Numbers 21
1 When the Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the Negev, heard that Israel was traveling by the road to Atharim, he fought against Israel and took some of them captive.
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.
2 Israel vowed to Yahweh and said, “If you give us victory over these people, then we will completely destroy their cities.”
So Israel made a vow to the LORD: “If You will deliver this people into our hands, we will devote their cities to destruction.”
3 Yahweh listened to Israel's voice and he gave them victory over the Canaanites. They completely destroyed them and their cities. That place was called Hormah.
And the LORD heard Israel’s plea and delivered up the Canaanites. Israel devoted them and their cities to destruction; so they named the place Hormah.
4 They traveled from Mount Hor by the road to the Sea of Reeds to go around the land of Edom. The people became very discouraged on the way.
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
5 The people spoke against God and Moses: “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread, no water, and we hate this miserable food.”
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!”
6 Then Yahweh sent poisonous snakes among the people. The snakes bit the people; many people died.
So the LORD sent venomous snakes among the people, and many of the Israelites were bitten and died.
7 The people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned because we have spoken against Yahweh and you. Pray to Yahweh for him to take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.
Then the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned by speaking against the LORD and against you. Intercede with the LORD so He will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses interceded for the people.
8 Yahweh said to Moses, “Make a snake and attach it to a pole. It will happen that everyone who is bitten will survive, if he looks at it.”
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and mount it on a pole. When anyone who is bitten looks at it, he will live.”
9 So Moses made a bronze snake and attached it to a pole. When a snake bit any person, if he looked at the bronze snake, he survived.
So Moses made a bronze snake and mounted it on a pole. If anyone who was bitten looked at the bronze snake, he would live.
10 Then the people of Israel traveled on and camped at Oboth.
Then the Israelites set out and camped at Oboth.
11 They traveled from Oboth and camped at Iye Abarim in the wilderness that faces Moab toward the east.
They journeyed from Oboth and camped at Iye-abarim in the wilderness opposite Moab to the east.
12 From there they traveled on and camped in the Valley of Zered.
From there they set out and camped in the Valley of Zered.
13 From there they traveled on and camped on the other side of the Arnon River, which is in the wilderness that extends from the border of the Amorites. The Arnon River forms the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites.
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.
14 That is why it says in the scroll of the Wars of Yahweh, “... Waheb in Suphah, and the valleys of the Arnon,
Therefore it is stated in the Book of the Wars of the LORD: “Waheb in Suphah and the wadis of the Arnon,
15 the slope of the valleys that lead toward the town of Ar and lie along the border of Moab.”
even the slopes of the wadis that extend to the site of Ar and lie along the border of Moab.”
16 From there they traveled to Beer, the well where Yahweh said to Moses, “Gather the people together for me to give them water.”
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.”
17 Then Israel sang this song: “Spring up, well! Sing about it,
Then Israel sang this song: “Spring up, O well, all of you sing to it!
18 about the well that our leaders dug, the well the nobles of the people dug, with the scepter and their staffs.” Then from the wilderness they traveled to Mattanah.
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 on to Mattanah,
19 From Mattanah they traveled to Nahaliel, and from Nahaliel to Bamoth,
and from Mattanah to Nahaliel, and from Nahaliel to Bamoth,
20 and from Bamoth to a valley in the land of Moab. That is where the top of Mount Pisgah looks down on the wilderness.
and from Bamoth to the valley in Moab where the top of Pisgah overlooks the wasteland.
21 Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites saying,
Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, saying,
22 “Let us pass through your land. We will not turn into any field or vineyard. We will not drink the water from your wells. We will travel by the king's highway until we have crossed your border.”
“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.”
23 But King Sihon would not allow Israel to pass through their border. Instead, Sihon gathered all his army together and attacked Israel in the wilderness. He came to Jahaz, where he fought against Israel.
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.
24 Israel attacked the army of Sihon with the edge of the sword and took their land from the Arnon to the Jabbok river, as far as the land of the people of Ammon. Now the border of the people of Ammon was fortified.
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.
25 Israel took all the Amorite cities and lived in all of them, including Heshbon and all of its villages.
Israel captured all the cities of the Amorites and occupied them, including Heshbon and all its villages.
26 Heshbon was the city of Sihon king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab. Sihon had taken all his land from his territory to the Arnon River.
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.
27 That is why those who speak in proverbs say, “Come to Heshbon. Let the city of Sihon be rebuilt and established again.
That is why the poets say: “Come to Heshbon, let it be rebuilt; let the city of Sihon be restored.
28 A fire blazed from Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon that devoured Ar of Moab, and the owners of the high places of Arnon.
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.
29 Woe to you, Moab! You have perished, people of Chemosh. He has made his sons to be fugitives and his daughters to be prisoners of Sihon king of the Amorites.
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.
30 But we have conquered Sihon. Heshbon is devastated all the way to Dibon. We have defeated them all the way to Nophah, which reaches to Medeba.”
But we have overthrown them; Heshbon is destroyed as far as Dibon. We demolished them as far as Nophah, which reaches to Medeba.”
31 So Israel began to live in the Amorites' land.
So Israel lived in the land of the Amorites.
32 Then Moses sent men to look at Jazer. They took its villages and drove out the Amorites who were there.
After Moses had sent spies to Jazer, Israel captured its villages and drove out the Amorites who were there.
33 Then they turned and went up by the road of Bashan. Og king of Bashan went out against them, he and all his army, to fight them at Edrei.
Then they turned and went up the road to Bashan, and Og king of Bashan and his whole army came out to meet them in battle at Edrei.
34 Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Do not fear him, because I have given you victory over him, all his army, and his land. Do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon.”
But the LORD said to Moses, “Do not fear him, for I have delivered him into your hand, along with all his people and his land. Do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon.”
35 So they killed him, his sons, and all his army, until none of his people were left alive. Then they took over his land.
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.
