Numbers 21
1 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.
And when king Arad the Canaanite, who was living toward the south, had heard this, namely, that Israel had arrived by the way of spies, he fought against them. And proving to be the victor, he led away prey from them.
2 And Israel vows a vow to YHWH and says, “If You certainly give this people into my hand, then I have devoted their cities”;
But Israel, obliging himself by a vow to the Lord, said: “If you deliver this people into my hand, I will wipe away their cities.”
3 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.
And the Lord heard the prayers of Israel, and he delivered the Canaanite, whom they put to death, overthrowing his cities. And they called the name of that place Hormah, that is, Anathema.
4 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,
Then they set out from mount Hor, by the way that leads to the Red Sea, to circle around the land of Edom. And the people began to tire of their journey and hardships.
5 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.”
And speaking against God and Moses, they said: “Why did you lead us away from Egypt, so as to die in the wilderness? Bread is lacking; there are no waters. Our soul is now nauseous over this very light food.”
6 And YHWH sends the burning serpents among the people, and they bite the people, and many people of Israel die;
For this reason, the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, which wounded or killed many of them.
7 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.
And so they went to Moses, and they said: “We have sinned, because we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray, so that he may take away these serpents from us.” And Moses prayed for the people.
8 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.”
And the Lord said to him: “Make a bronze serpent, and place it as a sign. Whoever, having been struck, gazes upon it, shall live.”
9 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.
Therefore, Moses made a bronze serpent, and he placed it as a sign. When those who had been struck gazed upon it, they were healed.
10 And the sons of Israel journey and encamp in Oboth.
And the sons of Israel, setting out, made camp at Oboth.
11 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.
Having departed from there, they pitched their tents at Iye-abarim, in the wilderness, which looks out toward Moab, opposite the eastern region.
12 From there they have journeyed and encamp in the Valley of Zared.
And moving from there, they arrived at the Torrent of Zared.
13 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;
Having left that place behind, they then made camp opposite Arnon, which is in the desert, and which juts out at the borders of the Amorite. For certainly Arnon is at the limit of Moab, dividing the Moabites and the Amorites.
14 therefore it is said in [the] scroll of the Wars of YHWH: “Waheb in Suphah, And the brooks of Arnon;
About this place, it is said in the book of the wars of the Lord: “As he did at the Red Sea, so will he do at the Torrents of Arnon.”
15 And the spring of the brooks, Which turned aside to the dwelling of Ar, And has leaned to the border of Moab.”
The stones of the torrents were bent, so that they might rest in Ar and lie back within the borders of the Moabites.
16 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.”
Beyond that place appeared a well, about which the Lord said to Moses: “Gather the people together, and I will give them water.”
17 Then Israel sings this song: “Spring up, O well, Let all answer to it!
Then Israel sang this verse: “Let the well rise up.” They sang:
18 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,
“The well, the leaders dug it, and the commanders of the multitude prepared it, at the direction of the lawgiver, and with their staffs.”
19 and from Mattanah to Nahaliel, and from Nahaliel to Bamoth,
They went from the wilderness to Mattanah, from Mattanah to Nahaliel, from Nahaliel to Bamoth,
20 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.
from Bamoth, a valley in the region of Moab, to the top of Pisgah, which looks out opposite the desert.
21 And Israel sends messengers to Sihon king of the Amorite, saying,
Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon, the king of the Amorites, saying:
22 “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.”
“I beg you to permit me to cross through your land. We will not turn aside into the fields or the vineyards. We will not drink waters from the wells. We will travel by the royal way, until we have passed your borders.”
23 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.
And he was not willing to allow Israel to cross through his borders. But instead, gathering an army, he went out to meet them in the desert, and he arrived at Jahaz and fought against them.
24 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.
And he was struck down by them with the edge of the sword, and they possessed his land from Arnon, even to Jabbok and the sons of Ammon. For the borders of the Ammonites were held by a strong fortress.
25 And Israel takes all these cities, and Israel dwells in all the cities of the Amorite, in Heshbon and in all its villages;
Therefore, Israel took all his cities and lived in the cities of the Amorite, namely, in Heshbon and its villages.
26 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;
Heshbon was the city of Sihon, the king of the Amorites, who fought against the king of Moab. And he took all the land, which had been under his sovereignty, as far as Arnon.
27 therefore those using allegories say: “Enter Heshbon, Let the city of Sihon be built and ready,
About this, it is said in the proverb: “Enter into Heshbon. Let the city of Sihon be established and built.
28 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.
A fire has gone forth from Heshbon, a flame from the town of Sihon, and it has devoured Ar of the Moabites, and the inhabitants of the heights of Arnon.
29 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!
Woe to you, Moab! You are perishing, O people of Chemosh. He gave flight to his sons, and he gave the daughters into captivity, to the king of the Amorites, Sihon.
30 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.”
Their yoke has been scattered from Heshbon even to Dibon. They have passed through, wearily, into Nophah, and as far as Medeba.”
31 And Israel dwells in the land of the Amorite,
And so Israel lived in the land of the Amorite.
32 and Moses sends to spy out Jaazer, and they capture its villages, and dispossess the Amorite who [is] there,
And Moses sent some to explore Jazer. These captured its villages and possessed its inhabitants.
33 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.
And they turned themselves and ascended, along the way of Bashan. And Og, the king of Bashan, met them with all his people, to fight at Edrei.
34 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.”
And the Lord said to Moses: “Do not be afraid of him. For I have delivered him, and all his people, as well as his land, into your hand. And you shall do to him just as you did to Sihon, the king of the Amorites, the inhabitant of Heshbon.”
35 And they strike him, and his sons, and all his people, until he has no remnant left to him, and they possess his land.
Therefore, they struck him down also, with his sons, and all his people, even to utter destruction, and they possessed his land.
