Numbers 21:17

New Century Version

Then the Israelites sang this song: "Pour out water, well! Sing about it.

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
Then sang Yisra'el this song: Spring up, well; sing you to it:

King James Version
Then Israel sang this song, Spring up, O well; sing ye unto it:

Lexham English Bible
Then Israel sang this song, "Arise, well water! Sing to it!

English Standard Version
Then Israel sang this song: "Spring up, O well!—Sing to it!—

New English Translation
Then Israel sang this song: "Spring up, O well, sing to it!

Amplified Bible
Then Israel sang this song, "Spring up, O well! Sing to it,

New American Standard Bible
Then Israel sang this song: "Spring up, O well! Sing to it!

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then Israel sang this song, Rise vp wel, sing ye vnto it.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Israel sang this song:"Spring up, O well! Sing to it!

Contemporary English Version
That's also the same well the Israelites sang about in this song: Let's celebrate! The well has given us water.

Complete Jewish Bible
Then Isra'el sang this song: "Spring up, oh well! Sing to the well

Darby Translation
Then Israel sang this song, Rise up, well! sing unto it:

Easy-to-Read Version
Then the Israelites sang this song: "Well, flow with water! Sing about it!

George Lamsa Translation
Then Israel sang this song, Spring up, O well; sing ye to it:

Good News Translation
At that time the people of Israel sang this song: "Wells, produce your water; And we will greet it with a song—

Christian Standard Bible®
Then Israel sang this song:

Literal Translation
Then Israel sang this song: Spring up, O well, sing to it;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then sange Israel this songe, and they sange one after another ouer the well:

American Standard Version
Then sang Israel this song: Spring up, O well; sing ye unto it:

Bible in Basic English
Then Israel gave voice to this song: Come up, O water-spring, let us make a song to it:

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then Israel sang this song: Spryng vp well, syng ye vnto it:

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Then sang Israel this song: Spring up, O well--sing ye unto it--

King James Version (1611)
Then Israel sang this song, Spring vp O well, Sing ye vnto it:

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Then Israel sang this song at the well, Begin to sing of the well;

English Revised Version
Then sang Israel this song: Spring up, O well; sing ye unto it:

Berean Standard Bible
Then Israel sang this song: "Spring up, O well, all of you sing to it!

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Thanne Israel soong this song, The pit stie;

Young's Literal Translation
Then singeth Israel this song, concerning the well -- they have answered to it:

Update Bible Version
Then sang Israel this song: Spring up, O well; you sing to it:

Webster's Bible Translation
Then Israel sung this song, Spring up, O well; sing ye to it:

World English Bible
Then sang Israel this song: Spring up, well; sing you to it:

New King James Version
Then Israel sang this song: "Spring up, O well! All of you sing to it--

New Living Translation
There the Israelites sang this song: "Spring up, O well! Yes, sing its praises!

New Life Bible
Then Israel sang this song: "Come up, O well! Sing to it!

New Revised Standard
Then Israel sang this song: "Spring up, O well!—Sing to it!—

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then, sang Israel this song, - Spring thou up, O well! Respond ye thereunto;

Douay-Rheims Bible
Then Israel sung this song: Let the well spring up. They sung thereto:

Revised Standard Version
Then Israel sang this song: "Spring up, O well! --Sing to it! --

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then Israel sang this song: "Spring up, O well! Sing to it!

Contextual Overview

¹⁰ The Israelites went and camped at Oboth. ¹¹ They went from Oboth to Iye Abarim, in the desert east of Moab. ¹² From there they went and camped in the Zered Valley. ¹³ From there they went and camped across the Arnon, in the desert just inside the Amorite country. The Arnon is the border between the Moabites and the Amorites. ¹⁴ That is why the Book of the Wars of the Lord says: ".... and Waheb in Suphah, and the ravines, the Arnon, ¹⁵ and the slopes of the ravines that lead to the settlement of Ar. These places are at the border of Moab." ¹⁶ The Israelites went from there to Beer; a well is there where the Lord said to Moses, "Gather the people and I will give them water." ¹⁷ Then the Israelites sang this song: "Pour out water, well! Sing about it. ¹⁸ Princes dug this well. Important men made it. With their scepters and poles, they dug it." The people went from the desert to Mattanah. ¹⁹ From Mattanah they went to Nahaliel and on to Bamoth.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

sang: Exodus 15:1, Exodus 15:2, Judges 5:1, Psalms 105:2, Psalms 106:12, Isaiah 12:1, Isaiah 12:2, Isaiah 12:5, James 5:13

Spring up: Heb. ascend

sing ye: or answer

Reciprocal: Isaiah 26:1 - this song Isaiah 27:2 - sing Hosea 2:15 - she shall sing

Cross-References

Genesis 15:1
After these things happened, the Lord spoke his word to Abram in a vision: "Abram, don't be afraid. I will defend you, and I will give you a great reward."

Genesis 16:9
The angel of the Lord said to her, "Go home to your mistress and obey her."

Genesis 16:11
The angel added, "You are now pregnant, and you will have a son. You will name him Ishmael, because the Lord has heard your cries.

Genesis 21:1
The Lord cared for Sarah as he had said and did for her what he had promised.

Genesis 21:2
Sarah became pregnant and gave birth to a son for Abraham in his old age. Everything happened at the time God had said it would.

Genesis 21:4
He circumcised Isaac when he was eight days old as God had commanded.

Genesis 21:6
And Sarah said, "God has made me laugh. Everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.

Genesis 21:13
I will also make the descendants of Ishmael into a great nation because he is your son, too."

Genesis 21:14
Early the next morning Abraham took some food and a leather bag full of water. He gave them to Hagar and sent her away. Carrying these things and her son, Hagar went and wandered in the desert of Beersheba.

Genesis 46:3
Then God said, "I am God, the God of your father. Don't be afraid to go to Egypt, because I will make your descendants a great nation there.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then Israel sang this song,.... Being affected with the free favour and good will of God towards them:

spring up, O well; for the springing up of which they prayed in faith, believing in the promise of God, that it would spring up; and so encouraged one another not only to believe it, but even to sing on account of it before it actually did:

sing ye unto it; or on account of it praise the Lord for it; or "answer to it" m, it being their manner to sing their songs by responses, or alternately.

m ענו לה "respondete ei", Montanus; "alternis canite ei", Tigurine version, Piscator.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

This song, recognized by all authorities as dating from the earliest times, and suggested apparently by the fact that God in this place gave the people water not from the rock, but by commanding Moses to cause a well to be dug, bespeaks the glad zeal, the joyful faith, and the hearty cooperation among all ranks, which possessed the people. In after time it may well have been the water-drawing song of the maidens of Israel.

Numbers 21:18

By the direction of the lawgiver - Some render, with the lawgiver’s scepter; i. e. under the direction and with the authority of Moses; compare Genesis 49:10, and note.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Numbers 21:17. Spring up, O well, &c. — This is one of the most ancient war songs in the world, but is not easily understood, which is commonly the case with all very ancient compositions, especially the poetic. Exodus 15:1; Exodus 15:1, &c.