Defeat of King Sihon

²⁶ “So I sent messengers from the wilderness of Kedemoth to King Sihon of Heshbon with the following terms of peace:^(A)

¹⁸ and Jahaz, and Kedemoth, and Mephaath,

¹⁰ But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, ¹¹ ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.’^{[a](A) 12} I tell you, on that day it will be more tolerable for Sodom than for that town.^(B)

⁵ Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house!’^{(A) 6} And if a person of peace is there, your peace will rest on that person, but if not, it will return to you.

¹² As you enter the house, greet it. ¹³ If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. ¹⁴ If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town.^{(A) 15} Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.^(B)

³⁰ Letters were sent wishing peace and security to all the Jews, to the one hundred twenty-seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus,^(A)

³⁷ Kedemoth with its pasturelands, and Mephaath with its pasturelands—four towns.

¹⁰ “When you draw near to a town to fight against it, offer it terms of peace.^{(A) 11} If it accepts your terms of peace and surrenders to you, then all the people in it shall serve you at forced labor.