Numbers 21:14
New International Version
That is why the Book of the Wars of the LORD says: “... Zahab in Suphah and the ravines, the Arnon

New Living Translation
For this reason The Book of the Wars of the LORD speaks of “the town of Waheb in the area of Suphah, and the ravines of the Arnon River,

English Standard Version
Therefore it is said in the Book of the Wars of the LORD, “Waheb in Suphah, and the valleys of the Arnon,

Berean Standard Bible
Therefore it is stated in the Book of the Wars of the LORD: “Waheb in Suphah and the wadis of the Arnon,

King James Bible
Wherefore it is said in the book of the wars of the LORD, What he did in the Red sea, and in the brooks of Arnon,

New King James Version
Therefore it is said in the Book of the Wars of the LORD: “Waheb in Suphah, The brooks of the Arnon,

New American Standard Bible
For that reason it is said in the Book of the Wars of the LORD, “Waheb in Suphah, And the wadis of the Arnon,

NASB 1995
Therefore it is said in the Book of the Wars of the LORD, “Waheb in Suphah, And the wadis of the Arnon,

NASB 1977
Therefore it is said in the Book of the Wars of the LORD, “Waheb in Suphah, And the wadis of the Arnon,

Legacy Standard Bible
Therefore it is said in the Book of the Wars of Yahweh, “Waheb in Suphah, And the wadis of the Arnon,

Amplified Bible
That is why it is said in the Book of the Wars of the LORD: “Waheb in Suphah, And the wadis of the Arnon [River],

Christian Standard Bible
Therefore it is stated in the Book of the LORD’s Wars: Waheb in Suphah and the ravines of the Arnon,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Therefore it is stated in the Book of the LORD’s Wars: Waheb in Suphah and the ravines of the Arnon,

American Standard Version
Wherefore it is said in the book of the Wars of Jehovah, Vaheb in Suphah, And the valleys of the Arnon,

Contemporary English Version
A song in The Book of the LORD's Battles mentions the town of Waheb with its creeks in the territory of Suphah. It also mentions the Arnon River,

English Revised Version
Wherefore it is said in the book of the Wars of the LORD, Vaheb in Suphah, And the valleys of Arnon,

GOD'S WORD® Translation
This is how it's described in the Book of the Wars of the LORD:"... Waheb in Suphah and the valleys,

Good News Translation
That is why The Book of the LORD's Battles speaks of "? the town of Waheb in the area of Suphah, and the valleys; the Arnon River,

International Standard Version
which is why the Book of the Wars of the LORD reads, "Waheb and Suphah and the wadis of the Arnon,

Majority Standard Bible
Therefore it is stated in the Book of the Wars of the LORD: ?Waheb in Suphah and the wadis of the Arnon,

NET Bible
This is why it is said in the Book of the Wars of the LORD, "Waheb in Suphah and the wadis, the Arnon

New Heart English Bible
Therefore it is said in the Book of the Wars of the LORD, "Waheb in Suphah, the valleys of the Arnon,

Webster's Bible Translation
Wherefore it is said in the book of the wars of the LORD, What he did in the Red sea, and in the brooks of Arnon,

World English Bible
Therefore it is said in The Book of the Wars of Yahweh, “Vaheb in Suphah, the valleys of the Arnon,
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
therefore it is said in [the] scroll of the Wars of YHWH: “Waheb in Suphah, "" And the brooks of Arnon;

Young's Literal Translation
therefore it is said in a book, 'The wars of Jehovah,' -- 'Waheb in Suphah, And the brooks of Arnon;

Smith's Literal Translation
For this it will be said in the book of the wars of Jehovah, Giving in the whirlwind, and the torrents of Arnon.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Wherefore it is said in the book of the wars of the Lord: As he did in the Red Sea, so will he do in the streams of Amen.

Catholic Public Domain Version
About this place, it is said in the book of the wars of the Lord: “As he did at the Red Sea, so will he do at the Torrents of Arnon.”

