Journey past Ammon

16 “When all the fighting men had died among the people, 17 the Lord spoke to me, 18 ‘Today you are going to cross the border of Moab at Ar. 19 When you get close to the Ammonites, don’t show any hostility to them or provoke them, for I will not give you any of the Ammonites’ land as a possession; I have given it as a possession to the descendants of Lot.’”(A)

20 This too used to be regarded as the land of the Rephaim. The Rephaim lived there previously, though the Ammonites called them Zamzummim,(B) 21 a great and numerous people, tall as the Anakim. The Lord destroyed the Rephaim at the advance of the Ammonites, so that they drove them out and settled in their place. 22 This was just as he had done for the descendants of Esau who lived in Seir, when he destroyed the Horites before them; they drove them out and have lived in their place until now. 23 The Caphtorim, who came from Caphtor,[a](C) destroyed the Avvites, who lived in villages as far as Gaza, and settled in their place.

Defeat of Sihon the Amorite

24 “The Lord also said, ‘Get up, move out, and cross the Arnon Valley. See, I have handed the Amorites’ King Sihon of Heshbon and his land over to you. Begin to take possession of it; engage[b] him in battle.(D) 25 Today I will begin to put the fear and dread of you on the peoples everywhere under heaven. They will hear the report about you, tremble, and be in anguish because of you.’(E)

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Footnotes

  1. 2:23 Probably Crete
  2. 2:24 Or provoke

16 “So it came about, when (A)all the men of war had finally perished from among the people, 17 that the Lord spoke to me, saying, 18 ‘Today you shall cross over (B)Ar, the border of Moab. 19 When you come opposite the (C)sons of Ammon, do not attack them nor provoke them, for I will not give you any of the land of the sons of Ammon as a possession, because I have given it to (D)the sons of Lot as a possession.’ 20 (It is also regarded as the land of the (E)Rephaim, because the Rephaim previously lived in it, but the Ammonites call them Zamzummin, 21 a people as great, numerous, and tall as the Anakim; but the Lord destroyed them before [a]them. And they dispossessed them and settled in their place, 22 just as He did for the sons of Esau, who (F)live in Seir, when He destroyed (G)the Horites from before them; they dispossessed them and settled in their place, where they remain even to this day. 23 And as for the (H)Avvim, who lived in villages as far as Gaza, the [b](I)Caphtorim, who came from [c](J)Caphtor, destroyed them and lived in their place.) 24 ‘Arise, set out, and pass through the [d](K)Valley of Arnon. Look! I have handed over to you Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land; start taking possession and plunge into battle with him. 25 This day I will begin to put (L)the dread and fear of you upon the faces of [e]people everywhere, [f]who, when they hear the news of you, (M)will tremble and be in anguish because of you.’

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Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 2:21 I.e., the Ammonites
  2. Deuteronomy 2:23 I.e., Philistines
  3. Deuteronomy 2:23 I.e., Crete
  4. Deuteronomy 2:24 Or wadi
  5. Deuteronomy 2:25 Lit peoples under all the heavens
  6. Deuteronomy 2:25 Lit who will hear...and tremble