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21 Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, saying, 22 “Let me pass through your land. We will not turn away into field or vineyard. We will not drink of the water of the wells. We will go by the king’s highway, until we have passed your border.”

23 Sihon would not allow Israel to pass through his border, but Sihon gathered all his people together, and went out against Israel into the wilderness, and came to Jahaz. He fought against Israel. 24 Israel struck him with the edge of the sword, and possessed his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, even to the children of Ammon; for the border of the children of Ammon was fortified. 25 Israel took all these cities. Israel lived 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, even to the Arnon. 27 Therefore those who speak in proverbs say,

“Come to Heshbon.
    Let the city of Sihon be built and established;
28 for a fire has gone out of Heshbon,
    a flame from the city of Sihon.
It has devoured Ar of Moab,
    The lords of the high places of the Arnon.
29 Woe to you, Moab!
    You are undone, people of Chemosh!
He has given his sons as fugitives,
    and his daughters into captivity,
    to Sihon king of the Amorites.
30 We have shot at them.
    Heshbon has perished even to Dibon.
We have laid waste even to Nophah,
    Which reaches to Medeba.”

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King Sihon Defeated

21 Then Israel sent messengers to King Sihon of the Amorites, saying,(A) 22 “Let me pass through your land; we will not turn aside into field or vineyard; we will not drink the water of any well; we will go by the King’s Highway until we have passed through your territory.”(B) 23 But Sihon would not allow Israel to pass through his territory. Sihon gathered all his people together and went out against Israel to the wilderness; he came to Jahaz and fought against Israel.(C) 24 Israel put him to the sword and took possession of his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, as far as to the Ammonites, for the boundary of the Ammonites was strong.(D) 25 Israel took all these towns, and Israel settled in all the towns of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all its villages. 26 For Heshbon was the city of King Sihon of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab and captured all his land as far as the Arnon. 27 Therefore the singers say,

“Come to Heshbon; let it be built;
    let the city of Sihon be established.
28 For fire came out from Heshbon,
    flame from the city of Sihon.
It devoured Ar of Moab
    and swallowed up[a] the heights of the Arnon.(E)
29 Woe to you, O Moab!
    You are undone, O people of Chemosh!
He has made his sons fugitives
    and his daughters captives
    to an Amorite king, Sihon.(F)
30 So their posterity perished
    from Heshbon[b] to Dibon,
    and we laid waste until fire spread to Medeba.”[c](G)

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Footnotes

  1. 21.28 Gk: Heb and the lords of
  2. 21.30 Gk: Heb we have shot at them; Heshbon has perished
  3. 21.30 Compare Sam Gk: Meaning of MT uncertain