Ibn Ezra on Numbers 21:18

כרוה נדיבי העם. כפול כמשפט: WHICH THE NOBLES OF THE PEOPLE DELVED. Scripture repeats itself,⁶⁰Which the nobles…delved repeats which the princes digged. as is its style.

במחוקק. ע"י מחוקקים כמו לבי לחוקקי ישראל וזו הבאר היתה במדבר רחוק מהיישוב ומזה המדבר נסעו אל מתנה ומשם אל נחליאל ודע כי אשד הנחלים והמדבר הנקרא באר ומתנה ונחליאל כולם מקומות ויש להם שם כלל והוא עלמון דבלתימה כי כן כתוב בפרשת אלה מסעי או אלה שמות מקומות עברו עליהם במסע אחר והרי העברים לפני נבו הוא הבמות והגיא אשר בשדה מואב והעד שאמר הכתוב כי מהגיא נסעו אל ערבות מואב בעבר לירדן ירחו וכתיב כי מהר העברים נסעו אל ערבות מואב על ירדן ירחו ועוד ונשב בגיא מול בית פעור עת שהתחננתי ובמקום אחר עלה אל הר העברים הר נבו גם ויקבוד אותו בגיא ושם כתוב ויעל משה מערבות מואב אל הר נבו והנה הגיא הוא ראש הפסגה ושם מת משה ואין צורך להוליכו אחר מותו: WITH THE SCEPTRE. The meaning of bi-mechokek (with the sceptre) is, by the governors.⁶¹The bet of bi-mechokek means by. The bet usually has the meaning of in. Hence I.E.’s comment. Compare, My heart is toward the governors (chokeke) of Israel (Jud. 5:9). This well was in the wilderness, far from an inhabited place. From this wilderness Israel journeyed to Mattanah. From Mattanah they journeyed to Nahaliel. Note that eshed ha-nehalim (the slope of the valleys) and the wilderness which is called Beer and Mattanah and Nahaliel are all names of places. They are also referred to by a general name, viz., Almon-diblathiam (Num. 33:46), which is found in the Torah portion Ve-Elleh Mase (Ibid.).⁶²Which records the journeys of the children of Israel in the wilderness. Eshed ha-nehalim (the slope of the valleys), Beer, Mattanah, and Nahaliel are not mentioned there. Almon-diblathiam is. Hence I.E.’s comment. On the other hand, it is also possible that these are the names of places that the Israelites passed over in another journey.⁶³Hence they are not recorded in Num. 33:46. The mountains of Abarim in front of Nebo (Num. 33:47) are to be identified with Bamoth and the valley that is in the field of Moab (v. 20). The following is proof of this. Scripture states that Israel journeyed from the valley⁶⁴That is in the field of Moab (v. 10). to the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho (Num. 22:1).⁶⁵I.E. connects Num. 22:1 to Num. 21:10. It also states that Israel journeyed from the mountains of Abarim to the plains of Moab beyond the Jordon at Jericho (Num. 33:48). It further states, So we abode in the valley⁶⁶Which is in the field of Moab. over against Beth-peor (Deut. 3:29) at the time that I [Moses] pleaded [with God].⁶⁷To allow him to enter Canaan. This was shortly before Moses’ death. Scripture elsewhere states, Get thee up into this mountain of Abarim, unto mount Nebo (Deut. 32:49).⁶⁸We thus see that Moses went up to Mount Nebo from the valley which is the field of Moab. Scripture also states, and he was buried in the valley (Deut. 34:6). The Torah there states, And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto mount Nebo to the top of Pisgah (Deut. 34:1). The valley was thus at the top of Pisgah. Moses died there, and there was no need to move him after his death.⁶⁹As would be the case if the “valley” where Moses died was not at the top of the mountain. According to I.E. the “valley” was an indentation at the top of the mountain.