Numbers 21

קצר - verse 4. What was the state of the people on this journey? The word is reap, harvest, or shortened. It is not passive. קצף is rage. Perhaps short-tempered would do. Could it have been misconstrued in some copying process? Or perhaps it is discouraged. Edom was not friendly as noted in chapter 20.

Remember the ban חרם from yesterday. utterly destroy (27) ban (13) devote (12) utter destruction (11) fishing net (4) put ban (4) -- (1) devotion (1) mutilate (1) scythe (1) - the counts are what I have done so far. There are also several names that use this stem like Charmah below. (I probably should change that to Xarmah.)

So when is a seraph (שרף) a snake, or a serpent, and when is it simply an incinerator? The terms used in verses 7-8 imply some continuity perhaps eliding something. But it is odd elision. Snake and serpent are the same stem (נחשׁ). I could eliminate one of them. Here I used the two glosses to distinguish the biting ones from the brass one.

In verse 9 I used a generic singular they. Works very well here. What really bothers me? In the structure of human languages, every language I have seen implicitly privileges the male. Equally, in the evolutionary scheme, every tongue privileges power and procreation. In modern policy in the west, we privilege the individual over the group. All these are tensions that are hard to reconcile with love and justice. Was care for the orphan, the widow, and the stranger an afterthought rather than a primary theme in the Bible?

Numbers 21		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
וַיִּשְׁמַ֞ע הַכְּנַעֲנִ֤י מֶֽלֶךְ־עֲרָד֙ יֹשֵׁ֣ב הַנֶּ֔גֶב כִּ֚י בָּ֣א יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל דֶּ֖רֶךְ הָאֲתָרִ֑ים וַיִּלָּ֙חֶם֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיִּ֥שְׁבְּ ׀ מִמֶּ֖נּוּ שֶֽׁבִי	1		And the Canaanite king, Arad, inhabitant of the Negev, heard that Israel came by way of Atarym. And he fought with Israel, and carried some of them into captivity.	3e	4C	27 16
וַיִּדַּ֨ר יִשְׂרָאֵ֥ל נֶ֛דֶר לַֽיהוָ֖ה וַיֹּאמַ֑ר אִם־נָתֹ֨ן תִּתֵּ֜ן אֶת־הָעָ֤ם הַזֶּה֙ בְּיָדִ֔י וְהַֽחֲרַמְתִּ֖י אֶת־עָרֵיהֶֽם	2		And Israel vowed a vow to Yahweh, and said, If to give, you will give this people into my hand, then I will put to the ban their cities.	3d	4C	13 22
וַיִּשְׁמַ֨ע יְהוָ֜ה בְּק֣וֹל יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וַיִּתֵּן֙ אֶת־הַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֔י וַיַּחֲרֵ֥ם אֶתְהֶ֖ם וְאֶת־עָרֵיהֶ֑ם וַיִּקְרָ֥א שֵׁם־הַמָּק֖וֹם חָרְמָֽה	3		And Yahweh heard with the voice of Israel, and yielded the Canaanite, and he utterly destroyed them and their cities. And he called the name of the place, Charmah.	3e	4B	29 9
