CHAPTER 21
When the Canaanite
king
of Arad,
who lived
in the Negev,
heard
that
Israel
was coming
along the road
to Atharim,
he attacked
Israel
and captured
some
prisoners.
So Israel
made
a vow
to the LORD:
“If
You will deliver
this
people
into our hands,
we will completely destroy
their cities.”
And the LORD
heard
Israel’s
plea
and delivered up
the Canaanites.
Israel completely destroyed
them
and their cities;
so they named
the place
Hormah.
Then they set out
from Mount
Hor
along the route
to the Red
Sea,
in order to bypass
the land
of Edom.
But the people
grew impatient
on the journey
and spoke
against God
and against Moses:
“Why
have you led us up
out of Egypt
to die
in the wilderness?
There is no
bread
or water,
and we
detest
this wretched
food!”
So the LORD
sent
poisonous snakes
among the people,
and many
of the Israelites
were bitten
and died.
Then the people
came
to
Moses
and said,
“We have sinned
by
speaking
against the LORD
and against you.
Intercede
with
the LORD
to take the snakes
away
from us.”
So Moses
interceded
for
the people.
Then the LORD
said
to
Moses,
“Make
a snake
and mount
it
on
a pole.
When anyone
who is bitten
looks at it,
he will live.”
So Moses
made
a bronze
snake
and mounted
it on
a pole.
If
anyone who
was bitten
looked
at
the bronze
serpent,
he would recover.
From there
they moved on
and camped
on the other side
of the Arnon,
in the wilderness
that extends
into the Amorite
territory.
Now
the Arnon
is the border
between
the Moabites
and
the Amorites.
Therefore
it is stated
in the Book
of the Wars
of the LORD:
“Waheb
in Suphah
and the wadis
of the Arnon,
From there
they went on to Beer,
the well
where
the LORD
said
to Moses,
“Gather
the people
so that I may give
them water.”
The princes
dug
the well;
the nobles
of the people
hollowed it out
with their scepters
and with their staffs.”
From the wilderness [the Israelites went
to Mattanah,
“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.”
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
marched out
against
them
with his whole
army
to do battle
at Edrei.
But the LORD
said
to
Moses,
“Do not
fear him,
for
I have handed him over
to you,
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.