Numbers 21:15
And at the stream of the brooks that goeth down to the dwelling of Ar, and lieth upon the border of Moab.
Original Language Analysis
הַנְּחָלִ֔ים
of the brooks
H5158
הַנְּחָלִ֔ים
of the brooks
Strong's:
H5158
Word #:
2 of 9
a stream, especially a winter torrent; (by implication) a (narrow) valley (in which a brook runs); also a shaft (of a mine)
אֲשֶׁ֥ר
H834
אֲשֶׁ֥ר
Strong's:
H834
Word #:
3 of 9
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc
נָטָ֖ה
that goeth down
H5186
נָטָ֖ה
that goeth down
Strong's:
H5186
Word #:
4 of 9
to stretch or spread out; by implication, to bend away (including moral deflection); used in a great variety of application (as follows)
לְשֶׁ֣בֶת
to the dwelling
H3427
לְשֶׁ֣בֶת
to the dwelling
Strong's:
H3427
Word #:
5 of 9
properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry
Cross References
Deuteronomy 2:9And the LORD said unto me, Distress not the Moabites, neither contend with them in battle: for I will not give thee of their land for a possession; because I have given Ar unto the children of Lot for a possession.Deuteronomy 2:18Thou art to pass over through Ar, the coast of Moab, this day:Numbers 21:28For there is a fire gone out of Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon: it hath consumed Ar of Moab, and the lords of the high places of Arnon.Deuteronomy 2:29(As the children of Esau which dwell in Seir, and the Moabites which dwell in Ar, did unto me;) until I shall pass over Jordan into the land which the LORD our God giveth us.Isaiah 15:1The burden of Moab. Because in the night Ar of Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence; because in the night Kir of Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence;
Historical Context
Ar was a fortified Moabite city, possibly near modern Ar-Rabba. The 'brooks' (נְחָלִים, nechalim) were seasonal wadis cutting through the plateau, essential for settlements in this semi-arid region. Control of these water sources meant political power.
Questions for Reflection
- How does the Bible's emphasis on actual geography challenge overly spiritualized interpretations of God's promises?
- What physical, tangible aspects of God's kingdom work are you tempted to minimize or allegorize away?
- Where do you see God's redemptive purposes intersecting with material, geographical, embodied reality?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
At the stream of the brooks that goeth down to the dwelling of Ar—This verse continues the poetic fragment from the Book of the Wars. Ar (עָר) was Moab's chief city, and these wadis marked territorial boundaries. Lieth upon the border of Moab reiterates Israel's careful navigation of international boundaries under divine supervision.
The repetition of geographical precision throughout these verses serves theological purpose: God's promises involve real estate, actual locations, historical fulfillment. Biblical faith is not spiritualized abstraction but incarnational—concerned with land, borders, cities, mountains. Redemption includes geography.