וַיִּסְע֞וּ מֵהֹ֤ר הָהָר֙ דֶּ֣רֶךְ יַם־ס֔וּף לִסְבֹ֖ב אֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ אֱד֑וֹם וַתִּקְצַ֥ר נֶֽפֶשׁ־הָעָ֖ם בַּדָּֽרֶךְ	4		And they pulled out from mount Hor by the way of the sea of reeds, to circle around the land of Edom. and as a group of people, they were discouraged on the journey.	3e	4C	18 10
וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר הָעָ֗ם בֵּֽאלֹהִים֮ וּבְמֹשֶׁה֒ לָמָ֤ה הֶֽעֱלִיתֻ֙נוּ֙ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם לָמ֖וּת בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר כִּ֣י אֵ֥ין לֶ֙חֶם֙ וְאֵ֣ין מַ֔יִם וְנַפְשֵׁ֣נוּ קָ֔צָה בַּלֶּ֖חֶם הַקְּלֹקֵֽל	5		And the people spoke in God and in Moses, Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in the wilderness? Because there is no bread, and there is no water, and our group bristles at the light bread.	3e	4C	26 19
וַיְשַׁלַּ֨ח יְהוָ֜ה בָּעָ֗ם אֵ֚ת הַנְּחָשִׁ֣ים הַשְּׂרָפִ֔ים וַֽיְנַשְּׁכ֖וּ אֶת־הָעָ֑ם וַיָּ֥מָת עַם־רָ֖ב מִיִּשְׂרָאֵֽל	6		And Yahweh sent among the people incinerating serpents and they bit the people. And people in abundance died from Israel.	3e	4C	20 9
וַיָּבֹא֩ הָעָ֨ם אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֜ה וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ חָטָ֗אנוּ כִּֽי־דִבַּ֤רְנוּ בַֽיהוָה֙ וָבָ֔ךְ הִתְפַּלֵּל֙ אֶל־יְהוָ֔ה וְיָסֵ֥ר מֵעָלֵ֖ינוּ אֶת־הַנָּחָ֑שׁ וַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֥ל מֹשֶׁ֖ה בְּעַ֥ד הָעָֽם	7		And the people came to Moses and said, We have sinned, for we spoke against Yahweh, but pray in you to Yahweh that he put aside for us the serpent. And Moses interceded concerning the people.	3e	4C	38 10
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה עֲשֵׂ֤ה לְךָ֙ שָׂרָ֔ף וְשִׂ֥ים אֹת֖וֹ עַל־נֵ֑ס וְהָיָה֙ כָּל־הַנָּשׁ֔וּךְ וְרָאָ֥ה אֹת֖וֹ וָחָֽי	8		And Yahweh said to Moses, Construct for yourself a seraph, and set it on a standard, and it will happen that anyone who is bitten and sees it, then will live.	3e	4C	20 14
וַיַּ֤עַשׂ מֹשֶׁה֙ נְחַ֣שׁ נְחֹ֔שֶׁת וַיְשִׂמֵ֖הוּ עַל־הַנֵּ֑ס וְהָיָ֗ה אִם־נָשַׁ֤ךְ הַנָּחָשׁ֙ אֶת־אִ֔ישׁ וְהִבִּ֛יט אֶל־נְחַ֥שׁ הַנְּחֹ֖שֶׁת וָחָֽי	9		And Moses constructed a brass snake and set it on the standard. And it was that if the serpent bit anyone and they took notice of the brass snake, then they lived.	3d	4C	17 22
וַיִּסְע֖וּ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַֽיַּחֲנ֖וּ בְּאֹבֹֽת	10		Andthe children of Israel pulled out, and they encamped in Oboth. [Appetite?]	3e	4B	8 7
וַיִּסְע֖וּ מֵאֹבֹ֑ת וַֽיַּחֲנ֞וּ בְּעִיֵּ֣י הָֽעֲבָרִ֗ים בַּמִּדְבָּר֙ אֲשֶׁר֙ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י מוֹאָ֔ב מִמִּזְרַ֖ח הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ	11		And they pulled out from Oboth, and they encamped in the shambles of those going by in the wilderness, that is over before Moab from the rising of the sun.	3e	4B	6 27
