Single lesson
Israel Travels toward Moab
Numbers 21:10–20
This lesson helps children follow Israel’s journey toward Moab in order, notice the places named, and see two key moments in the passage: a border description and God giving water at Beer.
Before you teach
Numbers 21:10–20 records a travel section as Israel moves from camp to camp. The passage names places, explains where the Arnon border lies, mentions words from the Book of the Wars of Yahweh, and tells how Yahweh gave water at Beer and Israel sang.
Students will be able to put the journey in order and explain that this passage shows Israel travelling onward while Yahweh provides water for the gathered people.
Welcome: Trace the journey stops
5 minShow children that this passage is a travel record with many place names. Read the first movement stops aloud and ask them to listen for each new camp. Briefly explain that encamped means they stopped and set up camp. Start a simple list on a board: Oboth, Iyeabarim, Zered, Arnon, Beer and more.
Numbers 21:10, Numbers 21:11, Numbers 21:12, Numbers 21:13, Numbers 21:16, Numbers 21:19, Numbers 21:20
Read and explain: Border, book and well
8 minRead the whole passage. Explain that Arnon is described here as the border of Moab and the Amorites. Point out that the passage also quotes words said to be in the Book of the Wars of Yahweh, then shifts back to the journey. At Beer, Yahweh tells Moses to gather the people, and he says, ‘I will give them water.’
Numbers 21:13, Numbers 21:14, Numbers 21:15, Numbers 21:16
Discuss: What happens when they reach Beer?
6 minFocus on the clearest action in the passage. The people are gathered because Yahweh will give them water. Then Israel sings about the well, calling for it to spring up. Notice that the song also says the well was dug by princes and nobles with sceptre and poles. This gives children details to remember from the text.
Numbers 21:16, Numbers 21:17, Numbers 21:18
Make and respond: Sequence the route
7 minChildren make simple sequence cards for the journey stops and place them in order. As they work, ask them to mark Beer with a water drop and Pisgah with an eye to show it looks down on the desert. Remind them that arranging the route is a learning activity, while the Bible text itself gives the place names and the water at Beer.
Numbers 21:10, Numbers 21:11, Numbers 21:12, Numbers 21:13, Numbers 21:16, Numbers 21:19, Numbers 21:20
Closing: Say what this passage teaches
4 minReview the order together from Oboth to Pisgah. Ask children to tell one thing Yahweh does in the passage and one thing Israel does. Finish by restating that the journey continues through many places, and at Beer Yahweh provides water and Israel responds with song.
Numbers 21:10, Numbers 21:16, Numbers 21:17, Numbers 21:20
Questions to explore
Which place in this passage is the well where Yahweh says, ‘I will give them water’?
Look for the place name connected with Moses gathering the people and Yahweh giving water.
Numbers 21:16
What border is explained when Israel camps by the Arnon?
Read the verse carefully and notice which lands the Arnon is said to stand between.
Numbers 21:13
After Beer, what does Israel do, and what do they sing about?
Find the verses where the people sing and notice that the song is about the well.
Numbers 21:17, Numbers 21:18
Make, think or respond
Journey Sequence Cards
What you’ll need
- plain paper or card
- pencils or markers
- scissors
- optional blue crayon
Try it together
- Write one place name on each card: Oboth, Iyeabarim, Zered, Arnon, Beer, Mattanah, Nahaliel, Bamoth, Pisgah.
- Let children draw a small symbol on some cards, such as a blue drop for Beer and an eye for Pisgah looking over the desert.
- Mix the cards and ask children to place them back in the order of the passage.
- Read the verses again and check the order together, stopping at Beer to recall what Yahweh gives there.
This activity helps children follow the sequence of Numbers 21:10–20 and remember the special importance of Beer, where Yahweh gives water.
Adapt for your group
- For younger children, use fewer cards and keep only the main stops: Oboth, Zered, Arnon, Beer and Pisgah.
- For older or more confident children, ask them to add a short note to each card, such as ‘border’ for Arnon or ‘sang’ for Beer.
An optional closing prayer
You might pray: ‘God, thank you that this passage shows you caring for your people on their journey. Help us listen carefully to your word and remember what you have done.’
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Numbers 21
10 The children of Israel traveled, and encamped in Oboth.
11 They traveled from Oboth, and encamped at Iyeabarim, in the wilderness which is before Moab, toward the sunrise.
12 From there they traveled, and encamped in the valley of Zered.
13 From there they traveled, and encamped on the other side of the Arnon, which is in the wilderness that comes out of the border of the Amorites; for the Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites.
14 Therefore it is said in The Book of the Wars of Yahweh , “Vaheb in Suphah, the valleys of the Arnon,
15 the slope of the valleys that incline toward the dwelling of Ar, leans on the border of Moab.”
16 From there they traveled to Beer; that is the well of which Yahweh said to Moses, “Gather the people together, and I will give them water.”
17 Then Israel sang this song: “Spring up, well! Sing to it,
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;
19 and from Mattanah to Nahaliel; and from Nahaliel to Bamoth;
20 and from Bamoth to the valley that is in the field of Moab, to the top of Pisgah, which looks down on the desert.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.