Numbers 21:13 kjv
From thence they removed, and pitched on the other side of Arnon, which is in the wilderness that cometh out of the coasts of the Amorites: for Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites.
Numbers 21:13 nkjv
From there they moved and camped on the other side of the Arnon, which is in the wilderness that extends from the border of the Amorites; for the Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites.
Numbers 21:13 niv
They set out from there and camped alongside the Arnon, which is in the wilderness extending into Amorite territory. The Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites.
Numbers 21:13 esv
From there they set out and camped on the other side of the Arnon, which is in the wilderness that extends from the border of the Amorites, for the Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites.
Numbers 21:13 nlt
Then they moved out and camped on the far side of the Arnon River, in the wilderness adjacent to the territory of the Amorites. The Arnon is the boundary line between the Moabites and the Amorites.
Numbers 21 13 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 2:9 | "...do not harass Moab or contend with them in battle..." | God commanded not to attack Moab. |
| Deut 2:18-19 | "...You are today passing through the territory of Moab... Do not harass them or contend with them..." | Reiteration of not engaging Moab or Ammon. |
| Deut 2:24 | "Arise, take your journey... and contend with Sihon king of Heshbon, the Amorite..." | God directs Israel to engage Sihon the Amorite. |
| Deut 2:26-37 | Moses sends messengers to Sihon... Sihon came out... and was defeated. | The historical account of Sihon's defeat. |
| Deut 3:8-9 | "So we took the land at that time from the hand of the two kings of the Amorites..." | Summary of Israel taking Amorite land. |
| Josh 12:2 | "Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon... from Arnon..." | Reinforces Sihon's territory bordered by Arnon. |
| Josh 13:9 | "from Arnon which is in the valley, and the city that is in the middle of the valley..." | Reconfirms Arnon as a border marker. |
| Josh 13:16 | "And their territory was from Arnon, which is in the valley..." | Specifies Arnon as a tribal border for Reuben. |
| Jdg 11:13 | "...Ammon... said, Israel took away my land, when they came up out of Egypt..." | False claim by Ammon regarding land taken. |
| Jdg 11:15 | Jephthah to king of Ammon, "Israel did not take away the land of Moab..." | Jephthah's argument: Israel did not take Moabite land. |
| Jdg 11:18 | "And they journeyed through the wilderness... on the other side of the Arnon..." | Jephthah echoes Nu 21 journey through Arnon area. |
| Jdg 11:22 | "They took possession of all the territory of the Amorites, from Arnon to the Jabbok..." | Jephthah specifies the exact Amorite land Israel took. |
| Jdg 11:26 | "...while Israel lived in Heshbon... for 300 years. Why did you not recover it within that time?" | Jephthah's argument about longstanding possession. |
| Num 21:26 | "For Heshbon was the city of Sihon the king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab and had taken all his land out of his hand, as far as the Arnon." | Crucial clarification: Amorites took land from Moab to Arnon. |
| Num 32:34 | "And the children of Gad built Dibon, and Ataroth, and Aroer" | Aroer is near Arnon; confirms settlement in the region. |
| Gen 15:16 | "...in the fourth generation they shall come back here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete." | Prophecy of Amorite wickedness and their later displacement. |
| Exod 23:23 | "...I will utterly destroy them [Amorites]..." | Divine judgment against the Amorites. |
| Ps 135:10-11 | "He struck down many nations... Sihon, king of the Amorites... And Og..." | God's powerful acts in striking down enemies. |
| Ps 136:19-20 | "Sihon king of the Amorites, for His steadfast love endures forever; and Og king of Bashan..." | Reinforces God's steadfast love through conquest. |
| Isa 16:2 | "Like fluttering birds, scattered nestlings, so are the daughters of Moab at the fords of the Arnon." | Poetic reference to Moabites at Arnon. |
| Jer 48:20 | "Moab is disgraced, for it is shattered; wail and cry! Tell in Arnon that Moab is laid waste!" | Prophecy of Moab's destruction involving Arnon. |
Numbers 21 verses
Numbers 21 13 Meaning
Numbers 21:13 states that the Israelites, after journeying from their previous location, camped on the other side of the Arnon River. This river is specified as being located within a wilderness area, which stretches from the border of the Amorites. The verse explicitly clarifies that the Arnon serves as a significant boundary, marking the northern border of Moab and separating it from the territory held by the Amorites. This passage details a crucial geographical waypoint and establishes a key territorial demarcation for the unfolding narrative of Israel's conquest.
Numbers 21 13 Context
Numbers 21 marks a new phase in Israel's wilderness journey after 38 years. Having largely bypassed Edom and Moab (Deut 2:9, 19), they are now approaching the Transjordan region and encounter new adversaries. Before the major confrontation with King Sihon of the Amorites, the narrative establishes key geographical markers. Verse 13 specifically places the Israelites north of the Arnon River, a natural and recognized border. This positioning is critical because it highlights that the land Israel would soon conquer from Sihon was Amorite territory, not land directly belonging to Moab or Ammon (see Nu 21:26, Jdg 11:15-27), nations God had commanded Israel not to provoke. The context sets the stage for God's divine guidance leading Israel into a land of war and conquest, asserting legitimate claim over the land they were about to inherit.