מִשָּׁ֖ם נָסָ֑עוּ וַֽיַּחֲנ֖וּ בְּנַ֥חַל זָֽרֶד	12		From there they pulled out, and they encamped in the torrent of Zered.	3e	4A	5 9
מִשָּׁם֮ נָסָעוּ֒ וַֽיַּחֲנ֗וּ מֵעֵ֤בֶר אַרְנוֹן֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר הַיֹּצֵ֖א מִגְּב֣וּל הָֽאֱמֹרִ֑י כִּ֤י אַרְנוֹן֙ גְּב֣וּל מוֹאָ֔ב בֵּ֥ין מוֹאָ֖ב וּבֵ֥ין הָאֱמֹרִֽי	13		From there they pulled out, and they encamped from beyond the Arnon, that is in the wilderness coming forth from the border of the Amorite, for the Arnon was the border of Moab between Moab and the Amorite.	3e	4C	28 16
עַל־כֵּן֙ יֵֽאָמַ֔ר בְּסֵ֖פֶר מִלְחֲמֹ֣ת יְהוָ֑ה אֶת־וָהֵ֣ב בְּסוּפָ֔ה וְאֶת־הַנְּחָלִ֖ים אַרְנֽוֹן	14		Therefore it is said in the book of the battles of Yahweh, Vehav in Suphah and the torrents of Arnon.	3e	4B	13 13
וְאֶ֙שֶׁד֙ הַנְּחָלִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָטָ֖ה לְשֶׁ֣בֶת עָ֑ר וְנִשְׁעַ֖ן לִגְב֥וּל מוֹאָֽב	15		And the slope of the torrents, where he stretched out the settlement of Ar, and it buttresses to the border of Moab.	3e	4B	14 7
וּמִשָּׁ֖ם בְּאֵ֑רָה הִ֣וא הַבְּאֵ֗ר אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָמַ֤ר יְהוָה֙ לְמֹשֶׁ֔ה אֱסֹף֙ אֶת־הָעָ֔ם וְאֶתְּנָ֥ה לָהֶ֖ם מָֽיִם	16		And from there toward Beer. It is the well where Yahweh had said to Moses, Gather the people, and I will give them water.	3e	4C	6 24
אָ֚ז יָשִׁ֣יר יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶת־הַשִּׁירָ֖ה הַזֹּ֑את עֲלִ֥י בְאֵ֖ר עֱנוּ־לָֽהּ	17	C	Then Israel sang this particular song, Come up, O well, answer her.	3e	4C	12 7
בְּאֵ֞ר חֲפָר֣וּהָ שָׂרִ֗ים כָּר֙וּהָ֙ נְדִיבֵ֣י הָעָ֔ם בִּמְחֹקֵ֖ק בְּמִשְׁעֲנֹתָ֑ם וּמִמִּדְבָּ֖ר מַתָּנָֽה	18		Nobility excavated a well. the princes of the people dug her by the lawgiver with their staves, and from the wilderness was an endowment.	3e	4B	24 7
וּמִמַּתָּנָ֖ה נַחֲלִיאֵ֑ל וּמִנַּחֲלִיאֵ֖ל בָּמֽוֹת	19		And from her endowment, the torrents of God, and from the torrents of God, high places.	3e	4A	9 8
וּמִבָּמ֗וֹת הַגַּיְא֙ אֲשֶׁר֙ בִּשְׂדֵ֣ה מוֹאָ֔ב רֹ֖אשׁ הַפִּסְגָּ֑ה וְנִשְׁקָ֖פָה עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הַיְשִׁימֹֽן	20		And from high places, the gorge that is in the field of Moab, the top of Pisgah, and it looks down facing the wastelands.	3e	4B	16 10
וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מַלְאָכִ֔ים אֶל־סִיחֹ֥ן מֶֽלֶךְ־הָאֱמֹרִ֖י לֵאמֹֽר	21		And Israel sent messengers to Sihon, king of the Amorites, saying,	3e	4C	20
