Numbers 21:23

23 Which would not grant that Israel should pass through his coasts, but rather, when his host was gathered, he went out against Israel, into desert. And he came into Jahaz, and fought against Israel; (But Sihon would not allow the Israelites to pass through his land, but rather, when his host was gathered together, he went out into the wilderness against them. And he came into Jahaz, and fought against 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 Soothly Israel sent messengers to Sihon, king of Amorites, and said, (And the Israelites sent messengers to Sihon, the king of the Amorites, and they said,)

22 I beseech thee, that it be leaveful to me to pass through thy land; we shall not bow into thy fields, and vineries; we shall not drink waters of thy wells; we shall go in the king's way, till we pass (by) thy terms. (We beseech thee, that it be lawful for us to pass through thy land; we shall not go into thy fields, or into thy vineyards; we shall not drink any water from thy wells; we shall go on the king's highway, until we go out again over thy border.)

23 Which would not grant that Israel should pass through his coasts, but rather, when his host was gathered, he went out against Israel, into desert. And he came into Jahaz, and fought against Israel; (But Sihon would not allow the Israelites to pass through his land, but rather, when his host was gathered together, he went out into the wilderness against them. And he came into Jahaz, and fought against the Israelites;)

24 of whom he was smitten in the sharpness of sword, and his land was wielded of Israel from (the) Arnon unto (the) Jabbok, and Ammon's sons, or his host; for the coasts of Ammonites were holden with strong help, or power. (but Sihon and the Amorites were struck down by the sharpness of the Israelites? swords, and his land was taken by them, from the Arnon River to the Jabbok River, that is, up to the land of the Ammonites; for the border of the Ammonites was strongly defended.)

25 Therefore Israel took all his cities, and dwelled in the cities of Amorites, that is, in Heshbon, and in his towns. (And so the Israelites took all the cities of the Amorites, and lived in them, that is, in Heshbon, and its towns.)