Heshbon — Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

Important Transjordanian city about 50 miles (80 kilometers) due east of Jerusalem. It had originally been Moabite but was conquered by Sihon, the Amorite king, and became the capital of his kingdom (Nm 21:25-30). The city was captured when Israel advanced into Canaan, and this portion of the Amorite territory was placed under Reubenite control (Nm 32:37; Jos 13:17). However, its position on the boundary between Reuben and Gad (Jos 13:26) resulted in its being occupied by the tribe of Gad. The Moabites soon contested Israel’s claim to the territory, and in the period of the judges it changed hands at least once (Jgs 3:12; 1 Sm 12:9-11). Israel controlled Heshbon until around 853 BC, when it was occupied by Mesha, king of Moab. Subsequently, it was mentioned in preexilic prophetic censures of the Moabites (cf. Is 15:4; 16:8-9; Jer 48:2, 33-34 OET JER 48:2 · OET JER 48:33–34). Jeremiah 49:3 seems to indicate that Heshbon was finally occupied by the neighboring Ammonites.

Show passage in OET: NUM 21:25–30

OET-RV NUM 21:25

25 So Yisrael took those Amori cities including Heshbon and the surrounding villages, and started living in them.

OET-RV NUM 21:26

26 (Heshbon was where the Amori King Sihon lived, as he’d previously fought against the former king of Moav (Moab) and captured all his land down as far as the Arnon river.

OET-RV NUM 21:27

27 That was why the poets say,
⇔ “Come to Heshbon—let it be rebuilt.
⇔ ≈ Let King Sihon’s city be established

OET-RV NUM 21:28

28 because fire went out from Heshbon,
⇔ ≈ flame from Sihon’s city.
⇔ It consumed Ar in Moav,
⇔ and the citizens on Arnon’s hilltops.

OET-RV NUM 21:29

29 Moav, you won’t end well.
⇔ ≈ Kemosh’s people have perished.
⇔ He’s made his sons into fugitives,
⇔ ≈ and given his daughters over to captivity
⇔ by the Amori King Sihon.

OET-RV NUM 21:30

30 We’ve overpowered them.
⇔ Heshbon has perished as far as Divon
⇔ ≈ and shattered Nofah as far as Meydeva.)

OET-LV NUM 21:25

25 And_ Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) _he/it _took DOM all _of the_cities the_these and_ Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) _he/it _sat _down//remained//lived in_all the _cities _of the_ʼAmorī in_Ḩeshbōn and_on/over_all daughters _of_its.

OET-LV NUM 21:26

26 If/because Ḩeshbōn was_the _city _of Şīḩōn the _king _of the_ʼAmorī it and_he he _had _waged _war against_the _king _of Mōʼāⱱ (the)_former and_he/it _took DOM all _of land _of_his from_hand _of_his to ʼArnōn.

OET-LV NUM 21:27

27 Therefore yes/correct/thus/so those_who_speak _proverbs they _say come Ḩeshbōn let _it _be _rebuilt and_let _it _be _established the _city _of Şīḩōn.

OET-LV NUM 21:28

28 If/because fire it _went _out from_Ḩeshbōn flame from_the _town _of Şīḩōn it _consumed ˊĀr of _Mōʼāⱱ the _citizens _of the _high _places _of ʼArnōn.

OET-LV NUM 21:29

29 Woe to/for_yourself(m) Oh _Mōʼāⱱ you _have _perished Oh _people _of Kəmōsh/(Chemosh) he _has _made sons _of_his fugitives and_daughters _of_his in_captivity of_the _king _of the_ʼAmorī[s] Şīḩōn.