אֶעְבְּרָ֣ה בְאַרְצֶ֗ךָ לֹ֤א נִטֶּה֙ בְּשָׂדֶ֣ה וּבְכֶ֔רֶם לֹ֥א נִשְׁתֶּ֖ה מֵ֣י בְאֵ֑ר בְּדֶ֤רֶךְ הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ נֵלֵ֔ךְ עַ֥ד אֲשֶֽׁר־נַעֲבֹ֖ר גְּבֻלֶֽךָ	22		Let me cross over in your land, not bending in the field or the vineyard. We will not imbibe the water of a well. On the way of the king we will go, until we have passed through your borders.	3e	4C	22 18
וְלֹא־נָתַ֨ן סִיחֹ֣ן אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל֮ עֲבֹ֣ר בִּגְבֻלוֹ֒ וַיֶּאֱסֹ֨ף סִיחֹ֜ן אֶת־כָּל־עַמּ֗וֹ וַיֵּצֵ֞א לִקְרַ֤את יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ הַמִּדְבָּ֔רָה וַיָּבֹ֖א יָ֑הְצָה וַיִּלָּ֖חֶם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל	23		And Sihon would not let Israel pass through his borders. And Sihon gathered all with him and came forth to encounter Israel towards the wilderness. and came towards Jahats. And he fought with Israel.	3e	4C	41 8
וַיַּכֵּ֥הוּ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לְפִי־חָ֑רֶב וַיִּירַ֨שׁ אֶת־אַרְצ֜וֹ מֵֽאַרְנֹ֗ן עַד־יַבֹּק֙ עַד־בְּנֵ֣י עַמּ֔וֹן כִּ֣י עַ֔ז גְּב֖וּל בְּנֵ֥י עַמּֽוֹן	24		And Israel struck him with the edge of the sword. And he possessed his land from Arnon to Jabboq, to the children of Ammon, for strong was the border of the children of Ammon.	3e	4B	10 25
וַיִּקַּח֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֵ֥ת כָּל־הֶעָרִ֖ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה וַיֵּ֤שֶׁב יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בְּכָל־עָרֵ֣י הָֽאֱמֹרִ֔י בְּחֶשְׁבּ֖וֹן וּבְכָל־בְּנֹתֶֽיהָ	25		And Israel took all these cities. And Israel settled in all the cities of the Amorite in Heshbon, and in all her built-up areas.	3e	4C	14 23
כִּ֣י חֶשְׁבּ֔וֹן עִ֗יר סִיחֹ֛ן מֶ֥לֶךְ הָאֱמֹרִ֖י הִ֑וא וְה֣וּא נִלְחַ֗ם בְּמֶ֤לֶךְ מוֹאָב֙ הָֽרִאשׁ֔וֹן וַיִּקַּ֧ח אֶת־כָּל־אַרְצ֛וֹ מִיָּד֖וֹ עַד־אַרְנֹֽן	26	B	For Heshbon, it was the city of Sihon, king of the Amorites. And he warred against the king of Moab, the former, and he took all his land from his hand to Arnon.	3c	4C	13 25
עַל־כֵּ֛ן יֹאמְר֥וּ הַמֹּשְׁלִ֖ים בֹּ֣אוּ חֶשְׁבּ֑וֹן תִּבָּנֶ֥ה וְתִכּוֹנֵ֖ן עִ֥יר סִיחֽוֹן	27		So they say, proverbially, Enter Heshbon. Let the city of Sihon be built and be prepared.	3d	4B	10 10
כִּי־אֵשׁ֙ יָֽצְאָ֣ה מֵֽחֶשְׁבּ֔וֹן לֶהָבָ֖ה מִקִּרְיַ֣ת סִיחֹ֑ן אָֽכְלָה֙ עָ֣ר מוֹאָ֔ב בַּעֲלֵ֖י בָּמ֥וֹת אַרְנֹֽן	28		Because fire came forth from Heshbon, flame from the town of Sihon. It devoured Ar of Moab, the owners of the high places of Arnon.	3e	4B	15 12
אוֹי־לְךָ֣ מוֹאָ֔ב אָבַ֖דְתָּ עַם־כְּמ֑וֹשׁ נָתַ֨ן בָּנָ֤יו פְּלֵיטִם֙ וּבְנֹתָ֣יו בַּשְּׁבִ֔ית לְמֶ֥לֶךְ אֱמֹרִ֖י סִיחֽוֹן	29		Woe to you, Moab. You are perished, people of Kemosh. He has given his sons who were secure, and his daughters into captivity, to the king of the Amorites, Sihon.	3e	4C	12 20
