King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
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.
Complete Jewish Bible:
From there they went on to Be'er [well]; that is the well about which ADONAI said to Moshe, "Assemble the people, and I will give them water."
Berean Standard Bible:
From there they went on to Beer, the well where the LORD said to Moses, “Gather the people so that I may give them water.”
American Standard Version:
And from thence they journeyed to Beer: that is the well whereof Jehovah said unto Moses, Gather the people together, and I will give them water.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And from thence they went to Beer{H876}: that is the well{H875} whereof the LORD{H3068} spake{H559} unto Moses{H4872}, Gather{H622} the people{H5971} together{H622}, and I will give{H5414} them water{H4325}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Numbers 20:8
- Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink.
Isaiah 12:3
- Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.
Isaiah 41:17
- [When] the poor and needy seek water, and [there is] none, [and] their tongue faileth for thirst, I the LORD will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.
Isaiah 41:18
- I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.
Exodus 17:6
- Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.
Judges 9:21
- And Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.
Revelation 21:6
- And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for Numbers 21:16
1. **Themes:**
- **Divine Provision:** The verse highlights God's promise to provide for the Israelites' basic needs, in this case, water—a vital resource in the arid wilderness.
- **Obedience and Reward:** There is an implicit call for obedience; God instructs Moses to gather the people, suggesting that their collective action is necessary to receive the promised water.
- **God's Guidance:** The story reflects the broader theme of God guiding the Israelites through the wilderness, both physically and spiritually.
2. **Historical Context:**
- **The Exodus Journey:** Numbers 21:16 is set during the Israelites' journey from Egypt to the Promised Land. This period is marked by trials, complaints, and miraculous interventions by God.
- **The Wandering:** At this point in the narrative, the Israelites have been wandering in the wilderness for years due to their disobedience and lack of faith, as recounted earlier in the book of Numbers.
- **Transition to New Leadership:** This event occurs before the death of Moses and the transition to Joshua's leadership. It is a time when the older generation is dying out and the new generation is being prepared to enter Canaan.
- **The Role of Moses:** Moses is depicted as the mediator between God and the people, a role he maintains throughout the Exodus and wilderness periods.
In summary, Numbers 21:16 reflects the themes of God's provision and guidance during a pivotal time in Israel's history, as the people transition from a life of slavery in Egypt to becoming a nation in their own land. The verse underscores the importance of trusting in God's promises and the need for communal obedience to receive divine blessings.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H876
There are 5313 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בְּאֵר
Transliteration: Bᵉʼêr
Pronunciation: be-ayr'
Description: the same as בְּאֵר; Beer, a place in the Desert, also one in Palestine; Beer. - Strong's Number: H875
There are 255 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בְּאֵר
Transliteration: bᵉʼêr
Pronunciation: be-ayr'
Description: from בָּאַר; a pit; especially a well; pit, well. - Strong's Number: H3068
There are 5521 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יְהֹוָה
Transliteration: Yᵉhôvâh
Pronunciation: yeh-ho-vaw'
Description: from הָיָה; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God; Jehovah, the Lord. Compare יָהּ, יְהֹוִה. - Strong's Number: H559
There are 4434 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אָמַר
Transliteration: ʼâmar
Pronunciation: aw-mar'
Description: a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude); answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet. - Strong's Number: H4872
There are 704 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מֹשֶׁה
Transliteration: Môsheh
Pronunciation: mo-sheh'
Description: from מָשָׁה; drawing out (of the water), i.e. rescued; Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver; Moses. - Strong's Number: H622
There are 281 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אָסַף
Transliteration: ʼâçaph
Pronunciation: aw-saf'
Description: a primitive root; to gather for any purpose; hence, to receive, take away, i.e. remove (destroy, leave behind, put up, restore, etc.); assemble, bring, consume, destroy, felch, gather (in, together, up again), [idiom] generally, get (him), lose, put all together, receive, recover (another from leprosy), (be) rereward, [idiom] surely, take (away, into, up), [idiom] utterly, withdraw. - Strong's Number: H5971
There are 1654 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עַם
Transliteration: ʻam
Pronunciation: am
Description: from עָמַם; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock; folk, men, nation, people. - Strong's Number: H5414
There are 1816 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: נָתַן
Transliteration: nâthan
Pronunciation: naw-than'
Description: a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.); add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, [idiom] avenge, [idiom] be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, [phrase] cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, [idiom] doubtless, [idiom] without fail, fasten, frame, [idiom] get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), [idiom] have, [idiom] indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), [phrase] lie, lift up, make, [phrase] O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, [idiom] pull, put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), [phrase] sing, [phrase] slander, strike, (sub-) mit, suffer, [idiom] surely, [idiom] take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, [phrase] weep, [phrase] willingly, [phrase] withdraw, [phrase] would (to) God, yield. - Strong's Number: H4325
There are 525 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מַיִם
Transliteration: mayim
Pronunciation: mah'-yim
Description: dual of a primitive noun (but used in a singular sense); water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen; [phrase] piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)).