Numbers 21:21–35

Defeat of Sihon and Og

²¹Israel sent messengers^d to say to Sihon^e king of the Amorites:^f

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.^g”

²³But Sihon would not let Israel pass through his territory.^h He mustered his entire army and marched out into the wilderness against Israel. When he reached Jahaz,ⁱ he fought with Israel.^{j 24}Israel, however, put him to the sword^k and took over his land^l from the Arnon to the Jabbok,^m but only as far as the Ammonites,ⁿ because their border was fortified. ²⁵Israel captured all the cities of the Amorites^o and occupied them,^p including Heshbon^q and all its surrounding settlements. ²⁶Heshbon was the city of Sihon^r king of the Amorites,^s who had fought against the former king of Moab^t and had taken from him all his land as far as the Arnon.^u

²⁷That is why the poets say:

“Come to Heshbon and let it be rebuilt;

let Sihon’s city be restored.

²⁸“Fire went out from Heshbon,

a blaze from the city of Sihon.^v

It consumed^w Ar^x of Moab,

the citizens of Arnon’s heights.^y

²⁹Woe to you, Moab!^z

You are destroyed, people of Chemosh!^a

He has given up his sons as fugitives^b

and his daughters as captives^c

to Sihon king of the Amorites.

³⁰“But we have overthrown them;

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

We have demolished them as far as Nophah,

which extends to Medeba.^e”

³¹So Israel settled in the land of the Amorites.^f

³²After Moses had sent spies^g to Jazer,^h the Israelites captured its surrounding settlements and drove out the Amorites who were there. ³³Then they turned and went up along the road toward Bashanⁱ,^j and Og king of Bashan and his whole army marched out to meet them in battle at Edrei.^k

³⁴The Lord said to Moses, “Do not be afraid of him, for I have delivered him into your hands, along with his whole army and his land. Do to him what you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon.^l”

³⁵So they struck him down, together with his sons and his whole army, leaving them no survivors.^m And they took possession of his land.ⁿ