1. And the Canaanite king of Arad, who dwelt in the south, heard that Israel came by the way of Atharim, and he fought against Israel, and took some of them prisoners.
2. Then Israel vowed a vow to Jehovah, and said, If thou give this people wholly into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their cities.
3. And Jehovah listened to the voice of Israel, and delivered up the Canaanites; and they utterly destroyed them, and their cities. And they called the name of the place Hormah.
4. And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to go round the land of Edom; and the soul of the people became impatient on the way;
5. and the people spoke against God and against Moses, Why have ye brought us up out of Egypt that we should die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, and no water, and our soul loathes this light bread.
6. Then Jehovah sent fiery serpents among the people, which bit the people; and much people of Israel died.
7. And the people came to Moses and said, We have sinned, in that we have spoken against Jehovah, and against thee: pray to Jehovah that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.
8. And Jehovah said to Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole; and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, and looketh upon it, shall live.
9. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole; and it came to pass, if a serpent had bitten any man, and he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.
10. And the children of Israel journeyed, and encamped in Oboth.
11. And they removed from Oboth, and encamped at Ijim-Abarim, in the wilderness that is before Moab, toward the sun-rising.
12. From thence they removed, and encamped at the torrent Zered.
13. From thence they removed, and encamped 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.
14. Therefore it is said in the book of the wars of Jehovah, Vaheb in Suphah, and the brooks of Arnon;
15. And the stream of the brooks which turneth to the dwelling of Ar, And inclineth toward the border of Moab.
16. And from thence to Beer: that is the well of which Jehovah spoke to Moses, Assemble the people, and I will give them water.
17. Then Israel sang this song, Rise up, well! sing unto it:
18. Well which princes digged, which the nobles of the people hollowed out at the word of the lawgiver, with their staves. And from the wilderness they went to Mattanah;