Numbers 21
1 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.
And the Canaanite, king of Arad, dwelling in the south, hears that Israel has come the way of the Atharim, and he fights against Israel, and takes [some] of them captive.
2 So Israel made a solemn promise to the Lord: “If you hand these people over to us, we pledge to completely destroy their towns.”
And Israel vows a vow to YHWH and says, “If You certainly give this people into my hand, then I have devoted their cities”;
3 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.
and YHWH listens to the voice of Israel and gives up the Canaanite, and he devotes them and their cities, and calls the name of the place Hormah.
4 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
And they journey from Mount Hor, the way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom, and the soul of the people is short in the way,
5 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!”
and the people speak against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in a wilderness? For there is no bread, and there is no water, and our soul has been weary of this light bread.”
6 So the Lord sent poisonous snakes to attack them, and many Israelites were bitten and died.
And YHWH sends the burning serpents among the people, and they bite the people, and many people of Israel die;
7 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.
and the people come to Moses and say, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against YHWH and against you; pray to YHWH that He turns the serpent aside from us”; and Moses prays in behalf of the people.
8 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.”
And YHWH says to Moses, “Make a burning [serpent] for yourself, and set it on an ensign; and it has been, everyone who is bitten and has seen it—he has lived.”
9 Moses made a snake out of bronze and put it on a pole. Those who looked at it did live.
And Moses makes a serpent of bronze, and sets it on the ensign, and it has been, if the serpent has bitten any man, and he has looked expectingly to the serpent of bronze—he has lived.
10 The Israelites left and camped at Oboth.
And the sons of Israel journey and encamp in Oboth.
11 Then they moved on from Oboth and camped at Iye-abarim in the desert on the east side of Moab.
And they journey from Oboth and encamp in Ije-Abarim, in the wilderness that [is] on the front of Moab, at the rising of the sun.
12 They left there and camped in the Valley of Zered.
From there they have journeyed and encamp in the Valley of Zared.
13 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.
From there they have journeyed and encamp beyond Arnon, which [is] in the wilderness which is coming out of the border of the Amorite, for Arnon [is] the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorite;
14 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,
therefore it is said in [the] scroll of the Wars of YHWH: “Waheb in Suphah, And the brooks of Arnon;
15 the canyon slopes that reach the village of Ar that lies on the border with Moab.”
And the spring of the brooks, Which turned aside to the dwelling of Ar, And has leaned to the border of Moab.”
16 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.”
And from there [they journeyed] to Beer; it [is] the well [concerning] which YHWH said to Moses, “Gather the people, and I give water to them.”
17 Then the Israelites sang this song: “Pour out water, well! Everyone of you sing to it!
Then Israel sings this song: “Spring up, O well, Let all answer to it!
18 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.
A well—princes have dug it, Nobles of the people have prepared it, With the lawgiver, with their staffs.” And from the wilderness [they journeyed] to Mattanah,
19 From Mattanah they traveled to Nahaliel, from Nahaliel to Bamoth,
and from Mattanah to Nahaliel, and from Nahaliel to Bamoth,
20 and from Bamoth to the valley in the territory of Moab where the top of Mount Pisgah looks down on the wastelands.
and from Bamoth, in the valley which [is] in the field of Moab, [to] the top of Pisgah, which has looked on the front of the wilderness.
21 Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon, king of the Amorites, with the following request:
And Israel sends messengers to Sihon king of the Amorite, saying,
22 “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.”
“Let me pass through your land, we do not turn aside into a field or into a vineyard; we do not drink waters of a well; we go in the king’s way until we pass over your border.”
23 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.
And Sihon has not permitted Israel to pass through his border, and Sihon gathers all his people, and comes out to meet Israel in the wilderness, and comes to Jahaz, and fights against Israel.
24 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.
And Israel strikes him by the mouth of the sword, and possesses his land from Arnon to Jabbok—to the sons of Ammon; for the border of the sons of Ammon [is] strong.
25 The Israelites conquered all the Amorite towns and took them over, including Heshbon and its surrounding villages.
And Israel takes all these cities, and Israel dwells in all the cities of the Amorite, in Heshbon and in all its villages;
26 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.
for Heshbon is a city of Sihon king of the Amorite, and he has fought against the former king of Moab, and takes all his land out of his hand as far as Arnon;
27 That's why the old songwriters wrote: “Come to Heshbon and have it be rebuilt; restore the town of Sihon!
therefore those using allegories say: “Enter Heshbon, Let the city of Sihon be built and ready,
28 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.
For fire has gone out from Heshbon, A flame from the city of Sihon, It has consumed Ar of Moab, Owners of the high places of Arnon.
29 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.
Woe to you, O Moab, You have perished, O people of Chemosh! He has given his sons [as] fugitives, And his daughters into captivity, To Sihon king of the Amorite!
30 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.”
And we shoot them; Heshbon has perished as far as Dibon, And we make desolate as far as Nophah, Which [is] as far as Medeba.”
31 The Israelites occupied the country of the Amorites.
And Israel dwells in the land of the Amorite,
32 Moses sent men to explore Jazer. The Israelites conquered its surrounding villages and expelled the Amorites living there.
and Moses sends to spy out Jaazer, and they capture its villages, and dispossess the Amorite who [is] there,
33 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.
and turn and go up the way of Bashan, and Og king of Bashan comes out to meet them, he and all his people, to battle [at] Edrei.
34 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.”
And YHWH says to Moses, “Do not fear him, for into your hand I have given him, and all his people, and his land, and you have done to him as you have done to Sihon king of the Amorite, who is dwelling in Heshbon.”
35 So they killed Og, his sons, and all his army. Nobody survived, and the Israelites took over his country.
And they strike him, and his sons, and all his people, until he has no remnant left to him, and they possess his land.
