Numbers 21:23-33

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.)
26 The city of Heshbon was Sihon's, king of Amorites, which Sihon fought against the king of Moab, and took all the land that was of his lordship, till to (the) Arnon. (The city of Heshbon was Sihon's, the king of the Amorites, who had fought against the king of Moab, and had taken all the land that was under his rule, unto the Arnon River.)
27 Therefore it is said in proverb, Come ye into Heshbon, be it builded (again), and (re)made, the city of Sihon; (And so it is said in a proverb, Come ye into Heshbon, let Sihon's city be rebuilt, and be remade;)
28 fire went out of Heshbon, flame went out of the city of Sihon, and devoured (the city of) Ar of (the) Moabites, and the dwellers of the high places of (the) Arnon (and the inhabitants of the high places of the Arnon River).
29 Moab, woe to thee! thou, people of Chemosh, hast perished; it gave the sons thereof into flight, and the daughters into captivity to Sihon, king of Amorites; (Moab, woe to thee! O people of Chemosh, now ye have perished; thy god hath given his sons into flight, and his daughters into captivity to Sihon, the king of the Amorites;)
30 the yoke, or lordship, of them perished (their yoke, or their rule, hath now ended), from Heshbon unto Dibon; the weary men came into Nophah, and unto Medeba.
31 And so Israel dwelled in the land of (the) Amorites.
32 And Moses sent men that should espy Jaazer, whose towns they took, and wielded the dwellers. (And Moses sent men to spy out Jaazer, and then they took it, and its towns, and drove out all of its inhabitants.)
33 And they turned themselves (And then they turned), and went up by the way of Bashan. And Og, the king of Bashan, with all his people, came against them, to fight in Edrei.

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.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.