THE SONG OF THE WELL
ירַשִׁת הַאֵבְּר — 21 : 10
Then the Children of Israel set forward from Mount Hor and travelled to Tsalmonah, and from there to Poonon, and they travelled from there continuing round the land of Edom and they encamped on the northeast of the land of Edom at Ovos.
Then they travelled from Ovos and they encamped at Iyyay in the mountain passes in that wilderness which lies before the land of Mo’av, on the southeast, on the side where the sun rises.
From there they set forward and travelled to the place later known as Divvon God, and they camped at Divvon God, there in the Valley of Zerred which then formed the border between the land of Mo’av and the land of Edom.
From there they set forward — in the thirty-eighth year — and travelled northwards towards Almon Divlosoymoh, skirting round the southeast of the land of Mo’av and they encamped there on the other side of the Brook of Arnon that is, on the side of the wilderness which is on the northeast side of the Arnon, in that wilderness which juts out from the boundary of the land of the Emorites: But the Brook of Arnon itself formed the new boundary which belonged to Mo’av, between the land of Mo’av and the Emorites, and the Jewish People were not to take territory from Mo’av.
Concerning these travels and conquests by the Jewish People it is told in that ancient Book of the Wars of G-d how Vohayv, which is called Divvon God (and which originally belonged to Mo’av) was taken by Si’chon the king of the Emorites in the storm of battle between Si’chon and Mo’av — and thus did HaShem prepare this land of Mo’av that it should pass to the Jewish People as were, later, the brooklands in the Arnon region called Almon Divlosoymoh, which also were taken in those battles from Mo’av by Si’chon and which thus passed over into the possession of the Jewish People.
And also the slopes of the Brook of Arnon on the east of the Avvorrim Mountains which run into those brooklands, that is, the slopeland that inclines till Shevves-Orr, which was all taken from Mo’av by Si’chon and was then given by HaShem as a possession to the Jewish People: all that land, up till the Brook of Arnon which continues from there on its way till it comes up to the boundary between Mo’av and the Emorites.
From there they travelled to the place later called Almon Divlosoymoh where the Well was for a short time lost from sight, but HaShem caused it again to travel with them; that is the same miraculous Well concerning which HaShem had said to Mosheh, so many years before, “Gather the people together and I will give to them water” — and this Well had accompanied them till now through all their travels.
Then, in appreciation of the great miracle of the Travelling Well, the Elders and the People of Israel sang this song responsively — with the Elders exhorting the People to respond with the refrain: “Spring up, O Well!”
“This is the Well that princes dug, saying —” “Spring up, O Well!” “Which the nobles of the People scooped out, praying —” “Spring up, O Well!”
“Not with digging implements but with G-dly sceptre and with guiding staff they dug it, calling —” “Spring up, O Well!”
“This Well, a gift from the arid wilderness, they brought forth, declaring —” “Spring up, O Well!”
“It travelled with the People, this gift, till the brooklands of Arnon, when they decreed — ” “Spring up, O Well!”
“It merged with the streams of those lands and proclaimed His miracles for His People, for He had commanded —” “Spring up, O Well!”
“And from there it accompanied them on their travels, even up the heights of the conquered territory of Mo’av, when they directed — ” “Spring up, O Well!”
“From those heights it followed them down into the valleys of the countryside of Mo’av, for it was told — ” “Spring up, O Well!”
“It journeyed with them without interruption, even up the peaks of the highlands, for they said — ” “Spring up, O Well!”
“And from there it looks down upon that desolate wilderness from where it was taken, when they did enjoin — ” “Spring up, O Well!”
Then Yisroel sent messengers to Si’chon, the king of the Emorites, saying: “Give us leave to pass through your land: We will not turn aside into field or vineyard nor will we drink of the water of the Well. Along the king’s highway will we go until we will have passed your borders.”
But Si’chon did not allow Yisroel to pass through his borders, and instead Si’chon assembled all his people and came out against Yisroel to the wilderness and he came to Yahatz and did battle with Yisroel.
Then Yisroel smote him with the edge of the sword and took possession of his land — from the River Arnon, on the south of his land, until the River Yabbok, to the north, up till the land of the people of Ammon and so Yisroel took possession of all the land on the west which had belonged to Mo’av (but no further) for the border held by the people of Ammon was strong, and their land was not taken by Si’chon when he conquered Mo’av, and therefore it was not allowed to be taken from Ammon by Yisroel.
Then Yisroel took all these cities held by Si’chon and Yisroel dwelt in the cities that were taken by the Emorites and in Cheshbon and in all its daughter-cities. Thus Cheshbon, though originally a Mo’avite city, had become the capital city of the king of the Emorites for he had waged battle against the previous king of Mo’av and had taken all his land out of his possession — up till the River Arnon thus allowing these lands to later be taken by Yisroel, for Yisroel were not allowed to take the lands directly from Ammon nor from Mo’av.
About those events and battles do the recounters of sagas say: “Come, all of you, to Cheshbon, to that city which once belonged to Mo’av! “It is now rebuilt and re-established As a city of Si’chon! “But then, when the fire of battle went forth from Cheshbon When the flame of destruction Broke out from this new citadel of Si’chon — “It consumed the city of Orr of Mo’av with the Mo’avites on the Heights of Arnon — and defeated them! “Woe to you, Mo’av! “How you are confounded, “O, you people of the god Khemosh! “Your god has made his sons fugitives “And his daughters captives “To the king of the Emorites — “To Si’chon!”
And the recounters of sagas say further: ”And after that conquest of Mo’av by Si’chon Si’chon’s own rule was overthrown and Cheshbon was made desolate! “All that land, till Divvon — “It was all laid waste, up till Nofach “Reaching up to Maydevoh — all of it was taken by the Jewish People in the battle of Si’chon!”
And so Yisroel dwelled in that land, after they had conquered Si’chon the king of the Emorites.
Then Mosheh sent men to spy out the land of Ya’azayr and they captured its daughter-cities and they drove out the Emorites that were there.
They turned and went up northwards, towards Yericho, going up the road towards the Boshon region, when Og the king of the Boshon came out against the Children of Israel, he and all his people, to wage battle, at Edre’i.
Then HaShem said to Mosheh: “Do not fear him for into your hand have I given him and all his people and his land and you shall do to him as you did to Si’chon the king of the Emorites who used to dwell at Cheshbon.”
And so they smote him and his sons and all his people till there was none left to him remaining and they took his land as possession.
