The Defeat of King Sihon

²⁶ “So I sent messengers from the wilderness of ^(A)Kedemoth to Sihon the king of ^(B)Heshbon, ^(C)with words of peace, saying,

^18 (A)and Jahaz, and Kedemoth, and Mephaath,

¹⁰ But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, ^11 (A)‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that ^(B)the kingdom of God has come near.’ ¹² I tell you, ^(C)it will be more bearable on ^(D)that day for Sodom than for that town.

⁵ Whatever house you enter, first say, ^(A)‘Peace be to this house!’ ⁶ And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, ^(B)it will return to you.

¹² As you enter the house, ^(A)greet it. ¹³ And if the house is ^(B)worthy, let ^(C)your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let ^(D)your peace return to you. ¹⁴ And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, ^(E)shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. ¹⁵ Truly, I say to you, ^(F)it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for ^(G)the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.

³⁰ Letters were sent to all the Jews, ^(A)to the 127 provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, in words of peace and truth,

³⁷ Kedemoth with its pasturelands, and Mephaath with its pasturelands—four cities;

¹⁰ “When you draw near to a city to fight against it, ^(A)offer terms of peace to it. ¹¹ And if it responds to you peaceably and it opens to you, then all the people who are found in it shall do forced labor for you and shall serve you.