New American Bible
Hence it is said in the “Book of the Wars of the LORD”: “Waheb in Suphah and the wadies,

New Revised Standard Version
Wherefore it is said in the Book of the Wars of the LORD, “Waheb in Suphah and the wadis. The Arnon
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Wherefore it is said in the book of the wars of the LORD, A flame of fire is in the whirlwind and in the river of Arnon,

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Because of this, it is said in the book of the Wars of LORD JEHOVAH, “The Flame In the Whirlwind and In the River of Arnon.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
wherefore it is said in the book of the Wars of the LORD: Vaheb in Suphah, And the valleys of Arnon,

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Therefore it is said in a book, A war of the Lord has set on fire Zoob, and the brooks of Arnon.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Journey to Moab
13From there they moved on and camped on the other side of the Arnon, in the wilderness that extends into the Amorite territory. Now the Arnon is the border between the Moabites and the Amorites. 14Therefore it is stated in the Book of the Wars of the LORD: “Waheb in Suphah and the wadis of the Arnon, 15even the slopes of the wadis that extend to the site of Ar and lie along the border of Moab.”…

Cross References
Deuteronomy 2:9
Then the LORD said to me, “Do not harass the Moabites or provoke them to war, for I will not give you any of their land, because I have given Ar to the descendants of Lot as their possession.”

Deuteronomy 2:18-19
“Today you are going to cross the border of Moab at Ar. / But when you get close to the Ammonites, do not harass them or provoke them, for I will not give you any of the land of the Ammonites. I have given it to the descendants of Lot as their possession.”

Judges 11:18
Then Israel traveled through the wilderness and bypassed the lands of Edom and Moab. They came to the east side of the land of Moab and camped on the other side of the Arnon. But they did not enter the territory of Moab, since the Arnon was its border.

Isaiah 15:1
This is the burden against Moab: Ar in Moab is ruined, destroyed in a night! Kir in Moab is devastated, destroyed in a night!

Isaiah 16:7
Therefore let Moab wail; let them wail together for Moab. Moan for the raisin cakes of Kir-hareseth, you who are utterly stricken.

Jeremiah 48:1
Concerning Moab, this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “Woe to Nebo, for it will be devastated. Kiriathaim will be captured and disgraced; the fortress will be shattered and dismantled.

Jeremiah 48:34
There is a cry from Heshbon to Elealeh; they raise their voices to Jahaz, from Zoar to Horonaim and Eglath-shelishiyah; for even the waters of Nimrim have dried up.

Amos 2:1
This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of Moab, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because he burned to lime the bones of Edom’s king.

Psalm 136:17-22
He struck down great kings His loving devotion endures forever. / and slaughtered mighty kings—His loving devotion endures forever. / Sihon king of the Amorites His loving devotion endures forever. ...

Psalm 83:6-8
the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, of Moab and the Hagrites, / of Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek, of Philistia with the people of Tyre. / Even Assyria has joined them, lending strength to the sons of Lot. Selah

Acts 7:45-46
And our fathers who received it brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations God drove out before them. It remained until the time of David, / who found favor in the sight of God and asked to provide a dwelling place for the God of Jacob.

Romans 15:4
For everything that was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures, we might have hope.

1 Corinthians 10:11
Now these things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.

Hebrews 11:29-30
By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to follow, they were drowned. / By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days.

2 Peter 2:15-16
They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness. / But he was rebuked for his transgression by a donkey, otherwise without speech, that spoke with a man’s voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.


Treasury of Scripture

Why it is said in the book of the wars of the LORD, What he did in the Red sea, and in the brooks of Arnon,

in the book

Joshua 10:13
And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.

2 Samuel 1:18
(Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.)

What he did.

Numbers 21:14-20
Wherefore it is said in the book of the wars of the LORD, What he did in the Red sea, and in the brooks of Arnon, …

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Amon Arnon Book Brooks Ravines Red Sea Valley Valleys Wadis Wars Wherefore
Numbers 21
1. Israel destroys the Canaanites at Hormah
4. The people murmuring are plagued with fiery serpents
7. They repenting are healed by a bronze serpent
10. Various journeys of the Israelites
21. Sihon is overcome
33. And Og














This is why it is stated
This phrase introduces a citation from an ancient text, suggesting that the events being described were significant enough to be recorded in a historical document. The Hebrew word for "stated" is often used in the context of formal declarations or records, indicating the importance of the events. This highlights the reliability and historical nature of the biblical narrative, affirming that God's actions in history were noteworthy and documented.

in the Book of the Wars of the LORD
This mysterious book is not part of the canonical Bible, but it is referenced here as a source of historical record. The title suggests a collection of songs or accounts celebrating the victories and mighty acts of God on behalf of Israel. The term "LORD" (YHWH) emphasizes the covenantal relationship between God and His people, underscoring His role as a divine warrior who fights for Israel. This reference reminds believers of God's sovereignty and His active involvement in the affairs of His people.

