Wherefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.
Wherefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi - well of life of vision; i:e., of life after seeing God. Attempts have been made by Rationalist writers to give an entirely different explanation of this name. By a change of the vowel-points, so as to make lahai into lehi (Judges 15:19), the name has been interpreted to mean, 'the well of the jaw-bone (rock) of vision' - i:e., well of the prominent, far-seen rock. But this sense can be extorted only by a violent alteration of the original text, and is directly opposed to the declaration of the sacred historian.
Behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered. A wady, containing brackish water, is mentioned by Robinson, under the name of Er Muweileh, which he passed without taking much notice of it. But it has since been pitched upon by Rowlands (Williams' 'Holy City') as Hagar's well, called by the Arabs about Ghuzzah, Moilahhi; which he interprets to signify Moi = water, and lahi = lahai. It is situated about ten camels' hours south of Ruhaileh (Rebohoth). But its topography is so exactly given in the text that there could be no difficulty in finding it, if only the localities of Kadesh and Bered were fully ascertained. "Bered" is supposed to be Jebel Helal. Kadesh has been a subject of much dispute; but there is good reason to believe that the place of that name referred to here lay on the northern plateau of the Tih, and may be the one described by Rowlands. The peculiarity of this name, Beer-labai-roi, attests in the strongest manner the truth of this record, independently of the inspired authority of the historian. For how could so strange and remarkable a name originate, as Havernick justly remarks, except from a miraculous occurrence, such as that related.