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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadPaul Kretzmann Commentary - Numbers 21:21 - 21:35
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The Overthrow of Sihon and Og
v. 21. And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon, king of the Amorites, the heathen nation which occupied the country north of the Arnon, saying,
v. 22. Let me pass through thy land; we will not turn into the fields or into the vineyards; we will not drink of the waters of the well, but we will go along by the king's highway until we be past thy borders. The message and its import agreed exactly with that sent to the Edomites some months before, Num_20:17.
v. 23. And Sihon would not suffer Israel to pass through his border; but Sihon gathered all his people together and went out against Israel into the wilderness, to drive out the invaders; and he came to Jahaz, a place in the southeastern part of his dominion, and fought against Israel. In this case, however, the children of Israel were not hindered by special considerations, as in the case of the Edomites, the Moabites, and the Ammonites, Deu_2:5-9; Deu_2:37, but had received the express command to give battle, Deu_2:24.
v. 24. And Israel smote him with the edge of the sword, without giving quarter or showing mercy, and possessed his land from Arnon unto Jabbok, even unto the children of Ammon, who lived mainly north of the Jabbok; for the border of the children of Ammon was strong.
v. 25. And Israel took all these cities; and Israel dwelt in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all the villages thereof.
v. 26. For Heshbon was the city of Sihon, the king of the Amorites, his capital, who had fought against the former king of Moab and taken all his land out of his hand, even unto Arnon, all the territory from the Arnon northward to the Jabbok, beyond which he was not able to penetrate on account of the strength of the border fortifications, v. 24.
v. 27. Wherefore they that speak in proverbs, the poets that were inspired to write of this victory, say, Come into Heshbon, let the city of Sihon be built and prepared, since Israel was now occupying the land which the Amorites had wrested from Moab;
v. 28. for there is a fire gone out of Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon, namely, at the time when this king had gone forth on his campaigns of conquest; it hath consumed Ar of Moab, the former capital of the entire domain of Moab, and the lords of the high places of Arnon, the men in command of the border fortifications.
v. 29. Woe to thee, Moab! Thou art undone, O people of Chemosh; the final destruction of Moab was only a matter of time. He, Chemosh, the chief god of the Moabites, Jer_48:7, hath given his sons that escaped, and his daughters, into captivity unto Sihon, king of the Amorites, unable to save them from the hands of the enemy.
v. 30. We have shot at them, we came and overthrew them; Heshbon is perished even unto Dibon, and we have laid them waste even unto Nophah, which reacheth unto Medeba, or, with fire unto Medeba. The children of Israel had completely subdued the land, not only its capital, but the entire length and breadth of the country, to its extreme southern and northern boundaries.
v. 31. Thus Israel dwelt in the land of the Amorites, occupied the entire country and camped there.
v. 32. And Moses sent to spy out Jaazer, a city toward the northeast, near the territory of the Ammonites, and they took the villages thereof and drove out the Amorites that were there, thus completing the conquest of the nation.
v. 33. And they, the children of Israel, turned and went up by the way of Bashan, toward the north and west; andOg, the king of Bashan, went out against them, he and all his people, to the battle at Edrei.
v. 34. And the Lord said unto Moses, Fear him not; for I have delivered him into thy hand and all his people and his land; and thou shall do to him as thou didst unto Sihon, king of the Amorites, which dwelt at Heshbon. With this glorious promise of God to strengthen them the children of Israel went forth to battle, an invincible host.
v. 35. So they smote him and his sons and all his people, until there was none left him alive; and they possessed his land. Thus Israel, courageous through its confidence in Jehovah, was able to overthrow mighty kings, a fact which is so often referred to in later times, Deu_3:1-11; Psa_135:11; Psa_136:19-20. All this Israel wrought through faith, Heb_11:33. He that truly believes in the Lord has the strength to conquer all his enemies, and will gladly give thanks to God for His goodness and mercy.