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The Journey to Moab
The Israelites moved on and camped at Oboth.
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Then they set out from Oboth and camped in Iye Abarim, in the wilderness that faces Moab toward the sunrise.
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They set out from there and camped alongside the Arnon, which is in the wilderness extending into Amorite territory. The Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites.
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and the slopes of the ravines that lead to the settlement of Ar and lie along the border of Moab.”
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and from Bamoth to the valley in Moab where the top of Pisgah overlooks the wasteland.
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Heshbon was the city of Sihon king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab and had taken from him all his land as far as the Arnon.
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“Fire went out from Heshbon, a blaze from the city of Sihon. It consumed Ar of Moab, the citizens of Arnon’s heights.
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Woe to you, Moab! You are destroyed, people of Chemosh! He has given up his sons as fugitives and his daughters as captives to Sihon king of the Amorites.
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Balak Summons Balaam
Then the Israelites traveled to the plains of Moab and camped along the Jordan across from Jericho.
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and Moab was terrified because there were so many people. Indeed, Moab was filled with dread because of the Israelites.
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The Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “This horde is going to lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.” So Balak son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time,
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The elders of Moab and Midian left, taking with them the fee for divination. When they came to Balaam, they told him what Balak had said.
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“Spend the night here,” Balaam said to them, “and I will report back to you with the answer the Lord gives me.” So the Moabite officials stayed with him.
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Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message:
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So the Moabite officials returned to Balak and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”
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Balaam’s Donkey
Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the Moabite officials.
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When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the Moabite town on the Arnon border, at the edge of his territory.
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So he went back to him and found him standing beside his offering, with all the Moabite officials.
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Then Balaam spoke his message: “Balak brought me from Aram, the king of Moab from the eastern mountains. ‘Come,’ he said, ‘curse Jacob for me; come, denounce Israel.’
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So he went to him and found him standing beside his offering, with the Moabite officials. Balak asked him, “What did the Lord say?”
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“I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the people of Sheth.
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Moab Seduces Israel
While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with Moabite women,
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So on the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho, Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke with them and said,
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These are the ones counted by Moses and Eleazar the priest when they counted the Israelites on the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho.
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and brought the captives, spoils and plunder to Moses and Eleazar the priest and the Israelite assembly at their camp on the plains of Moab, by the Jordan across from Jericho.
