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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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Amorite Kings Defeated

21 Israel sent messengers to say to King Sihon(A) of the Amorites, 22 “Let us travel through your land. We won’t go into the fields or vineyards. We won’t drink any well water. We will travel the King’s Highway until we have traveled through your territory.”(B) 23 But Sihon would not let Israel travel through his territory. Instead, he gathered his whole army and went out to confront Israel in the wilderness. When he came to Jahaz,(C) he fought against Israel. 24 Israel struck him with the sword and took possession of his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok,(D) but only up to the Ammonite border, because it was fortified.[a]

25 Israel took all the cities and lived in all these Amorite cities, including Heshbon and all its surrounding villages. 26 Heshbon was the city of King Sihon of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab and had taken control of all his land as far as the Arnon. 27 Therefore the poets[b] say:

Come to Heshbon, let it be rebuilt;
let the city of Sihon be restored.[c]
28 For fire came out of Heshbon,
a flame from the city of Sihon.
It consumed Ar of Moab,
the citizens of Arnon’s heights.
29 Woe to you, Moab!
You have been destroyed, people of Chemosh!(E)
He gave up his sons as refugees,
and his daughters into captivity
to Sihon the Amorite king.
30 We threw them down;
Heshbon has been destroyed as far as Dibon.(F)
We caused desolation as far as Nophah,
which reaches as far as Medeba.(G)

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Footnotes

  1. 21:24 LXX reads because the Ammonite border was Jazer
  2. 21:27 Lit ones who speak proverbs
  3. 21:27 Or firmly founded