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Response
The Book of the Wars of the Lord is a text mentioned in Scripture but currently lost to us. The sole information available about the Book of the Wars of the Lord is what is contained in one Scripture passage. The reference to it in Scripture suggests that it was relatively well-known or accessible to the people of ancient Israel. Such “lost books” are not rare, as only a few ancient texts have survived to the present day. Considering the perishable nature of most ancient writings, it is remarkable that the books of the Bible have not only endured but have been preserved in numerous ancient copies, allowing us to confidently ascertain their original content.
The biblical passage referencing the Book of the Wars of the Lord relates to the Israelites’ journey through the wilderness en route to the Promised Land: “The Israelites set out and camped at Oboth. Then they set out from Oboth and camped at Iye Abarim, in the wilderness that faces Moab toward the sunrise. From there they set out and camped in the Zered Valley. They set out from there and camped alongside the Arnon, which is in the wilderness extending into Amorite territory. The Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites. That is why the Book of the Wars of the Lord states: ‘… Zahab in Suphah and the ravines, the Arnon and the slopes of the ravines that lead to the settlement of Ar and lie along the border of Moab'” (Numbers 21:10-15).
As per Numbers 21, Israel took care to avoid Edomite, Moabite, and Amorite territories, choosing to camp along the Arnon River. Edom descended from Esau, and Moab from Lot; these groups were not among the Canaanite peoples that Israel was instructed to eliminate. In Numbers 20, Moses had sought permission to pass through Edom’s land, as it offered a more direct route to the land of.
Canaan. Edom declined permission and assembled an army to prevent Israel from entering, but Israel simply retreated and took a different route.
Ancient borders often caused disputes, and Israel was cautious to avoid Moabite territory. Moses dispatched messengers to King Sihon of the Amorites, seeking passage through their land, pledging, “We will not veer into any field or vineyard, or drink water from any well. We will journey along the King’s Highway until we have crossed your territory” «Let me pass through thy land: we will not turn into the fields, or into the vineyards; we will not drink of the waters of the well: but we will go along by the king’s high way, until we be past thy borders. », (Numbers 21:22). Nevertheless, Sihon denied the Israelites entry and mobilized the Amorite army against Israel. Through the power of the Lord, the Israelites overcame the Amorites and encamped in their territory (verses 23–26). If the mention of “the poets” in verse 27 refers to the authors of the Book of the Wars of the Lord, then another excerpt from that book is used to poetically recount the defeat of the Amorite kingdom (verses 27–30).
Based on the title, “The Book of the Wars of the Lord,” some speculate that it detailed battles in which the Lord either fought or that were fought on His behalf; it might indeed have been such a book. However, Hebrew books were commonly titled after the initial word or phrase in the book and did not necessarily summarize the book’s content. For example, the book of Exodus is known as Shemot in Hebrew, meaning “names.” Exodus commences with, “These are the names of the sons of Israel who went to Egypt with Jacob.” Hence, the title of an ancient book might reveal little about its content.
In conclusion, we have limited knowledge about the Book of the Wars of the Lord, but we can infer that this ancient manuscript likely recorded geographical
Historical boundaries between nations and potentially associated poetic descriptions of specific battles. It is also conceivable that the Moabites might have been aware of the Book of the Wars of the Lord. Regardless, the document is referenced in Numbers to support the assertion that Israel did not trespass on Moabite land.
