²⁷ “Let us pass through your country. We will stay on the main road; we will not turn aside to the right or to the left.^(A)

²⁹ as the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir, and the Moabites, who live in Ar, did for us—until we cross the Jordan into the land the Lord our God is giving us.”

Wanderings in the Wilderness

2 Then we turned back and set out toward the wilderness along the route to the Red Sea,^[a](A) as the Lord had directed me. For a long time we made our way around the hill country of Seir.^(B)

² Then the Lord said to me, ³ “You have made your way around this hill country long enough;^(C) now turn north. ⁴ Give the people these orders:^(D) ‘You are about to pass through the territory of your relatives the descendants of Esau,^(E) who live in Seir.^(F) They will be afraid^(G) of you, but be very careful.

²³ But Sihon would not let Israel pass through his territory.^(B) He mustered his entire army and marched out into the wilderness against Israel. When he reached Jahaz,^(C) he fought with Israel.^{(D) 24} Israel, however, put him to the sword^(E) and took over his land^(F) from the Arnon to the Jabbok,^(G) but only as far as the Ammonites,^(H) because their border was fortified.

Arad Destroyed

21 When the Canaanite king of Arad,^(A) who lived in the Negev,^(B) heard that Israel was coming along the road to Atharim, he attacked the Israelites and captured some of them.