Numbers 21:14 [Question by PikaMan Thunderbolt]

Hello. I'm a Roman Catholic like you. You know me already, right? So my question is regarding the Book of Numbers. On Numbers 21:14 it says...

Hence it is said in the "Book of the Wars of the LORD": "Waheb in Supah and the wadies, - Numbers 21:14 [New American Bible]

Question no.1 is: What is the "Book of the Wars of the LORD"?
Question no. 2 is: Why we can't find the "Book of the Wars of the LORD" in the Holy Bible?
Question no. 3 is: What is the Wahed in Supah and the wadies?

Thanks for viewing and answering this question and may God bless us all. Shalom!

Respectfully yours,
PikaMan ThunderBolt ;)


My Reply:

Hello Brother Lorenzo, a.k.a, PikaMan Thunderbolt, thanks for sending me this question :)

Okay so you are concerned about what Numbers 21:14 is trying to say...


first, let us quote the verse "Numbers 21:14"


NASB version

Numbers 21:14
Therefore it is said in the Book of the Wars of the LORD,
"Waheb in Suphah,
And the wadis of the Arnon.


Question no.1 is: What is the "Book of the Wars of the LORD"?

Before we answer this question, i want you to read the book of Numbers chapter 21 verses 6 to 17 so we'd understand it more :)

[Numbers 21:6-17] NASB version

The LORD sent fiery serpents among the people and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. So the people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned, because we have spoken against the LORD and you; intercede with the LORD, that He may remove the serpents from us." And Moses interceded for the people. Then the LORD said to Moses, "Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a standard; and it shall come about, that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, he will live." And Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on the standard; and it came about, that if a serpent bit any man, when he looked to the bronze serpent, he lived. Now the sons of Israel moved out and camped in Oboth. They journeyed from Oboth and camped at Iyeabarim, in the wilderness which is opposite Moab, to the east. From there they set out and camped in Wadi Zered. From there they journeyed and camped on the other side of the Arnon, which is in the wilderness that comes out of the border of the Amorites, for the Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites. Therefore it is said in the Book of the Wars of the LORD, "Waheb in Suphah, And the wadis of the Arnon, And the slope of the wadis. That extends to the site of Ar, And leans to the border of Moab." From there they continued to Beer, that is the well where the LORD said to Moses, "Assemble the people, that I may give them water." Then Israel sang this song:"Spring up, O well! Sing to it!



ANSWER:

The Book of the Wars of the Lord is one of several non-canonical books referenced in the Bible which have now been completely lost. It is mentioned in Numbers 21:14–15, which reads: "From there they set out and camped on the other side of the Arnon, which is in the desert and bounding the Amorite territory. For Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites. That is why the Book of the Wars of the Lord says: '... Waheb in Suphah and the ravines of Arnon, and at the stream of the ravines that lead to the dwelling of Ar, which lies along the border of Moab.'"The Book of the Wars of the Lord is cited in the mediaeval Book of Jasher Chapter 90:48 as being a collaborative record written by Moses, Joshua, and the children of Israel. [wikipedia]


A work mentioned in a single passage of the Old Testament (Num. xxi. 14) in connection with the geographical position of Arnon. The title suggests that the book contained songs celebrating the victories of the Israelites led by Yhwh, and it seems, therefore, to have been similar to the Book of Jasher or possibly even identical with it, though there is no evidence to support the latter hypothesis. [http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=42&letter=W]


WHAT IS THE BOOK OF JASHER?

The Book of Jasher is the normal English name of a work known in the original Hebrew as Sefer haYashar. It is the best-known of several "Lost books of the Old Testament", books referenced in the Hebrew Bible of which no copies are known to exist. The original Hebrew translates as "Book of the Upright".


Question no. 2 is: Why we can't find the "Book of the Wars of the LORD" in the Holy Bible?

ANSWER: Well, I did not write the Bible so how can I answer this one lol :) Uhh, according to Wikipedia it is a "lost book".


Question no. 3 is: What is the Wahed in Supah and the wadies?

ANSWER: I think the "Wahed in Supah and the wadies" is the title of the Book of Wars of the Lord.

NASB version

Numbers 21:14
Therefore it is said in the Book of the Wars of the LORD,
"Waheb in Suphah,
And the wadis of the Arnon.


As you can see above it says that "Therefore it is said in the Book of the Wars of the LORD,
"Waheb in Suphah,"


The title suggests that the book contained songs celebrating the victories of the Israelites led by Yahweh =)


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Ok honestly, i dont know how to answer your questions, Brother. Im an apologist, not a Bible Expert :) Anyway, you should do researches in able to find answers, or you can contact and talk to Theologists. Hope this helps, even a litle :) God bless you!