Numbers 21:24

24 Israel, however, put him to the sword and took over his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, but only as far as the Ammonites, because their border was fortified.

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Numbers 21:24 in Other Translations

KJV

24 And Israel smote him with the edge of the sword, and possessed his land from Arnon unto Jabbok, even unto the children of Ammon: for the border of the children of Ammon was strong.

ESV

24 And Israel defeated him with the edge of the sword and took possession of his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, as far as to the Ammonites, for the border of the Ammonites was strong.

NLT

24 But the Israelites slaughtered them with their swords and occupied their land from the Arnon River to the Jabbok River. They went only as far as the Ammonite border because the boundary of the Ammonites was fortified.

MSG

24 But Israel fought hard, beat him soundly, and took possession of his land from the Arnon all the way to the Jabbok right up to the Ammonite border. They stopped there because the Ammonite border was fortified.

CSB

24 Israel struck him with the sword and took possession of his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, [but only up] to the Ammonite border, because it was fortified.

Numbers 21:24 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 21:24

And Israel smote him with the edge of the sword
Slew him and his army, entirely routed them, and got a complete victory over them; God giving them up into their hands, who otherwise were a very strong, powerful, and warlike people; see ( Amos 2:9 )

and possessed his land from Arnon unto Jabbok;
two rivers, the one to the south, the other to the north of his country; the one was the boundary of his country between him and the Moabites, the other the boundary of his country between him and the Ammonites, as it follows:

even unto the children of Ammon; for the border of the children of
Ammon was strong;
which is given as a reason why the Israelites proceeded no further in their conquest; there was another reason for that, which was the order of the Lord not to distress the Ammonites, nor meddle with them; though Jarchi makes this prohibition to be their strength, ( Deuteronomy 2:19 ) , but this is given as a reason why Sihon could not extend his conquests further, because it was so well fortified, either by nature or art, or both, by the river Jabbok, by mountains and frontier towns, and particularly by Rabbah, as the Targum of Jonathan suggests, which was their royal city in later times, and a very strong place; see ( 2 Samuel 12:26 ) .

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Numbers 21:24 In-Context

22 “Let us pass through your country. We will not turn aside into any field or vineyard, or drink water from any well. We will travel along the King’s Highway until we have passed through your territory.”

23 But Sihon would not let Israel pass through his territory. He mustered his entire army and marched out into the wilderness against Israel. When he reached Jahaz, he fought with Israel.

24 Israel, however, put him to the sword and took over his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, but only as far as the Ammonites, because their border was fortified.

25 Israel captured all the cities of the Amorites and occupied them, including Heshbon and all its surrounding settlements.

26 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.

Cross References 4

1. Deuteronomy 2:33; Deuteronomy 3:3; Deuteronomy 29:7; Psalms 135:10-11; Amos 2:9
2. ver 35; Deuteronomy 3:4
3. S Genesis 32:22; Numbers 32:33; Judges 11:13,22
4. S Genesis 19:38; Deuteronomy 2:37; Joshua 13:10