OET-LV NUM 21:30

30 And_we_shot _at _them Ḩeshbōn it _has _perished to Diyⱱvōn and_we _have _devastated to Nofaḩ which is_to Mēydəⱱāʼ.

Show passage in OET: NUM 32:37

OET-RV NUM 32:37

37 The Re’uvenim rebuilt Heshbon, El’aleh, Kiryatayim,

OET-LV NUM 32:37

37 And_the _sons of _Rəʼūⱱēn they _built DOM Ḩeshbōn and_DOM ʼElˊālēh and_DOM Qiryātayim.

Show passage in OET: JOS 13:17

OET-RV JOS 13:17

17 Heshbon and all its cities on the plateau, including Divon, Bamot -Ba’al, Beyt -Ba’al-Me’on,

OET-LV JOS 13:17

17 Ḩeshbōn and_all cities _of_its which are_in_plain Diyⱱvōn and_Bāmōt- baˊal and_Bēyt- baˊal- məˊōn.

Show passage in OET: JOS 13:26

OET-RV JOS 13:26

26 then from Heshbon to Ramat-Hamitspeh and Betonim, and from Mahanayim to the Devir border.

OET-LV JOS 13:26

26 And_from_Ḩeshbōn to Ramath (the)_Miʦpāh and_Bəţonīm and_from_Maḩₐnāyim to the _territory _of Lo _Debar.

Show passage in OET: JDG 3:12

OET-RV JDG 3:12

12 Once again the Israelis started doing things considered evil by Yahweh, so because of that, he strengthened King Eglon of Moav (Moab) against Yisrael (Israel).

OET-LV JDG 3:12

12 And_ the _people _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) _they _repeated for_doing the_evil in/on_both _eyes _of YHWH and_ YHWH _he _strengthened DOM ˊEglōn the _king _of Mōʼāⱱ over Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) on if/because they _did DOM the_evil in/on_both _eyes _of YHWH.

Show passage in OET: SA1 12:9–11

OET-RV SA1 12:9

9 Then they forgot their god Yahweh, and he allowed them to be oppressed by Sisera (the commander of the army from Hatsor), and the Pelishtim, and the king of Moav (Moab). Then they fought against them

OET-RV SA1 12:10

10 and cried out to Yahweh, ‘We have sinned, because we’ve abandoned Yahweh and have served the Baals and the Ashtarot. But if you rescue us now from our enemies, we will serve you.’

OET-RV SA1 12:11

11 Then Yahweh sent Gid’on, Bedan, Yiftah (Jephthah), and Shimshon (Samson) to rescue you all from your enemies all around you, and so you all have had times of living securely.

OET-LV SA1 12:9

9 And_they _forgot DOM YHWH god _of_their and_he _sold DOM_them in_the _hand _of Şīşərāʼ the _commander _of the _army _of Ḩāʦōr and_in_the _hand _of the_Pəlishtiy and_in_the _hand _of the _king _of Mōʼāⱱ and_they _fought against_them.

OET-LV SA1 12:10

10 And_they _cried _out to YHWH and we _have _sinned if/because we _have _abandoned DOM YHWH and_we _have _served DOM the_Baˊal and_DOM the_ˊAshtārōt and_now deliver_us from_the _hand _of our _enemies _of_our so_that_we _may _serve _you.

OET-LV SA1 12:11

11 And_ YHWH _he _sent DOM Jerub-Baˊal and_DOM Bədān and_DOM Yiftāḩ/(Jephthah) and_DOM Shəmū^ʼēl/(Samuel) and_he _delivered you(pl) from_the _hand _of your(pl)_enemies _of_your(pl) from_round _about and_you(pl)_dwelt security.

Show passage in OET: ISA 15:4

OET-RV ISA 15:4

4 Heshbon and El’aleh cry out—their voice is heard as far as Yahats.
⇔ ≈ So too, the soldiers from Moav call out as their spirit trembles inside them.

OET-LV ISA 15:4

4 And_ Ḩeshbōn and_ʼElˊālēh _it _has _cried _out to Yahaʦ/(Jahaz) voice _of_their it _has _been _heard therefore yes/correct/thus/so the _equipped_men_of Mōʼāⱱ they _are _shouting being _of_its it _is _trembling for_him/it.

Show passage in OET: ISA 16:8–9

OET-RV ISA 16:8

8 because Heshbon’s fields have dried up
⇔ as have Sivmah’s grapevines.
⇔ The rulers of nations have trampled down its best grapevines.
⇔ They reached Yazer—wandering through the wilderness.
⇔ Its shoots spread out—passing over the ocean.

