Numbers 21:26–30

For Heshbon was the city of Sihon the king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab and taken all his land out of his hand, as far as the Arnon. Therefore the ballad singers say,

“Come to Heshbon, let it be built;

let the city of Sihon be established.

For fire came out from Heshbon,

flame from the city of Sihon.

It devoured Ar of Moab,

and swallowed the heights of the Arnon.

Woe to you, O Moab!

You are undone, O people of Chemosh!

He has made his sons fugitives,

and his daughters captives,

to an Amorite king, Sihon.

So we overthrew them;

Heshbon, as far as Dibon, perished;

and we laid waste as far as Nophah;

fire spread as far as Medeba.”

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.

That is why the poets say:

“Come to Heshbon and let it be rebuilt;

let Sihon’s city be restored.

“Fire went out from Heshbon,

a blaze from the city of Sihon.

It consumed Ar of Moab,

the citizens of Arnon’s heights.

Woe to you, Moab!

You are destroyed, people of Chemosh!

He has given up his sons as fugitives

and his daughters as captives

to Sihon king of the Amorites.

“But we have overthrown them;

Heshbon’s dominion has been destroyed all the way to Dibon.

We have demolished them as far as Nophah,

which extends to Medeba.”

Heshbon had been the capital of King Sihon of the Amorites. He had defeated a former Moabite king and seized all his land as far as the Arnon River. Therefore, the ancient poets wrote this about him:

“Come to Heshbon and let it be rebuilt!

Let the city of Sihon be restored.

A fire flamed forth from Heshbon,

a blaze from the city of Sihon.

It burned the city of Ar in Moab;

it destroyed the rulers of the Arnon heights.

What sorrow awaits you, O people of Moab!

You are finished, O worshipers of Chemosh!

Chemosh has left his sons as refugees,

his daughters as captives of Sihon, the Amorite king.

We have utterly destroyed them,

from Heshbon to Dibon.

We have completely wiped them out

as far away as Nophah and Medeba.”

Because Heshbon was the city of Sihon king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab and taken all his land from his hand until Arnon. Thus the ones who quote proverbs say,

“Come to Heshbon! Let it be built!

And let the city of Sihon be established.

Because fire went out from Heshbon,

a flame from the city of Sihon;

it consumed Ar of Moab,

the lords of the high places of Arnon.

Woe to you, Moab!

You have perished, people of Chemosh.

He has given his sons as fugitives,

and his daughters into captivity,

to the king of the Amorites, Sihon.

We destroyed them;

Heshbon has perished up to Dibon;

we laid waste up to Nophah,

which reaches Medeba.”

For Heshbon was the city of Sihon the king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab, and taken all his land out of his hand, even unto Arnon. Wherefore they that speak in proverbs say,

Come into Heshbon,

Let the city of Sihon be built and prepared:

For there is a fire gone out of Heshbon,

A flame from the city of Sihon:

It hath consumed Ar of Moab,

And the lords of the high places of Arnon.

Woe to thee, Moab!

Thou art undone, O people of Chemosh:

He hath given his sons that escaped,

And his daughters, into captivity

Unto Sihon king of the Amorites.

We have shot at them;

Heshbon is perished even unto Dibon,

And we have laid them waste even unto Nophah,

Which reacheth unto Medeba.