Numbers
Chapter 21
1 When King Arad of Canaan who lived in the south heard that Israel was traveling by the spy’s path, he attacked Israel and captured some of them.
2 Israel made a promise to God, saying, “If you really help me defeat these people, then I will completely destroy their towns.”
3 God listened to Israel’s voice, delivered the Canaanites, and they completely destroyed them and their cities; and he named the place Hormah.
4 They traveled from Mount Hor towards the Red Sea to go around the land of Edom; the people were very tired because of the journey.
5 The people complained against God and Moses, asking, “Why did you take us out of Egypt to die in the desert? There’s no bread or water, and we hate this worthless food.”
6 God sent venomous snakes among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the Israelites died.
7 So the people went to Moses and said, “We have done wrong because we spoke against God and you. Ask God to remove the snakes from us.” And Moses prayed for the people.
8 God told Moses, “Make a fiery snake and put it on a pole: anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.”
9 Moses made a brass snake and put it on a pole. If anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the brass snake, they lived.
10 The Israelites moved on and camped at Oboth.
11 They traveled from Oboth and camped at Ijeabarim in the desert near Moab, facing the sunrise.
12 From there they moved and camped in the Zared Valley.
13 They moved from there and set up camp beyond the Arnon River in the desert that extends from the territory of the Amorites. The Arnon River marks the boundary between Moab and the Amorites.
14 This is why it is written in the Book of God’s Wars, what God did at the Red Sea and in the streams of Arnon.
15 By the stream of the brooks that flow to Ar’s home and run along the edge of Moab.
16 From there, they traveled to Beer, the well where God told Moses to bring the people together so He could provide them with water.
17 Then Israel sang this song: “Come up, O well; sing to it.”
18 The leaders dug the well, the noble people dug it, following the lawgiver’s orders, using their staffs. Then they traveled from the desert to Mattanah.
19 From Mattanah to Nahaliel, and from Nahaliel to Bamoth.
20 From Bamoth in the valley, in Moab’s land, to Pisgah’s peak, looking at Jeshimon.
21 Israel sent messages to Sihon, the Amorite king, saying,
22 Let me go through your land: we won’t enter the fields or vineyards; we won’t drink well water; but we’ll stay on the main road until we’re beyond your borders.
23 Sihon did not let Israel go through his land. Instead, Sihon brought all his people and went out to the desert to meet Israel. He reached Jahaz and fought against Israel.
24 Israel defeated him with the sword and took over his land from Arnon to Jabbok, up to the land of the Ammonites, because the Ammonites’ border was well-defended.
25 Israel captured all these towns and lived in the Amorite towns, including Heshbon and its nearby settlements.
26 Heshbon was King Sihon of the Amorites’ city. He fought the previous Moab king and took all his territory up to the Arnon River.
27 People who use wise sayings tell us, “Go to Heshbon, and let’s rebuild Sihon’s city.”
28 A fire has started in Heshbon, a flame from Sihon’s city; it burned up Ar of Moab, and the rulers on Arnon’s hills.
29 Trouble comes to you, Moab! You are ruined, people of Chemosh: your god has let your surviving sons and daughters be taken captive by Sihon, king of the Amorites.
30 We attacked them; Heshbon is destroyed up to Dibon, and we ruined them up to Nophah, which extends to Medeba.
31 Israel lived in the Amorites’ land.
32 Moses sent spies to Jaazer, they captured its villages, and forced out the Amorites living there.
33 They turned and went toward Bashan, and Og, the king of Bashan, came out to fight them with all his people at Edrei.
34 God said to Moses, “Don’t be afraid of him, for I have given him, his people, and his land into your control; and you will do to him what you did to Sihon, the Amorite king who lived in Heshbon.”
35 They struck him, his sons, and all his people until nobody was left alive; then they took over his land.