OET-RV ISA 16:9

9 So I’ll weep along with those weeping in Yazer for Sivmah’s grapevines.
⇔ I’ll water you with my tears, Heshbon and El’aleh,
⇔ because they’re shouting about your summer fruits and your harvest.

OET-LV ISA 16:8

8 If/because the _terraced _fields _of Ḩeshbōn it _has _languished the _vine[s]_of Səⱱām rulers _of nations they _have _struck _down its _choice _of_grapes to Yaˊzēr/(Jazer) they _reached they _wandered the_wilderness shoots _of_its they _were _spread _out they _passed _over the_sea.

OET-LV ISA 16:9

9 Therefore yes/correct/thus/so I _weep with_the _weeping _of Yaˊzēr the _vine[s]_of Səⱱām I_water _you _abundantly tear[s]_of_my Oh _Ḩeshbōn and_ʼElˊālēh if/because on fruit _of_your _summer and_on harvest _of_your shouting it _has _fallen.

Show passage in OET: JER 48:2; JER 48:33–34

OET-RV JER 48:2

2 No one will praise Moav again.
⇔ Their enemies in Heshbon plotted disaster against them, saying,
⇔ Let’s go and destroy it as a nation.
⇔ Madmen will be silenced after the sword finishes with you.

OET-RV JER 48:33

33 so celebration and happiness have been taken away from the fruit trees and from Moav itself.
⇔ I’ve put an end to the wine from their wine-pressing pits.
⇔ They won’t tread the grapes with happy shouts—
⇔ any shouts won’t be shouts of celebration.

OET-RV JER 48:34

34 From the shouts at Heshbon as far as El’aleh, their sound is heard at Yahats, from Tsoar to Horonayim and Eglat -Shelishiyah, since even the water at Nimrim has dried up.

OET-LV JER 48:2

2 Not will _be_again the _praise _of Mōʼāⱱ in_Ḩeshbōn people _have _planned on/upon_it(f) calamity come and_let_us _cut _it _off from_a _nation also Oh _Madmen you _will _be _silent after_you the_sword it _will _go.

OET-LV JER 48:33

33 And_ joy and_rejoicing _it _has _been _removed from_the_orchard[s] and_from_the _land _of Mōʼāⱱ and_wine from_wine-vats I _have _made _to _cease not anyone _will _tread shouting shouting not will _be_shouting.

OET-LV JER 48:34

34 From_the _cry _of _distress _of Ḩeshbōn to ʼElˊālēh to Yahaʦ/(Jahaz) people _will _give _forth voice _of_their from_Tsoˊar/(Zoar) to Ḩoronayim ˊEglat Shəlishiy^yāh if/because also the _waters _of Nimrīm (into)_wastes they _will _become.

Show passage in OET: JER 49:3

OET-RV JER 49:3

3 Wail, Heshbon, because Ay will be devastated.
⇔ ≈ Cry out and put on sackcloth, you daughters of Rabah.
⇔ Mourn and run back and forth trying to figure out what to do
⇔ because Molek is going into captivity along with its priests and leaders.

OET-LV JER 49:3

3 Wail Oh _Ḩeshbōn if/because ˊAy it _has _been _devastated cry _out Oh _daughters _of Rabāh gird _yourselves sackcloth(s) mourn and_run _to _and _fro among_walls if/because king _of_their in_exile he _will _go priests _of_his and_officials _of_his together.

Jump to OET NUM 21:25–30 section.

Jump to OET NUM 32:37 section.

Jump to OET JOS 13:17 section.

Jump to OET JOS 13:26 section.

Jump to OET JDG 3:12 section.

Jump to OET SA1 12:9–11 section.

Jump to OET ISA 15:4 section.

Jump to OET ISA 16:8–9 section.

Jump to OET JER 48:2 section. · OET JER 48:33–34 section.

Jump to OET JER 49:3 section.

It was an important Nabatean city in the Greek period, and it was conquered by the Jews in the campaigns of Alexander Janneus (103–76 BC). In the Roman period it was incorporated into the province of Syria.