John Calvin Commentary Numbers 21:13

"From thence they journeyed, and encamped on the other side of the Arnon, which is in the wilderness, that cometh out of the border of the Amorites: for the Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites." — Numbers 21:13 (ASV)

From thence they removed, and pitched. I will soon add what Moses relates in Deuteronomy respecting the Moabites and Ammonites. Since here he only briefly touches upon the main facts, he only specifies that the people came to the borders of their enemies, where it was necessary to give battle, because there was no means of entering the land of Canaan, except by force of arms. Here, then, was the end of their journey, for, when the Amorites were conquered, they began to inhabit their cities. He, therefore, immediately adds, that this place would be memorable in all ages, because in it God again exerted His power, by causing their enemies to flee.

However, translators appear to me to be mistaken as to the meaning of the words. Almost all of them render the word ספר, sepher, “the book”; and afterwards eagerly discuss what book it is, without coming to any satisfactory conclusion. I, however, understand it to mean “narration”; as if Moses had said that when the wars of Jehovah are recounted, the memory of this place would be celebrated, just as David, when he recounts and magnifies God’s mercies, expressly mentions that King Sihon and Og were conquered.

There is also another ambiguity in the following words: for some suppose Vaheb to be the proper name of a city, and Suphah a common noun, which they translate “in a whirlwind”;¹²³ but, since the shore of the Red Sea was not habitable, I do not see how any city situated there could be suitably mentioned. But if they think it was a city near Arnon, it is surprising that it is never spoken of elsewhere, yet is referred to here as if it were well known. Therefore, I am more inclined to the opinion of those who explain it as a verb, and suppose that ו (vau) is used for י (yod), so that the meaning would be: As God had begun to fight gloriously for the Israelites at the Red Sea, so also He continued the same grace at Arnon. I admit that if the vowel points are scrupulously insisted upon, this meaning would not be entirely consistent with grammar; but I prefer to derive a probable meaning at the cost of a single vowel point, rather than to go out of the way in search of weak conjectures, as those do who imagine Vaheb to be the proper name of a place.

Indeed, Moses appropriately compares Arnon with the Red Sea to show that God’s grace, at its end, is thoroughly consistent with its beginning. He had fought mightily against the Egyptians and had destroyed Pharaoh’s army in the Red Sea, but the fruit of this deliverance would have been small unless, with equal effectiveness, He had helped His people when they had to contend with the Canaanite nations. For the issue here is not God’s blessings in general, but only the victories in which it was manifested that the Israelites did not fight without God's approval and guidance. Therefore, Moses does not recount the miracles performed in the desert, but only says that in the history of God's wars the name of Arnon would be as renowned as that of the Red Sea.

However, concerning the word Arnon, it must be observed that there is a synecdoche; for Moses comprehends in it all the subsequent battles. Therefore, since from the time the people arrived at Arnon, where their enemies came out to meet them, God again lifted up His standard and gloriously honored His people with continued victories, the special renown of the place arose from this. There is a poetical repetition in the verse, where, instead of 'the torrents,' 'the stream of the torrents'¹²⁴ is spoken of, which descends to Ar and rests on the border of Moab.

¹²³ את-והב בסופה eth-vaheb b’suphah. None of the most ancient translations can be said to be in unison with the present reading of the Hebrew in this clause. The None of the most ancient translations can be said to be in unison with the present reading of the Hebrew in this clause. The LXX. appear to have read appear to have read זהב and render it and render it τὴν Ζωὸβ ἐφλόγισε The Chaldee Paraphrast, Onkelos, has The Chaldee Paraphrast, Onkelos, has על ימא דסוף, “By the sea of Suph,” , “By the sea of Suph,” i.e., the Red Sea. The Syriac has, “A flame with a whirlwind,” translating the Red Sea. The Syriac has, “A flame with a whirlwind,” translating סופה instead of treating it as a proper name, and having apparently read some form of instead of treating it as a proper name, and having apparently read some form of להב instead of instead of את-והב. The . The V. has, “Sicut fecit in mari rubro;” our . has, “Sicut fecit in mari rubro;” our A.V. “What he did in the Red Sea,” but in the Margin, “Vaheb in Suphah.” The translation of “What he did in the Red Sea,” but in the Margin, “Vaheb in Suphah.” The translation of S. M. agrees with that in the text of agrees with that in the text of A. F.; but in his notes he says, “Kimchi interprets but in his notes he says, “Kimchi interprets והב to be the name of a place, but R. Salomon treats it as equivalent to to be the name of a place, but R. Salomon treats it as equivalent to יהב he gave, and expounds the clause thus, As God gave many signs by the Red Sea, so was He wonderful in his works by the brook Arnon. — and expounds the clause thus, As God gave many signs by the Red Sea, so was He wonderful in his works by the brook Arnon. — W

¹²⁴ A.V. “the brooks” — “the stream of the brooks.” “the brooks” — “the stream of the brooks.”