🔢WEB · Numbers 21:16
What does Numbers 21:16 mean?
"From there they traveled to Beer; that is the well of which Yahweh said to Moses, “Gather the people together, and I will give them water.”"
— Numbers 21:16 (World English Bible)
Surrounding context
From there they traveled, and encamped on the other side of the Arnon, which is in the wilderness, that comes out of the border of the Amorites: for the Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites.
Therefore it is said in the book of the Wars of Yahweh, “Vaheb in Suphah, the valleys of the Arnon,
the slope of the valleys that incline toward the dwelling of Ar, leans on the border of Moab.”
From there they traveled to Beer; that is the well of which Yahweh said to Moses, “Gather the people together, and I will give them water.”
Then Israel sang this song: “Spring up, well! Sing to it,
the well, which the princes dug, which the nobles of the people dug, with the scepter, and with their poles.” From the wilderness they traveled to Mattanah;
and from Mattanah to Nahaliel; and from Nahaliel to Bamoth;
Explanation
Numbers 21:16 records a brief stop in Israel's wilderness journey, at a place called Beer, whose name simply means "well" in Hebrew. The verse tells us that this location was marked by a divine promise: God instructed Moses to assemble the people so that he could provide them with water. It's a short, almost administrative note in the travel log of the Israelites, but it carries meaning within the larger story of their journey toward the Promised Land.
The book of Numbers chronicles Israel's forty years of wandering after their exodus from Egypt, written in the context of Moses leading a people who had repeatedly struggled with faith, complaint, and rebellion against God's provision. By chapter 21, the generation that had grumbled and doubted in earlier chapters is largely giving way to a new generation, and the tone of the narrative shifts. Earlier in this very chapter, the people had spoken against God and Moses, leading to the incident of the bronze serpent (Numbers 21:4-9). The mention of Beer comes shortly after that episode, as Israel moves through the wilderness toward Moab, tracing a route marked by various stops, battles, and provisions along the way.
Theologically, this verse highlights God's faithfulness to sustain his people even in barren, difficult terrain. Water in the wilderness was not a luxury but a matter of survival, and its source here is explicitly attributed to Yahweh's initiative and command, not human ingenuity or resourcefulness. God tells Moses to gather the people—implying a corporate, communal reception of his
Compare translations
Go deeper with ScriptureCompanion AI
Ask questions about any verse, follow reading plans, write personal prayers, and track your daily habit — all grounded in verified scripture text.