Numbers 21:23

23 But Sihon would not permit the people of Israel to pass through his territory. He gathered his army and went out to Jahaz in the wilderness and attacked the Israelites.

Numbers 21:23 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 21:23

And Sihon would not suffer Israel to pass through his border,
&c.] Because he could not trust them, and confide in the promises they made, and thought it not safe to let such a body of people into any part of his dominions, ( Judges 11:20 ) and chiefly because his heart was hardened by the Lord, that he might be delivered into the hands of Israel, as was determined, ( Deuteronomy 2:30 ) :

but Sihon gathered all his people together;
all that were able to bear arms out of his cities, and which made no doubt a very numerous and powerful army; but then these being defeated, as they were, it became more easy to the Israelites to take their cities, where there were none left but women and children:

and went out against Israel into the wilderness;
the wilderness of Kedemoth; not content to reject a peaceable message, he went out in an hostile manner against Israel, even out of his own dominions; so that he was the aggressor and unprovoked, which made his ruin appear the more just, and the children of Israel to have a better claim to his country conquered by them:

and he came to Jahaz;
a frontier town in the land of Moab, see ( Isaiah 15:4 ) ( Jeremiah 48:34 ) and which, according to Bunting ^F16, was sixteen miles from Abarim:

and fought against Israel;
at the above place, where they had a pitched battle.

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FOOTNOTES:

F16 Travels of the Patriarchs, p. 83.

Numbers 21:23 In-Context

21 Then the people of Israel sent messengers to the Amorite king Sihon to say:

22 "Let us pass through your land. We and our cattle will not leave the road and go into your fields or vineyards, and we will not drink water from your wells; we will stay on the main road until we are out of your territory."

23 But Sihon would not permit the people of Israel to pass through his territory. He gathered his army and went out to Jahaz in the wilderness and attacked the Israelites.

24 But the Israelites killed many of the enemy in battle and occupied their land from the Arnon River north to the Jabbok, that is, to the Ammonites, because the Ammonite border was strongly defended.

25 So the people of Israel captured all the Amorite cities, including Heshbon and all the surrounding towns, and settled in them.