The princes dug the well; the nobles of the people hollowed it out with their scepters and with their staffs." From the wilderness the Israelites went on to Mattanah, The princes dug the wellThis phrase highlights the involvement of the leaders of Israel in the physical and spiritual provision for the people. The Hebrew word for "princes" is "נְשִׂיאִים" (nesi'im), which refers to leaders or chiefs. In the context of ancient Israel, these were the tribal leaders who held authority and responsibility. Their act of digging the well signifies leadership that is not just about authority but also about service and provision. This reflects a biblical principle that true leadership involves serving others, as seen in Jesus' teaching in the New Testament ( Mark 10:42-45). the nobles of the people
The term "nobles" in Hebrew is "נְדִיבֵי" (nedivei), which can mean generous or willing. This suggests that those who were of high status were not only leaders by position but also by their willingness to contribute to the community's needs. Historically, this reflects the communal nature of Israelite society, where leaders were expected to be examples of generosity and commitment to the welfare of the people. hollowed it out
The act of hollowing out the well implies a process of making space for something essential—water, which is a symbol of life and sustenance. In a spiritual sense, this can be seen as a metaphor for making room in our lives for God's provision and blessings. The Hebrew root "קָרָה" (qarah) can mean to dig or to prepare, indicating a deliberate and purposeful action. This reflects the need for intentionality in our spiritual lives to receive what God has for us. with their scepters and their staffs
The scepter and staff are symbols of authority and leadership. The Hebrew words "שֵׁבֶט" (shevet) for scepter and "מַטֶּה" (matteh) for staff are often used in the Old Testament to denote power and guidance. The use of these tools in the act of digging the well signifies that true authority is exercised in service and provision for others. This aligns with the biblical view that leadership is not about domination but about guiding and nurturing those under one's care, as seen in the shepherd imagery throughout Scripture (Psalm 23, John 10:11-18). Persons / Places / Events 1. Princes and NoblesThese are the leaders of Israel who took part in the digging of the well. Their involvement signifies leadership and responsibility in providing for the community. 2. The WellA symbol of provision and sustenance, the well represents God's provision for His people during their journey through the wilderness. 3. Scepters and StaffsThese are symbols of authority and leadership. The use of these tools in digging the well highlights the active role of leaders in serving the community. 4. IsraelitesThe people of Israel, who are on their journey to the Promised Land, are the beneficiaries of the well. 5. Wilderness JourneyThe context of this event is the Israelites' journey through the wilderness, a time of testing and reliance on God's provision. Teaching Points Leadership in ServiceTrue leadership involves serving others and meeting their needs. The princes and nobles actively participated in providing for the community. God's ProvisionJust as God provided water in the wilderness, He provides for our needs today. Trust in His provision is essential. Symbolism of WaterWater is a recurring symbol of life and sustenance in the Bible. It points to both physical and spiritual nourishment. Community EffortThe digging of the well was a communal effort led by the leaders, emphasizing the importance of working together for the common good. Faith in ActionThe act of digging the well required faith and action, demonstrating that faith often requires us to take practical steps in obedience to God. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the involvement of the princes and nobles in digging the well reflect the biblical model of leadership? 2. In what ways can we see God's provision in our own lives, similar to the well provided for the Israelites? 3. How does the symbolism of water in this passage connect to Jesus' teaching on living water in the New Testament? 4. What are some practical ways we can work together as a community to meet the needs of others, following the example of the Israelites? 5. How can we apply the principle of faith in action from this passage to our daily walk with God? Connections to Other Scriptures Genesis 26The wells dug by Isaac, which also symbolize God's provision and blessing. John 4Jesus speaks of living water, drawing a parallel between physical and spiritual sustenance. Psalm 23The Lord as a shepherd who provides for His people, akin to the provision of water in the wilderness. Exodus 17The provision of water from the rock, another instance of God's miraculous provision for Israel. 1 Corinthians 10Paul refers to the spiritual rock that followed the Israelites, connecting physical sustenance to spiritual truths. People Ammonites, Amon, Amorites, Arad, Canaanites, Chemosh, Israelites, Moses, Og, SihonPlaces Ar, Arad, Arnon, Bamoth, Bashan, Beer, Dedan, Dibon, Edom, Edrei, Egypt, Heshbon, Hormah, Iye-abarim, Jabbok River, Jahaz, Jazer, King's Highway, Mattanah, Medeba, Moab, Mount Hor, Nahaliel, Negeb, Nophah, Oboth, Pisgah, Red Sea, Suphah, Valley of Zered, WahebTopics Chiefs, Continued, Deep, Delved, Desert, Digged, Direction, Dug, Fountain, Hollowed, Journeyed, Lawgiver, Law-givers, Leaders, Mattanah, Nobles, Ones, Poles, Prepared, Princes, Rod, Sank, Scepter, Scepters, Sceptre, Staffs, Staves, Sticks, Traveled, Waste, WildernessDictionary of Bible Themes Numbers 21:18 5459 prince
5513 sceptre Numbers 21:17-18 4512 staff Library The Poison and the Antidote
'And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red Sea, to compare the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way. 5. And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. 6. And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. 7. Therefore …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy ScriptureMan's Ruin and God's Remedy
Man has very many wants, and he should be grateful whenever the least of them is supplied. But he has one want which overtops every other: it is the want of bread. Give him raiment, house him well, decorate and adorn him, yet if you give him not bread, his body faints, he dies of hunger. Hence it is that while the earth when it is tilled is made to bring forth many things that minister unto the comfort and luxury of men, yet man is wise enough to understand that since bread is his chief want, he …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 5: 1859 The Disciple, -- Master, in These Days Some Learned Men and their Followers Regard Thy...
