Page:Holy Bible Berean Standard Bible.pdf/198

'''190 The Defeat of Sihon (Deuteronomy 2:24–37)

Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, saying, “Let us pass through your land. We will not cut through any field or vineyard, or drink water from any well. We will stay on the King’s Highway until we have passed through your territory.”

But Sihon would not let Israel pass through his territory. Instead, he gathered his whole army and went out to confront Israel in the wilderness. When he came to Jahaz, he fought against Israel. And Israel put him to the sword and took possession of his land, from the Arnon to the Jabbok—but only up to the border of the Ammonites, because it was fortified.

Israel captured all the cities of the Amorites and occupied them, including Heshbon and all its villages. Heshbon was the city of Sihon king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab and taken all his land as far as the Arnon. That is why the poets say:

“Come to Heshbon, let it be rebuilt; let the city of Sihon be restored. For a fire went out from Heshbon, a blaze from the city of Sihon. It consumed Ar of Moab, the rulers of Arnon’s heights. Woe to you, O Moab! You are destroyed, O people of Chemosh! He gave up his sons as refugees, and his daughters into captivity to Sihon king of the Amorites. But we have overthrown them; Heshbon is destroyed as far as Dibon. We demolished them as far as Nophah, which reaches to Medeba. ”

The Defeat of Og (Deuteronomy 3:1–11)

So Israel lived in the land of the Amorites. After Moses had sent spies to Jazer, Israel captured its villages and drove out the Amorites who were there.

Then they turned and went up the road to Bashan, and Og king of Bashan and his whole army came out to meet them in battle at Edrei.

But the LORD said to Moses, “Do not fear him, for I have delivered him into your hand, along with all his people and his land. Do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon.”

So they struck down Og, along with his sons and his whole army, until no remnant was left. And they took possession of his land. Balak Summons Balaam

Then the Israelites traveled on and camped in the plains of Moab near the Jordan, across from Jericho.

Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites, and Moab was terrified of the people because they were numerous. Indeed, Moab dreaded the Israelites. So the Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “This horde will devour everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.”

Since Balak son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time, he sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the Euphrates in the land of his people.

“Behold, a people has come out of Egypt,” said Balak. “They cover the face of the land and have settled next to me. So please come now and put a curse on this people, because they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I may be able