Numbers 21
1 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.
The Canaanite king of Arad who lived in the Negev learned that the Israelites were approaching on the road to Atharim. He went and attacked Israel and took some of them prisoners.
2 So Israel made a vow to the LORD: “If You will deliver this people into our hands, we will devote their cities to destruction.”
So Israel made a solemn promise to the Lord: “If you hand these people over to us, we pledge to completely destroy their towns.”
3 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.
The Lord responded to their appeal and handed over the Canaanites to them. The Israelites completely destroyed them and their towns, and named the place Hormah.
4 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
The Israelites left Mount Hor by the road leading to the Red Sea so they could avoid traveling through the country of Edom. But the people became bad-tempered on the way
5 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!”
and made complaints against God and against Moses, saying, “Why did you lead us out of Egypt to die in the desert? We don't have bread or water, and we hate this awful food!”
6 So the LORD sent venomous snakes among the people, and many of the Israelites were bitten and died.
So the Lord sent poisonous snakes to attack them, and many Israelites were bitten and died.
7 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.
The people went to see Moses and told him, “We were wrong to make complaints against the Lord and against you. Please pray to the Lord to get rid of the snakes from us.” Moses prayed to the Lord on their behalf.
8 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.”
The Lord told Moses, “Make a model of a snake and put it on a pole. When anyone who has been bitten looks at it, they will live.”
9 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.
Moses made a snake out of bronze and put it on a pole. Those who looked at it did live.
10 Then the Israelites set out and camped at Oboth.
The Israelites left and camped at Oboth.
11 They journeyed from Oboth and camped at Iye-abarim in the wilderness opposite Moab to the east.
Then they moved on from Oboth and camped at Iye-abarim in the desert on the east side of Moab.
12 From there they set out and camped in the Valley of Zered.
They left there and camped in the Valley of Zered.
13 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.
Then they moved on from there and camped on the far side of the Arnon River, in the desert near Amorite territory. The Arnon River is the border between the Moab and the Amorites.
14 Therefore it is stated in the Book of the Wars of the LORD: “Waheb in Suphah and the wadis of the Arnon,
That's why the Book of the Wars of the Lord refers to “the town of Waheb in Suphah and the canyon of the Arnon,
15 even the slopes of the wadis that extend to the site of Ar and lie along the border of Moab.”
the canyon slopes that reach the village of Ar that lies on the border with Moab.”
16 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.”
From there they moved on to Beer, the well where the Lord told Moses, “Have the people gather together so I can give them water.”
17 Then Israel sang this song: “Spring up, O well, all of you sing to it!
Then the Israelites sang this song: “Pour out water, well! Everyone of you sing to it!
18 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,
The tribal chiefs dug the well; yes the leaders of the people dug the well with their rods of authority and their walking sticks.” The Israelites left the desert and carried on to Mattanah.
19 and from Mattanah to Nahaliel, and from Nahaliel to Bamoth,
From Mattanah they traveled to Nahaliel, from Nahaliel to Bamoth,
20 and from Bamoth to the valley in Moab where the top of Pisgah overlooks the wasteland.
and from Bamoth to the valley in the territory of Moab where the top of Mount Pisgah looks down on the wastelands.
21 Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, saying,
Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon, king of the Amorites, with the following request:
22 “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.”
“Please allow us to travel through your country. We won't cross any of your fields or vineyards, or drink water from any of your wells. We will stay on the King's Highway until we have passed through your country.”
23 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.
But Sihon refused to allow the Israelites to travel through his territory. Instead, he called out his whole army and went out to meet the Israelites head-on in the desert. When he arrived at Jahaz, he attacked the Israelites.
24 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.
The Israelites defeated them, killing them with their swords. They took over his land from the Arnon River to the Jabbok River —but only as far as the border of the Ammonites, because it was well defended.
25 Israel captured all the cities of the Amorites and occupied them, including Heshbon and all its villages.
The Israelites conquered all the Amorite towns and took them over, including Heshbon and its surrounding villages.
26 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.
Heshbon was the capital of Sihon, king of the Amorites, who had fought against the previous king of Moab and had taken from him all his land as far as the Arnon River.
27 That is why the poets say: “Come to Heshbon, let it be rebuilt; let the city of Sihon be restored.
That's why the old songwriters wrote: “Come to Heshbon and have it be rebuilt; restore the town of Sihon!
28 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.
For a fire blazed out from Heshbon, a flame from the town of Sihon. It burned up Ar in Moab where the rulers live on the high places of Arnon.
29 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.
What a disaster you face, Moab! You are all going to die, people of Chemosh! You handed over your sons as exiles and your daughters as prisoners to Sihon, king of the Amorites.
30 But we have overthrown them; Heshbon is destroyed as far as Dibon. We demolished them as far as Nophah, which reaches to Medeba.”
But now we have defeated the Amorites! Heshbon's rule has been destroyed all the way to Dibon. We wiped them out all the way to Nophah and on to Medeba.”
31 So Israel lived in the land of the Amorites.
The Israelites occupied the country of the Amorites.
32 After Moses had sent spies to Jazer, Israel captured its villages and drove out the Amorites who were there.
Moses sent men to explore Jazer. The Israelites conquered its surrounding villages and expelled the Amorites living there.
33 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.
Then they continued on the road towards Bashan. Og, king of Bashan, led his whole army out to meet them head on, and fought them at Edrei.
34 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.”
The Lord told Moses, “You don't need to be afraid of him, because I have handed him over to you, along with all his people and his land. Do to him what you did to Sihon, king of the Amorites, who ruled from Heshbon.”
35 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.
So they killed Og, his sons, and all his army. Nobody survived, and the Israelites took over his country.
