UST NUM Chapter 21

The Israelites defeated the Canaanite king of Arad

21 Now, the Canaanite king who ruled Arad city lived in the Negev. Around this time, he learned that the Israelites had arrived near him by traveling on the Atharim road. So, he attacked the Israelites and captured some of them. 2 Then the Israelites made a solemn promise to Yahweh. They said, We would like you to empower us to defeat these Canaanite people. If you do, we will destroy their cities.” 3 Yahweh heard what the Israelites asked, and he empowered them to defeat the Canaanites. The Israelites killed all the people and destroyed their cities. So they named that area Hormah, which means “destroy.”

4 Then the Israelites left Mount Hor and walked on the road to the Sea of Reeds. That way, they could avoid the area where the Edomites lived. Now the Isrealites became very impatient while they were traveling. 5 So, they criticized God and Moses. They said, “We hate this terrible manna, and there is no other food or drink here! Clearly, you led us out of Egypt only so that we will die in this desolate area!”

6 So Yahweh had poisonous snakes come and bite many Israelites. After the snakes bit them, many of them died. 7 So the people approached Moses and said, “When we criticized Yahweh and you, we did what was wrong. Please ask Yahweh to make these snakes leave us.” So Moses spoke to Yahweh about that for the people.

8 Yahweh told Moses, “Make an image of a poisonous snake and attach it to the top of a pole. Whenever a snake bites someone, that person should gaze at the snake on the pole. Then, that person will recover.” 9 So Moses made a bronze image of a snake and attached it to the top of a pole. Whenever a snake bit someone, that person would gaze at the bronze snake on the pole. Then, that person would recover.

10 Then the Israelites left that place and set up their tents at a place that people called Oboth. 11 Then they left Oboth and set up their tents at a place that people called Iye Abarim. It was in the desolate area near Moab, to the east. 12 They left that place and set up their tents at Zered Stream Bed. 13 They left that place and set up their tents on the north side of the Arnon River. That place is part of the desolate area that goes all the way to where the Amorite people live. (The north side of the Arnon River is where the Moabite people live, and the south side of the Arnon River is where the Amorite people live.) 14 The Record of Yahweh’s Wars mentions this:

“Waheb town in the Suphah area

and the stream beds along the Arnon River,

15 

and the land where the stream beds run,

as far as the town of Ar

at the edge of the land of Moab.”

16 The Israelites left the north side of the Arnon River and traveled to Beer, which means “Well”. That is the well where Yahweh had previously told Moses, “Summon the Israelites. I will provide water for them.”

17 At that time the Israelites performed this song:

“May this well spring up!

Let us sing about it!

18 

This is the well that our commanders had us dig.

Our leaders have special sticks that show that they rule us.

They had us dig it.”

The Israelites left that desolate area and traveled to a place that people called Mattanah. 19 The Israelites left Mattanah and traveled to a place that people called Nahaliel. They left Nahaliel and traveled to a place that people called Bamoth. 20 They left Bamoth and traveled to a valley that was in the open country in the land of Moab. It was at the top of the hilly area that people called Pisgah. From the valley, people could look down into the desolate area north of the Dead Sea.

Israel defeated King Sihon and King Og

21 Then the Israelites had representatives visit Sihon. He ruled the Amorite people group. The representatives said, 22 We ask that you allow us to travel through your country. We will stay on the King’s Highway, the main road, until we have left your region. We promise not to walk through your fields or vineyards. We will not even drink any of your water.” 23 However, Sihon refused to let the Israelites travel through his country. Instead, he assembled his entire army and marched out into the desolate area to attack the Israelites. When he and his army arrived at the town of Jahaz, they attacked the Israelites. 24 The Israelites defeated and killed him and his army. They took the area he ruled for themselves. This area went from the Arnon River in the south, to the Jabbok River in the north, to the area where the Ammonites lived in the east. The Ammonites would have been difficult to defeat, so the Israelites stopped at the area where the Ammonites lived. 25 So the Israelites captured all the towns where the Amorites had lived, including the town of Heshbon and all its surrounding villages. The Israelites began to live in those towns and villages. 26 Here is how Heshbon became the city from which Sihon ruled the Amorites: Sihon attacked one of the kings who had ruled the Moabites previously. He defeated that king’s army and took over his territory, which went to the Arnon River in the south.

27 Poets spoke about that in this way:

“Travel to Heshbon!

People need to rebuild it.

Then, Sihon can rule from Heshbon.

28 

Sihon’s army marched from his city, Heshbon,

like a fire going out and burning up everything.

They destroyed the town of Ar in Moab

and the people who controlled the hilltop shrines along the Arnon River.

29 

How terrible for you Moabite people!

You have died, you people who worship Chemosh!

Chemosh let the Moabite men and women become refugees and prisoners.

Sihon, who rules the Amorites, conquered them.

30 

We Amorites defeated those Moabites!

We destroyed everything from the city of Heshbon to the city of Dibon.

We destroyed everything up to the place that people call Nophah,

near the city of Medeba.”

31 After all that, the Israelites began to live in the region where the Amorites had lived.

32 Now Moses had some Israelites explore Jazer. Then, the Israelites attacked and took over Jazer and its surrounding villages. They made the Amorites who had lived there leave. 33 Then the Israelites turned north and went toward the region of Bashan. Og, the king of that area, and all his soldiers marched south to fight against them at the city of Edrei.

34 Yahweh told Moses, “I will cause your army to defeat him and all his army. I will also cause you to capture all their land. So, do not be afraid of him. Do to him what you did to Sihon, the king of the Amorite people, who ruled in the city of Heshbon.”

35 So the Israelites killed Og, his sons, and his entire army. They did not allow any of them to remain alive. Then, the Israelites took the area Og had ruled for themselves.