Numbers 21 13 Word analysis
- From there (מִשָּׁם, mishsham): Refers back to the previous encampment, implied to be Beer (Nu 21:16, contextually this verse is often associated with the 'well of Beer' narrative, although the encampments are slightly re-ordered or expanded upon for clarity of geographic progression). It signals continuation of their journey.
- they journeyed (נָסְעוּ, nas'u): Standard Hebrew verb for traveling or pulling up stakes, emphasizing their nomadic state and progress towards the promised land.
- and camped (וַיַּחֲנוּ, vayyaḥanu): Standard Hebrew verb for setting up camp. This highlights a temporary settlement after travel, a routine action in their wilderness wanderings.
- on the other side (מֵעֵבֶר, me'ever): Literally "from the crossing" or "from beyond." This often denotes the Transjordan region from an Israelite perspective west of the Jordan, or simply the opposite bank of a river. Here, it signifies the eastern side of the Arnon, moving generally northward.
- of the Arnon (אַרְנוֹן, 'Arnon): This is the Wadi Mujib, a major river that flows into the Dead Sea from the east, carving a deep and dramatic gorge. It served as a prominent geographical and political boundary in the ancient Near East, especially between Moab to the south and Amorite (or later Israelite) territory to the north. Its deep ravine formed a strong natural defense.
- which is in the wilderness (בַּמִּדְבָּר, bammidbar): Indicates the general semi-arid, uninhabited region that characterized much of the Transjordan Plateau east of the Jordan River valley. This 'wilderness' implies an unsettled frontier zone, further defining the context of their travel.
- that extends (הַיֹּצֵא, hayyoṣe): "That goes out" or "that proceeds from." It describes the expanse of the wilderness, connecting it geographically to a known landmark.
- from the border (מִגְּבוּל, miggevul): "From the boundary/territory." This marks the point from which the wilderness stretched.
- of the Amorites (הָאֱמֹרִי, ha'Emori): Refers to the Amorites, a powerful people who inhabited various regions of Canaan and the Transjordan, notably under King Sihon of Heshbon (Nu 21:21-30). They were distinct from the Moabites and became direct adversaries of Israel.
- for (כִּי, ki): Introduces an explanatory clause, giving the reason or justification for the preceding statement about the Arnon's location relative to the Amorites.
- the Arnon is the border (אַרְנוֹן גְּבוּל, 'Arnon gevul): A declarative statement asserting the Arnon's definitive role as a boundary. This legal-like precision is significant.
- of Moab (מוֹאָב, Mo'av): Refers to the Moabite kingdom, located primarily east of the Dead Sea. They were a people related to Israel through Lot (Gen 19:37), and God had explicitly forbidden Israel from harassing them (Deut 2:9). This precise definition of Moab's border is vital to Israel's legal-theological justification for subsequent conquests.
- between Moab and the Amorites: This phrase emphatically clarifies the exact function of the Arnon as a boundary—it separates these two specific peoples, underscoring that the territory north of the Arnon (which Israel would conquer) belonged to the Amorites, not Moab.
Numbers 21 13 Bonus section
The Arnon gorge (Wadi Mujib) is an impressive geographical feature, making it a natural, clear, and unmovable boundary. Its strategic importance meant that control of the lands adjacent to it, particularly its fords, was crucial for regional power. Historically, this river defined not just the border between Moab and the Amorites, but later became a contested border between various kingdoms, including Israelite tribes (specifically Reuben and Gad) and Moab. The meticulous description of the Arnon's role in this verse, coupled with the clarification in Numbers 21:26 and Judges 11, indicates a profound understanding by the biblical writers of the geo-political realities and a deliberate theological defense of Israel's territorial claims, rooted in God's prior interactions with the nations.
Numbers 21 13 Commentary
Numbers 21:13 serves as a pivotal geographical and political statement, meticulously defining the Arnon River as the dividing line between Moab to the south and the Amorite kingdom of Sihon to the north. This detail is not merely geographical information; it is theologically and strategically critical. By emphasizing that the Arnon forms Moab's border and lies between Moab and the Amorites, the text provides divine justification for Israel's impending conflict with Sihon. As clarified later in Numbers 21:26, Sihon had conquered land up to the Arnon from a previous king of Moab. Therefore, when Israel conquers Sihon's territory, they are not transgressing God's command not to harm Moab or Ammon (Deut 2:9, 19). Instead, they are taking land from a nation God specifically allowed them to subdue (Deut 2:24-37). This precise border definition, later powerfully articulated by Jephthah (Judges 11:12-27), underpins the legitimacy of Israel's Transjordan conquests, asserting that their inheritance was divinely appointed and achieved through battles sanctioned by God against specific, opposing nations.