Numbers 21:23-33

23 1But Sihon would not permit Israel to pass through his border. So Sihon gathered all his people and went out against Israel in the wilderness, and came to 2Jahaz and fought against Israel.
24 Then 3Israel struck him with the edge of the sword, and took possession of his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, as far as the sons of Ammon; for the 4border of the sons of Ammon was Jazer.
25 Israel took all these cities and 5Israel lived in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all her villages.
26 For Heshbon was the city of Sihon, king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab and had taken all his land out of his hand, as far as the Arnon.
27 Therefore * those who use proverbs say, "Come to Heshbon! Let it be built! So let the city of Sihon be established.
28 "6For a fire went forth from Heshbon, A flame from the town of Sihon; It devoured 7Ar of Moab, The 8dominant heights of the Arnon.
29 "9Woe to you, O Moab! You are ruined, O people of 10Chemosh! 11He has given his sons as fugitives, 12And his daughters into captivity, To an Amorite king, Sihon.
30 "But we have cast them down, Heshbon is ruined as far as 13Dibon, Then we have laid waste even to Nophah, Which reaches to Medeba."
31 Thus Israel lived in the land of the Amorites.
32 Moses sent to spy out 14Jazer, and they captured its villages and dispossessed the Amorites who were there.
33 15Then they turned and went up by the way of Bashan, and Og the king of Bashan went out with all his people, for battle at 16Edrei.

Numbers 21:23-33 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 21

This chapter gives an account of the defeat of King Arad, the Canaanite, Nu 21:1-3 of the murmurings of the children of Israel, because of difficulties in travelling round, the land of Edom, for which they were punished with fiery serpents, Nu 21:4-6 and how that upon their repentance a brazen serpent was ordered to be made, and to be erected on a pole, that whoever looked to it might live, Nu 21:7-9 and of the several journeys and stations of the children of Israel, until they came to the land of the Amorites, Nu 21:10-20, when they sent a message to Sihon their king, to desire him to grant them a passage through his country; but he refusing, they fought with him, smote him, and possessed his land, concerning which many proverbial sayings were used, Nu 21:21-32 and the chapter is concluded with the defeat of Og, king of Bashan, Nu 21:33-35.

Cross References 16

  • 1. Numbers 20:21
  • 2. Deuteronomy 2:32
  • 3. Amos 2:9
  • 4. Deuteronomy 2:37
  • 5. Amos 2:10
  • 6. Jeremiah 48:45
  • 7. Numbers 21:15
  • 8. Numbers 22:41; Isaiah 15:2; Isaiah 16:12
  • 9. Jeremiah 48:46
  • 10. Judges 11:24; 1 Kings 11:33; 2 Kings 23:13
  • 11. Isaiah 15:5
  • 12. Isaiah 16:2
  • 13. Numbers 32:3, 34; Jeremiah 48:18, 22
  • 14. Num 32:1, 3, 35; Jeremiah 48:32
  • 15. Deuteronomy 3:1-7
  • 16. Joshua 13:12

Footnotes 6

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, California.  All rights reserved.