Midrasz do Liczb 21:15

These are the accounts of the tabernacle (Exod. 38:21). Scripture states elsewhere: Thou hast also delivered Me from the contentions of My people (II Sam. 22:44), and it is written elsewhere: Thou hast delivered me from the contentions of the people (Ps. 18:44). The contentions of the people refers to the nations of the world, and the contentions of My people alludes to Israel. David said: Master of the Universe, the Israelites are a contentious lot; do You wish them to murmur against me amongst themselves? A proof of this is that after the Tabernacle was erected, though everything was done according to numbers and weights, as it is written: The whole by number and by weight; and all the weight was written at that time (Ezra 8:34), they became contentious, as is said: And the people spoke against God, and against Moses (Num. 21:15). Hence, it says: Thou mayest deliver me from the contentions of My people (II Sam. 22:44). This verse alludes to Moses. At the time he erected the Tabernacle, Moses said: I know that the Israelites are a troublesome lot. They speak against their brothers and their mothers, as it is said: Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother’s sons (Ps. 50:20). What is meant by Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother? R. Johanan said: You must not believe that one is permitted to speak against a brother born of one’s father, but not against a brother born of one’s mother, for if you should speak against your brother born of your father, you will eventually speak against your brother born of your mother, as it is said: Thou sittest and speakest against thine own brother; thou slanderest thine own mother’s sons.

R. Joshua the son of Levi said: David has stated that if you should speak against Esau, who is your brother (by your father), you will ultimately speak against the son of your mother. This refers to Moses, the foremost of our prophets, against whom they spoke, as it is said: And the people spoke against God, and against Moses (Num. 21:15).

25 (Numb. 21:17) “Then Israel sang this song”: This song (of the well) was uttered at the end of forty [years], while the well was given to them at the beginning of the forty [years]? So what was the purpose of writing [it down] here? This matter has been explained from what is above (in vs. 14), “It is therefore said in the book of the wars of the Lord, ‘'t⁷⁶This untranslated word is used here to indicate a direct object, but it also means “sign.” Waheb [in Suphah (Sufah) and 't the Wadis of the Arnon].’” What is this? That the Holy One blessed be He did for them signs ('twt, singular: 't) and miracles in the Arnon Wadis like the miracles which He did for them in the Reed (suf) Sea. And what were the miracles in the Arnon Wadis? One would stand on one mountain and speak with his companion on the other mountain; yet he was seven mil⁷⁷Milim. Lat.: milia. away from him. Now the road descended into the middle of the wadi and then ascended, and Israel's course was to cross through the midst of the mountains. All the nations assembled endless troops there.⁷⁸Gk.: ochloi. Some of them took up positions in the middle of the wadi. Moreover, [the slope of] the mountain above them was riddled with caves, and facing them was a mountain which was correspondingly riddled with crags in the form of breasts (shdym), as stated (in Numb. 21:15), “And the slope ('shd) of the wadis.” The troops entered into the caves; for they said, “As soon as Israel comes down into the wadi, those ahead of them who are in the wadi and those in the caves will arise and kill all of them. When Israel did arrive at that place, [the Holy One, blessed be He,] did not make it necessary for them to go down into the wadi. Instead, He gave a signal to the mountains, and the [craggy] breasts of the latter mountain entered the caves, so that they all died. Moreover, the mountains brought their summits so close to each other that they became a highway, for there was no knowing [where] each [mountain] joined its neighbor. Furthermore, that wadi separates the borders between the Land of Israel and the Land of Moab, as stated (in Numb. 21:13 = Jud. 11:18), “For the Arnon is the border of Moab […].” The mountain in the Land of Moab, the one with the caves, was [not] shaken; but the mountain in the Land of Israel, the one with the crags in the form of breasts, was shaken and joined to the mountain opposite. Why was the one in the Land of Israel shaken? The matter is comparable to a female slave who saw her master's son coming to her.⁷⁹In this illustration the female slave is the mountain, the master is God, and the son is Israel. She jumped up to greet him and welcome him. The crags entered into the caves and all those warriors were crushed. Then the well descended to the wadi, where it became a mighty [torrent] and destroyed the troops, just as the [Reed] Sea had destroyed those [Egyptians]. Scripture therefore compared (in Numb. 21:14), “Waheb in Suphah (Sufah) and the Wadis of the Arnon.”⁸⁰The fact that WAHEB IN SUPHAH (understood as Yam Suf, or Reed Sea) is mentioned next to the Wadi Arnon shows that the two deliverances are comparable. When Israel crossed upon those mountains without knowing about all these miracles the Holy One, blessed be He, said, “Behold, I will let My Children know how many troops I destroyed because of them.” [So] the well descended into the caves and brought out innumerable skulls, arms, and legs. Thus when Israel returned to seek the well, they saw it coming out powerfully from the wadi, as it discharged the limbs [of the troops]. And where is it shown that the well informed [Israel] about them? Where it is stated (in Numb. 21:15-16), “And the slope of the wadis…. And from there they continued to Be’er (the well).” But was [the well] with them from there; was it not with them from the beginning of the forty years? It is simply that it had gone down to inform about the miracles, while Israel remained at the wadis and said to it (in Numb. 21:17, cont.,) “Rise up, O well, sing to it.” And they sang a song about them.