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12 Moving on from there, they encamped in the Wadi Zered. 13 Moving on from there, they encamped on the other side of the Arnon, in the wilderness that extends from the territory of the Amorites; for the Arnon forms Moab’s boundary, between Moab and the Amorites. 14 Hence it is said in the “Book of the Wars of the Lord”:[a]

“Waheb in Suphah and the wadies,
15     Arnon and the wadi gorges
That reach back toward the site of Ar[b]
    and lean against the border of Moab.”

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Footnotes

  1. 21:14 The “Book of the Wars of the Lord: an ancient collection of Israelite songs, now lost. Waheb in Suphah: since neither place is mentioned elsewhere, it is uncertain whether these Hebrew words are to be considered as place names; some Hebrew words, now lost, must have preceded this phrase.
  2. 21:15 Ar: a city or district in Moab, located on the Arnon; see v. 28; Dt 2:18.

17 Israel then sent messengers to the king of Edom saying, “Let me pass through your land.” But the king of Edom did not give consent.(A) They also sent to the king of Moab, but he too was unwilling. So Israel remained in Kadesh.(B) 18 Then they went through the wilderness, and bypassing the land of Edom and the land of Moab, they arrived east of the land of Moab and encamped across the Arnon.(C) Thus they did not enter the territory of Moab, for the Arnon is the boundary of Moab.(D)

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