The Disciple,--Master, in these days some learned men and their followers regard Thy atonement and the redemption by blood as meaningless and futile, and say that Christ was only a great teacher and example for our spiritual life, and that salvation and eternal happiness depend on our own efforts and good deeds. The Master,--1. Never forget that spiritual and religious ideas are connected less with the head than with the heart, which is the temple of God, and when the heart is filled with the presence …
Sadhu Sundar Singh—At The Master's Feet Messiah Suffering and Wounded for Us
Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: ..... He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed. W hen our Lord was transfigured, Moses and Elijah appeared in glory and conversed with Him. Had we been informed of the interview only, we should probably have desired to know the subject of their conversation, as we might reasonably suppose it turned upon very interesting and important …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 1 The Nations of the South-East
Israel was cut in two by the Jordan. The districts east of the Jordan were those that had first been conquered; it was from thence that the followers of Joshua had gone forth to possess themselves of Canaan. But this division of the territory was a source of weakness. The interests of the tribes on the two sides of the river were never quite the same; at times indeed they were violently antagonistic. When the disruption of the monarchy came after the death of Solomon, Judah was the stronger for the …
Archibald Sayce—Early Israel and the Surrounding Nations The Lamb of God, the Great Atonement
Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world! G reat and marvellous are the works of the LORD God almighty! We live in the midst of them, and the little impression they make upon us, sufficiently proves our depravity. He is great in the very smallest; and there is not a plant, flower, or insect, but bears the signature of infinite wisdom and power. How sensibly then should we be affected by the consideration of the Whole , if sin had not blinded our understandings, and hardened …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 1 Ninth Sunday after Trinity Carnal Security and Its vices.
Text: 1 Corinthians 10, 6-13. 6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. 7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. 8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. 9 Neither let us make trial of the Lord, as some of them made trial, and perished by the serpents. 10 Neither murmur ye, as …
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. III Covenanting Performed in Former Ages with Approbation from Above.
That the Lord gave special token of his approbation of the exercise of Covenanting, it belongs to this place to show. His approval of the duty was seen when he unfolded the promises of the Everlasting Covenant to his people, while they endeavoured to perform it; and his approval thereof is continually seen in his fulfilment to them of these promises. The special manifestations of his regard, made to them while attending to the service before him, belonged to one or other, or both, of those exhibitions …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting Nature of Covenanting.
A covenant is a mutual voluntary compact between two parties on given terms or conditions. It may be made between superiors and inferiors, or between equals. The sentiment that a covenant can be made only between parties respectively independent of one another is inconsistent with the testimony of Scripture. Parties to covenants in a great variety of relative circumstances, are there introduced. There, covenant relations among men are represented as obtaining not merely between nation and nation, …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting The Second Commandment
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am o jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of then that hate me; and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.' Exod 20: 4-6. I. Thou shalt not …
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
THE ISRAELITES IN THE LAND OF CANAAN: THE JUDGES--THE PHILISTINES AND THE HEBREW KINGDOM--SAUL, DAVID, SOLOMON, THE DEFECTION OF THE TEN TRIBES--THE XXIst EGYPTIAN DYNASTY--SHESHONQ OR SHISHAK DAMASCUS. The Hebrews in the desert: their families, clans, and tribes--The Amorites and the Hebrews on the left bank of the Jordan--The conquest of Canaan and the native reaction against the Hebrews--The judges, Ehud, Deborah, Jerubbaal or Gideon and the Manassite supremacy; Abimelech, Jephihdh. The Philistines, …
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 6 The Two Classes.
"Two men went up into the temple to pray."--Luke xvii. 10. I now want to speak of two classes: First, those who do not feel their need of a Saviour who have not been convinced of sin by the Spirit; and Second, those who are convinced of sin and cry, "What must I do to be saved?" All inquirers can be ranged under two heads: they have either the spirit of the Pharisee, or the spirit of the publican. If a man having the spirit of the Pharisee comes into an after-meeting, I know of no better portion …
Dwight L. Moody—The Way to God and How to Find It Numbers
Like the last part of Exodus, and the whole of Leviticus, the first part of Numbers, i.-x. 28--so called,[1] rather inappropriately, from the census in i., iii., (iv.), xxvi.--is unmistakably priestly in its interests and language. Beginning with a census of the men of war (i.) and the order of the camp (ii.), it devotes specific attention to the Levites, their numbers and duties (iii., iv.). Then follow laws for the exclusion of the unclean, v. 1-4, for determining the manner and amount of restitution …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Numbers 21:18 NIVNumbers 21:18 NLTNumbers 21:18 ESVNumbers 21:18 NASBNumbers 21:18 KJV
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