“Then Israel sang this song: Rise, well; give voice for it” (Numbers 21:17). “Then Israel sang this song” – this song was recited at the conclusion of forty years, and the well was given to them at the beginning of forty. What did the reason that led it to be written here? This matter is expounded previous to it: “Therefore it is said in the book of the Wars of the Lord: Vahev [by storm [besufa], and the tributaries of the Arnon]” (Numbers 21:14) – the Holy One blessed be He performed on their behalf signs and miracles at the tributaries of the Arnon like the miracles that He performed on their behalf at the Red Sea [Yam Suf].
What are the miracles of the tributaries of Arnon? A person stands on this mountain and speaks to another on that mountain, and it is at a distance of seven mil.70To walk from one to the other, one has to climb down from one mountain and then up the other. The way descends into the ravine and ascends, and Israel’s path was to cross in the ravine. All the nations gathered there, endless multitudes.
Some were positioned in the ravine. Above them the ravine was caves, and opposite the caves were projections of boulders like breasts [shadayim], as it is stated: “And the outpouring of [ve’eshed] the ravines” (Numbers 21:15). The multitudes entered the caves and said: When Israel descends into the ravine, these will confront them in the ravine and those above from the caves; we will kill them all.
When Israel reached that place, He did not require them to descend below through the ravine, but rather intimated to the mountains, and the breast-like projections of this mountain entered into the caves, and they all died. The mountains brought their peaks adjacent to one another and became a smooth road. It is unknown which mountain moved adjacent to the other. That ravine interposes between the domain of the Land of Israel and the domain of the land of Moav, as it is stated: “For Arnon is the border of Moav, between Moav and the Emorites” (Numbers 21:13).
The mountain that was in the land of Moav, the one with the caves, did not move. The mountain from the Land of Israel, in which there were breast-like projections, moved adjacent to the mountain opposite it. Why did it move? It is because it is of the Land of Israel.
This is analogous to a maidservant71This a metaphor for the mountain. who saw the son of her master72This is a metaphor for the children of Israel. coming to her. She leapt from her place and preceded him and received him. The boulders entered into the caves and crushed all those mighty ones; and the well descended into the ravine and swelled, and eliminated all of the multitudes just as the sea eliminated them.
That is why it juxtaposed: “Vahev by storm [besufa]” (Numbers 21:14), to “the tributaries of the Arnon” (Numbers 21:14). Israel passed atop those mountains but were unaware of all these miracles. The Holy One blessed be He said: I will inform My children how many multitudes I eliminated from before them. The well descended into those caves and took out unfathomable numbers of skulls, arms, and legs.
Israel returned to seek the well and saw it emerging full from the ravine and taking out limbs upon limbs. From where is it derived that the well informed them? It is as it is stated: “And the outpouring of the ravines.… and from there to the well” (Numbers 21:15–16). Was it from there?
Was it not with them from the beginning of forty years? It is, rather, that it descended to publicize the miracles, and Israel was standing over the ravines and saying: “Rise, well, give voice for it” (Numbers 21:17), and they recited song over them.