Num 21:10-20 | TNotes | STEP | 21:10 The location of Oboth is uncertain.

21:10 ^a The location of Oboth is uncertain.
Summary for Num 21:11-12: 21:11-12 ^b The Israelites made their way along the east side of Edom.

• Iye-abarim (“ruins of Abarim” or “ruins of the region beyond”) was probably near the northern bank of Zered Brook (cp. Deut 2:13-14 ^c) which separated ancient Edom from Moab (Deut 2:8-25 ^d).
21:13 ^e The Israelites traveled to the east of the Moabite territory that lay between the Zered Brook on the south and the Arnon River on the north. The far side of the Arnon River was probably north and east of the main east–west canyon of the Arnon; this “Grand Canyon” was an effective natural boundary line between Moab and the territory of the Amorites north of the Arnon (see 21:26 ^f).

• The Amorites were a group of nomadic peoples who had conquered areas from Mesopotamia to Canaan in the Middle Bronze Age (about 2000–1500 BC), including Babylon (around 1830 BC) and Assur (around 1750 BC). Amorites living in the hill country of Canaan had terrified Israel’s spies (Deut 1:26-28 ^g) and had then repelled Israel’s misguided attempt to enter Canaan (Num 14:44-45 ^h; see Deut 1:42-44 ⁱ). At the time of Israel’s arrival, Amorites had gained control of much of Transjordan (the area east of the Jordan); see study note on Num 21:26.
Summary for Num 21:14-15: 21:14-15 ^j The Book of the Wars of the Lord, analogous to The Book of Jashar (Josh 10:13 ^k; 2 Sam 1:18 ^l), is otherwise unknown.

• Waheb (a town) and Suphah (a region) are otherwise unknown. Ar was one of the major Moabite settlements of that day (cp. 21:28 ^m; Deut 2:18 ⁿ; Isa 15:1 ^o).
Summary for Num 21:16-18: 21:16-18 ^p The location of Beer is unknown (cp. Isa 15:8 ^q). The poetic fragment describes the excavation of a new well and reflects the joy that this occasioned in a semiarid region. That the laborers were princes and leaders and the tools were scepters and staffs may indicate that digging the well included a festive ceremony.
Summary for Num 21:18-20: 21:18b-20 ^r After moving north of the Arnon, the Hebrews left the wilderness on the eastern side of Moab and the recently conquered Amorite territory (see study note on 21:21-35). They turned westward toward the ridgeline that rises up from the Jordan Rift Valley, then traveled north to Pisgah Peak (see also 23:14 ^s; Deut 3:17 ^t, 27 ^u; 34:1 ^v, 5 ^w).