Numbers 21:14-15

Wherefore, &c.— Wherefore mention is made in the story of the wars of the Lord, in Vaheb in Supha, and of the brooks of Arnon,—and of the stream, &c. (Carpz. Introd. part 1: p. 124. Wat.) This version of Dr. Waterland gives us the most intelligible account of the present obscure passage. Le Clerc gives nearly the same sense. By the wars of the Lord, he understands the wars of the Israelites, who fought under the banner and protection of Jehovah; and instead of book, he translates too, with most of the Jewish doctors, the narration; so that, according to him, the whole verse runs thus: wherefore, in the narration of the wars of the Lord, there is [or shall be] mention of Vaheb in Supha, and of the brooks of Arnon; meaning, that these places shall be recorded in the Jewish history, as the beginning of their conquests, which, as to Arnon, is unquestionably true. See Deuteronomy 24:22. He thinks Vaheb is mentioned below under another name; see on Numbers 21:18 and Supha is mentioned, Deuteronomy 1:1 as a place near those plains where Moses put forth the Book of Deuteronomy: it is there, as well as here, rendered the Red sea, though unquestionably wrong; for Arnon, and the country thereabouts, is not near the Red sea. The Vulgate gives a very good sense, if it could be made out of the words, as he did in the Red sea, so shall he do in the brooks of Arnon; meaning that these places shall be recorded in the Jewish history, as the beginning of their conquests: which is true as to Arnon. There are some who think that Moses here refers to a book, wherein had been given a more full and particular account of all that had befallen the Israelites before their settlement in Canaan, which he had named the book of the wars of the Lord; and it seems very reasonable to suppose, that the short historical account of things delivered in the Pentateuch was taken from some more extensive annals.