^21:16And from there they traveled²⁶ to Beer;²⁷ that is the well where the Lord spoke to Moses, “Gather the people and I will give them water.” ^21:17Then Israel sang²⁸ this song:

“Spring up, O well, sing to it!

^21:18The well which the princes²⁹ dug,

which the leaders of the people opened

with their scepters and their staffs.”

And from the wilderness they traveled to Mattanah;

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Footnotes

26 The words “they traveled” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied here because of English style. The same phrase is supplied at the end of v. 18.
27 Isa 15:8 mentions a Moabite Beerelim, which Simons suggests is Wadi Ettemed.
28 After the adverb “then” the prefixed conjugation has the preterite force. For the archaic constructions, see D. N. Freedman, “Archaic Forms in Early Hebrew Poetry,” 72 (1960): 101–7. The poem shows all the marks of being ancient.
29 The brief song is supposed to be an old workers’ song, and so the mention of leaders and princes is unusual. Some think they are given credit because they directed where the workers were to dig. The scepter and staff might have served some symbolic or divining custom.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

And from there they continued to Beer; that is the well of which the Lord said to Moses, “Gather the people together, so that I may give them water.” Then Israel sang this song:

“Spring up, O well!—Sing to it!—

the well that the princes made,

that the nobles of the people dug,

with the scepter and with their staffs.”

And from the wilderness they went on to Mattanah,

NIVNew International Version (2011)

From there they continued on to Beer, the well where the Lord said to Moses, “Gather the people together and I will give them water.”

Then Israel sang this song:

“Spring up, O well!

Sing about it,

about the well that the princes dug,

that the nobles of the people sank—

the nobles with scepters and staffs.”

Then they went from the wilderness to Mattanah,

CSBChristian Standard Bible

From there they went to Beer, the well the Lord told Moses about, “Gather the people so I may give them water.” Then Israel sang this song:

Spring up, well—sing to it!

The princes dug the well;

the nobles of the people hollowed it out

with a scepter and with their staffs.

They went from the wilderness to Mattanah,

NLTNew Living Translation

From there the Israelites traveled to Beer, which is the well where the Lord said to Moses, “Assemble the people, and I will give them water.” There the Israelites sang this song:

“Spring up, O well!

Yes, sing its praises!

Sing of this well,

which princes dug,

which great leaders hollowed out

with their scepters and staffs.”

Then the Israelites left the wilderness and proceeded on through Mattanah,

From there they went to Beer, which is the water well where Yahweh spoke to Moses, “Gather the people, that I may give them water.” Then Israel sang this song, “Arise, well water! Sing to it! Well water that the princes dug, that the leaders of the people dug, with a staff and with their rods.” And from the desert they continued to Mattanah,

KJV 1900King James Version

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. Then Israel sang this song,

Spring up, O well;

Sing ye unto it:

The princes digged the well,

The nobles of the people digged it,

By the direction of the lawgiver, with their staves.

And from the wilderness they went to Mattanah:

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Numbers 21:16–18

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