וַנִּירָ֛ם אָבַ֥ד חֶשְׁבּ֖וֹן עַד־דִּיב֑וֹן וַנַּשִּׁ֣ים עַד־נֹ֔פַח אֲשֶׁ֖רׄ עַד־מֵֽידְבָֽא	30		We have shot them. Perished is Heshbon to Dibon. And we have desolated them to Stoke, that is to Medeba.	3d	4B	10 11
וַיֵּ֙שֶׁב֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בְּאֶ֖רֶץ הָאֱמֹרִֽי	31		And Israel settled in the land of the Amorite.	3e	3g	13
וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח מֹשֶׁה֙ לְרַגֵּ֣ל אֶת־יַעְזֵ֔ר וַֽיִּלְכְּד֖וּ בְּנֹתֶ֑יהָ וַיּ֖וֹרֶשׁ אֶת־הָאֱמֹרִ֥י אֲשֶׁר־שָֽׁם	32		And Moses sent to survey Yazer, and they conquered her built-up areas, and dispossessed the Amorite that was there.	3e	4C	19 11
וַיִּפְנוּ֙ וַֽיַּעֲל֔וּ דֶּ֖רֶךְ הַבָּשָׁ֑ן וַיֵּצֵ֣א עוֹג֩ מֶֽלֶךְ־הַבָּשָׁ֨ן לִקְרָאתָ֜ם ה֧וּא וְכָל־עַמּ֛וֹ לַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה אֶדְרֶֽעִי	33		And they faced forward, and they went up by way of Bashan, and Og, king of Bashan, came forth to encounter them, he and all with him, to battle at Edrei.	3c	4B	12 24
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֤ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה֙ אַל־תִּירָ֣א אֹת֔וֹ כִּ֣י בְיָדְךָ֞ נָתַ֧תִּי אֹת֛וֹ וְאֶת־כָּל־עַמּ֖וֹ וְאֶת־אַרְצ֑וֹ וְעָשִׂ֣יתָ לּ֔וֹ כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשִׂ֗יתָ לְסִיחֹן֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ הָֽאֱמֹרִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר יוֹשֵׁ֖ב בְּחֶשְׁבּֽוֹן	34		And Yahweh said to Moses, Do not fear him, for into your hand I have given him, and all with him, and his land. And you will do to him as you have done to Sihon, king of the Amorites, that inhabited in Heshbon.	3c	4C	31 27
וַיַּכּ֨וּ אֹת֤וֹ וְאֶת־בָּנָיו֙ וְאֶת־כָּל־עַמּ֔וֹ עַד־בִּלְתִּ֥י הִשְׁאִֽיר־ל֖וֹ שָׂרִ֑יד וַיִּֽירְשׁ֖וּ אֶת־אַרְצֽוֹ	35		And they struck him and his children and all with him, until he was without a trace of a survivor. And they possessed his land.	3e	4C	22 6

Hey - through this chapter, are we reading bits of the book of the battles of Yahweh? I see from an image search that this is a popular title. I am not going meme hunting at the moment. If I was, it would be toward Beer [=well] (verse 16).

What are these song snippets in the chapter verses 14-15, 17-18, 27-28? These are the accent sequences and their count.
21.14 e qad,e z-q,g# B ^A B z-q,g# e unique
21.15 e qad,qad,z-q,f g# B ^A g# f e unique
21.17 C B z-q,g# ^A f g# e occurs in 5 verses - the opening high C makes this an announcement verse.
21.18 e tar,B rev,qad,qad,B z-q,g# ^A g# e unique
21.27 e d f g# B ^A f g# f e occurs in 9 verses
21.28 e qad,e B e z-q,g# B ^A e qad,B z-q,g# f e unique

How can one tell where the song stops and the record of stops on the journey starts again? I stopped the song after verse 19, perhaps a verse and a half too late. Music is below.