Adonai listened to Israel’s plea and delivered up the Canaanites. They put them and their cities under the ban of destruction. So the name of the place was called Hormah.

So Adonai sent poisonous serpents among the people, and they bit the people and many of the people of Israel died.

Then Israel sang this song, “Spring up, O well! Sing about it!”

Defeat of Sihon and Og

Israel sent messengers to King Sihon of the Amorites saying,

But Sihon would not let Israel pass through his territory. Instead, Sihon called out his entire army and marched out into the desert to oppose Israel. When he came to Jahaz, he fought against Israel.

But Israel struck him by the sword’s edge and conquered his land from Arnon to Jabbok as far as the Ammonites, because the border of the sons of Ammon was fortified.

Israel conquered all these cities and occupied all the Amorite cities, Heshbon and all its towns.

So Israel was living in the land of the Amorites.

Then he uttered his oracle and said, “From Aram, Balak brought me, Moab’s king from the mountains of the east: ‘Come! Curse Jacob for me! ‘Come! Denounce Israel!’

Who can count Jacob’s dust? Who can number a fourth of Israel? Let my soul die the death of the upright, and let my end be like his!”

No misfortune is to be seen in Jacob, and no misery in Israel! Adonai their God is with them —the King’s shout is among them!

There is no sorcery effective against Jacob, nor any divination against Israel! Now it will be said of Jacob and Israel, ‘See what God has done!’

How Lovely the Tents of Jacob

When Balaam realized that it was pleasing in the eyes of Adonai to bless Israel, he did not resort to sorceries as at the other times, but turned his face toward the wilderness.

Lifting up his eyes, Balaam saw Israel dwelling by tribes. The Ruach Elohim came over him.

How lovely are your tents, O Jacob, and your dwellings, O Israel!

‘I see him, yet not at this moment. I behold him, yet not in this location. For a star will come from Jacob, a scepter will arise from Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab and the skulls of all the sons of Seth.

Edom will be conquered— his enemies will conquer Seir, but Israel will triumph.

Moabite Seduction and Phineas Arises

While Israel was staying in Shittim, the people began to have immoral sexual relations with women from Moab.

When Israel became bound to Baal of Peor, the anger of Adonai grew hot against Israel.

Adonai said to Moses, “Seize all the ringleaders and hang them before Adonai facing the sun, so that Adonai’s fierce anger may be turned away from Israel.”

So Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Each of you, kill your men who have been joining themselves to Baal of Peor.”

and went after the man of Israel into the tent and pierced them through—both the Israelite man and the woman’s belly. Then the plague among Bnei-Yisrael was stopped.

The name of the Israelite man killed with the Midianite woman was Zimri son of Salu, a prince of a Simeonite ancestral household.

“Take a headcount of the entire community of Bnei-Yisrael, sons twenty years old and upward, by their ancestral houses, all who can serve in Israel’s army.”

The descendants of the sons of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn: by Hanoch the Hanochite family, by Pallu the Palluite family,