Numbers Chapter 21 verse 18 Holy Bible

ASV Numbers 21:18

The well, which the princes digged, Which the nobles of the people delved, With the sceptre, `and' with their staves. And from the wilderness `they journeyed' to Mattanah;
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BBE Numbers 21:18

The fountain made by the chiefs, made deep by the great ones of the people, with the law-givers' rod, and with their sticks. Then from the waste land they went on to Mattanah:
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DARBY Numbers 21:18

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;
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KJV Numbers 21:18

The princes digged the well, the nobles of the people digged it, by the direction of the lawgiver, with their staves. And from the wilderness they went to Mattanah:
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WBT Numbers 21:18

The princes digged the well, the nobles of the people digged it, by the direction of the lawgiver, with their staffs. And from the wilderness they went to Mattanah:
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WEB Numbers 21:18

The well, which the princes dug, Which the nobles of the people dug, With the scepter, [and] with their poles. From the wilderness [they traveled] to Mattanah;
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YLT Numbers 21:18

`A well -- digged it have princes, Prepared it have nobles of the people, With the lawgiver, with their staves.' And from the wilderness `they journeyed' to Mattanah,
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Pulpit Commentary

Pulpit CommentaryVerse 18. - By the direction of the lawgiver, בִּמְחֹקֵק. Literally, "by the lawgiver," or, as some prefer, "with the scepter." The meaning of michokek is disputed (see on Genesis 49:10), but in either ease the meaning must be practically as in the A.V. It speaks of the alacrity with which the leaders of Israel, Moses himself amongst them, began the work even with the insignia of their office. And from the wilderness... to Mattanah. Beer was still in the desert country eastward of the cultivated belt: from thence they crossed, still on the north of Arnon, and probably leaving it somewhat to the south, into a more settled country.

Ellicott's Commentary

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(18) By the direction of the lawgiver.--Better, with the ruler's staff. The same word occurs in Genesis 49:10, where it stands in parallelism to "the sceptre." (See Note in loc.)And from the wilderness they went to Mat-tanah.--The Targums interpret this and Numbers 21:19-20 of the well, And from the wilderness it was given to them for a gift, and from thence it was given to them in Mattanah, &c. The Targum of Onkelos is as follows: "And from the time that it was given to them, it descended with them to the rivers, &c." The Targum of Palestine is--"And from the wilderness, &c." (as above).