an old proverb, and it is true with Gods people as well as true of Providence. If we want to have Gods blessing, we must not expect to receive it by lying passive.<\/p>\n
I<\/strong>. <\/em><\/strong>The well of salvation choked up with rubbish of superstition and ignorance, technical theologies, dry dissertations, dogmatic controversies, &c.<\/p>\n
II. <\/strong>The well of salvation cleared out. A princely and noble work.<\/p>\n
III. <\/strong>The work of opening up the well of salvation to men should be done with joyfulness. (Hom. Monthly<\/em>.)<\/p>\n<\/p>\nFuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"