Numbers 21:21-30
English Standard Version
King Sihon Defeated
21 Then (A)Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, saying, 22 (B)“Let me pass through your land. We will not turn aside into field or vineyard. We will not drink the water of a well. We will go by the King's Highway until we have passed through your territory.” 23 (C)But Sihon would not allow Israel to pass through his territory. He gathered all his people together and went out against Israel to the wilderness and (D)came to Jahaz and fought against Israel. 24 (E)And Israel defeated him with the edge of the sword and took possession of his land from the Arnon to the (F)Jabbok, as far as to the Ammonites, for the border of the Ammonites was strong. 25 And Israel took all these cities, and Israel settled in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all its villages. 26 For Heshbon was the city of Sihon the king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab and taken all his land out of his hand, as far as the Arnon. 27 Therefore the (G)ballad singers say,
“Come to (H)Heshbon, let it be built;
let the city of Sihon be established.
28 For (I)fire came out from (J)Heshbon,
flame from the city of Sihon.
It devoured (K)Ar of Moab,
and swallowed[a] the heights of the Arnon.
29 (L)Woe to you, O Moab!
You are undone, O people of (M)Chemosh!
He has made his sons fugitives,
and his daughters captives,
to an Amorite king, Sihon.
30 So we overthrew them;
Heshbon, as far as (N)Dibon, perished;
and we laid waste as far as Nophah;
fire spread as far as (O)Medeba.”[b]
Footnotes
- Numbers 21:28 Septuagint; Hebrew the lords of
- Numbers 21:30 Compare Samaritan and Septuagint; Hebrew and we laid waste as far as Nophah, which is as far as Medeba
Numbers 21:21-30
International Standard Version
Israel Conquers the Amorites
21 Later, Israel sent messengers to Sihon, king of the Amorites, who conveyed this request:[a] 22 “Permit us to pass through your land. We won’t trespass in your fields or vineyards. We won’t drink water from any well, and we’ll only travel along the King’s Highway until we’ve passed through your territory.”
23 Instead of letting Israel pass through his territory, Sihon mustered his entire army and marched out to meet them in the wilderness. He arrived at Jahaz and attacked Israel. 24 But Israel defeated[b] him in battle[c] and took possession of all his lands from Arnon to Jabbok, including the Ammonites, even though the border of the Ammonites was strong. 25 So Israel captured all of those cities, occupied[d] all the Amorite cities in Heshbon, and all its towns.[e] 26 Heshbon was the capital city of Sihon, king of the Amorites, who fought against the previous king of Moab and captured all his land from his capital city[f] to Arnon. 27 Therefore the ones who speak in proverbs say:
Come to Heshbon
and let it be built!
Let the city of Sihon be established!
28 A fire has gone out from Heshbon,
and a flame from the city of Sihon.
It consumed Ar of Moab
and the lords of the high places who lived in Arnon.
29 Woe to you, Moab!
You are destroyed, you people of Chemosh!
He has given up his sons as fugitives
and his daughters have gone into captivity
to Sihon, king of the Amorites.
30 We’ve fired at them.
Heshbon has perished as far as Dibon.
We’ve destroyed them as far as Nophah
even as far as Medeba.
Footnotes
- Numbers 21:21 The Heb. lacks who conveyed this request
- Numbers 21:24 Lit. smote
- Numbers 21:24 Lit. him with the edge of the sword
- Numbers 21:25 Lit. lived
- Numbers 21:25 Lit. in all its daughters
- Numbers 21:26 Lit. his hand
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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