Numbers 21
Victory over the Canaanites
1The Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the Negev, heard that the Israelites were approaching on the road through Atharim. So he attacked the Israelites and took some of them as prisoners.
2Then the people of Israel made this vow to the Lord: “If you will hand these people over to us, we will completely destroy*21:2 The Hebrew term used here refers to the complete consecration of things or people to the Lord, either by destroying them or by giving them as an offering; also in 21:3. all their towns.” 3The Lord heard the Israelites’ request and gave them victory over the Canaanites. The Israelites completely destroyed them and their towns, and the place has been called Hormah*21:3 Hormah means “destruction.” ever since.
The Bronze Snake
4Then the people of Israel set out from Mount Hor, taking the road to the Red Sea*21:4 Hebrew sea of reeds. to go around the land of Edom. But the people grew impatient with the long journey,
5and they began to speak against God and Moses. “Why have you brought us out of Egypt to die here in the wilderness?” they complained. “There is nothing to eat here and nothing to drink. And we hate this horrible manna!”
6So the Lord sent poisonous snakes among the people, and many were bitten and died.
7Then the people came to Moses and cried out, “We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take away the snakes.” So Moses prayed for the people.
8Then the Lord told him, “Make a replica of a poisonous snake and attach it to a pole. All who are bitten will live if they simply look at it!”
9So Moses made a snake out of bronze and attached it to a pole. Then anyone who was bitten by a snake could look at the bronze snake and be healed!
Israel’s Journey to Moab
10The Israelites traveled next to Oboth and camped there.
11Then they went on to Iye-abarim, in the wilderness on the eastern border of Moab. 12From there they traveled to the valley of Zered Brook and set up camp. 13Then they moved out and camped on the far side of the Arnon River, in the wilderness adjacent to the territory of the Amorites. The Arnon is the boundary line between the Moabites and the Amorites. 14For this reason The Book of the Wars of the Lord speaks of “the town of Waheb in the area of Suphah, and the ravines of the Arnon River, 15and the ravines that extend as far as the settlement of Ar on the border of Moab.”
16From there the Israelites traveled to Beer,*21:16 Beer means “well.” which is the well where the Lord said to Moses, “Assemble the people, and I will give them water.”
17There the Israelites sang this song:
“Spring up, O well!
Yes, sing its praises!
18Sing of this well,
which princes dug,
which great leaders hollowed out
with their scepters and staffs.”
Then the Israelites left the wilderness and proceeded on through Mattanah,
19Nahaliel, and Bamoth. 20After that they went to the valley in Moab where Pisgah Peak overlooks the wasteland.*21:20 Or overlooks Jeshimon.
Victory over Sihon and Og
21The Israelites sent ambassadors to King Sihon of the Amorites with this message:
22“Let us travel through your land. We will be careful not to go through your fields and vineyards. We won’t even drink water from your wells. We will stay on the king’s road until we have passed through your territory.”
23But King Sihon refused to let them cross his territory. Instead, he mobilized his entire army and attacked Israel in the wilderness, engaging them in battle at Jahaz.
24But 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.*21:24 Or because the terrain of the Ammonite frontier was rugged; Hebrew reads because the boundary of the Ammonites was strong.
25So Israel captured all the towns of the Amorites and settled in them, including the city of Heshbon and its surrounding villages.
26Heshbon 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. 27Therefore, the ancient poets wrote this about him:
“Come to Heshbon and let it be rebuilt!
Let the city of Sihon be restored.
28A 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.
29What 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.
30We have utterly destroyed them,
from Heshbon to Dibon.
We have completely wiped them out
as far away as Nophah and Medeba.*21:30 Or until fire spread to Medeba. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.”
31So the people of Israel occupied the territory of the Amorites.
32After Moses sent men to explore the Jazer area, they captured all the towns in the region and drove out the Amorites who lived there. 33Then they turned and marched up the road to Bashan, but King Og of Bashan and all his people attacked them at Edrei. 34The Lord said to Moses, “Do not be afraid of him, for I have handed him over to you, along with all his people and his land. Do the same to him as you did to King Sihon of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon.” 35And Israel killed King Og, his sons, and all his subjects; not a single survivor remained. Then Israel occupied their land.