Waheb in Suphah
The exact location and meaning of "Waheb in Suphah" are uncertain, as these names do not appear elsewhere in the Bible. However, they likely refer to specific places or events known to the original audience. The mention of these locations in the context of God's wars suggests that they were sites of significant divine intervention or victory. This serves as a reminder of God's presence and power in specific historical contexts, encouraging believers to trust in His guidance and protection.

and the wadis of the Arnon
The "wadis" are dry riverbeds that can become torrents during the rainy season. The Arnon is a river that served as a boundary between Moab and the Amorites. Mentioning the "wadis of the Arnon" situates the narrative in a real geographical context, emphasizing the historical reality of the events. This geographical reference underscores the tangible nature of God's interventions in history, reminding believers that God's actions are not abstract but occur in the real world, affecting real people and places.

(14, 15) The book of the wars of the Lord.--Nothing is known about this book. The last days of Moses, as Baumgarten has observed, may have been a suitable time for the commencement of such a work. The history of the journey from Kadesh to the Arboth Moab was not written by Moses until after the defeat of the two kings of the Amorites, and the subjugation of the land on the east of the Jordan.

What he did in the Red Sea . . . --The original is very obscure. It is probable that some such verb as They conquered (or, subdued) is understood, and that the words may be rendered Vaheb in Suphah and the valleys (by) Arnon, and the bed (or, ravine) of the valleys which inclines towards the dwelling of Ar, and leans upon the border of Moab. Vaheb was probably the name of a town, and Suphah the district in which that town was situated, so called from its reeds and rushes. Some, however, think that Suphah here denotes a storm or hurricane, as in other places. Ar is supposed to be the same as Areopolis.

Verse 14. - Wherefore, i.e., because the Amorites had wrested from Moab all to the north of Arnon. In the book of the wars of the Lord. Nothing is known of this book but what appears here. If it should seem strange that a book of this description should be already in existence, we must remember that amongst the multitude of Israel there must in the nature of things have been some "poets" in the then acceptation of the word. Some songs there must have been, and those songs would be mainly inspired by the excitement and triumph of the final marches. The first flush of a new national life achieving its first victories over the national foe always finds expression in songs and odes. It is abundantly evident from the foregoing narrative that writing of some sort was in common use at least among the leaders of Israel (see on Numbers 11:26), and they would not have thought it beneath them to collect these spontaneous effusions of a nation just awaking to the poetry of its own existence. The archaic character of the fragments preserved in this chapter, which makes them sound so foreign to our ears, is a strong testimony to their genuineness. It is hardly credible that any one of a later generation should have cared either to compose or to quote snatches of song which, like dried flowers, have lost everything but scientific value in being detached from the soil which gave them birth. What he did in the Red Sea, and in the brooks of Arnon. Rather, "Vaheb in whirlwind, and the brooks of Arnon." The strophe as cited here has neither nominative nor verb, and the sense can only be conjecturally restored. וָהֵב is almost certainly a proper name, although of an unknown place. בָּסוּפָה is also considered by many as the name of a locality "in Suphah;" it occurs, however, in Nahum 1:3 in the sense given above, and indeed it is not at all a rare word in Job, Proverbs, and the Prophets; it seems best, therefore, to give it the same meaning here.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Therefore
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

it is stated
יֵֽאָמַ֔ר (yê·’ā·mar)
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

in the Book
בְּסֵ֖פֶר (bə·sê·p̄er)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 5612: A missive, document, writing, book

of the Wars
מִלְחֲמֹ֣ת (mil·ḥă·mōṯ)
Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 4421: A battle, war

of the LORD:
יְהוָ֑ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

“Waheb
וָהֵ֣ב (wā·hêḇ)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 2052: Waheb -- perhaps a place in Moab

in Suphah
בְּסוּפָ֔ה (bə·sū·p̄āh)
Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 5492: A storm wind

and the wadis
הַנְּחָלִ֖ים (han·nə·ḥā·lîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 5158: A stream, a winter torrent, a, valley, a shaft

of the Arnon,
אַרְנֽוֹן׃ (’ar·nō·wn)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 769: Arnon -- 'a roaring stream', a wadi and stream in Moab


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OT Law: Numbers 21:14 Therefore it is said in the book (Nu Num.)
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