Numbers:21

---

Seeker Overlay ON

* The Canaanite king of Arad in the southern part of Canaan heard that the Israelites were coming by way of Atharim . So he attacked them and captured some of them . * Then the Israelites made a vow to Jehovah : »If you will let us conquer these people , we will unconditionally dedicate them and their cities to you and will destroy them .« * Jehovah heard them and helped them conquer the Canaanites . The Israelites completely destroyed them and their cities , and named the place Hormah . * They moved from Mount Hor following the road that goes to the Red Sea . That way they could go around Edom . The people became impatient on the trip * and criticized God and Moses . They said : »Why did you make us leave Egypt only to let us die in the desert ? There is no bread or water , and we cannot stand this awful food !« * Jehovah sent poisonous snakes among the people . They bit the people , and many of the Israelites died . * The people came to Moses and said : »We sinned when we criticized Jehovah and you . Pray to Jehovah so that he will take the snakes away from us . So Moses prayed for the people .« * Jehovah said to Moses : »Make a snake and put it on a pole . Anyone who is bitten can look at it and live .« * Moses made a copper snake and put it on a pole . People looked at the copper snake after they were bitten and lived . * The Israelites moved and set up camp at Oboth . * After leaving that place , they camped at the ruins of Abarim in the wilderness east of Moabite territory . * Then they camped in Zered Valley . * They moved again and camped on the north side of the Arnon River , in the desert that extends into Amorite territory . The Arnon was the border between the Moabites and the Amorites . * That is why The Book of Jehovah ’s Battles speaks of the town of Waheb in the area of Suphah , and the valleys ; the Arnon River , * and the slope of the valleys that extend to the town of Ar and toward the border of Moab . * From there they went on to a place called Wells , where Jehovah said to Moses : Bring the people together , and I will give them water . * The people of Israel sang this song : »Wells , produce your water ; And we will greet it with a song . * »The well dug by princes and by leaders of the people , dug with a royal scepter and with their walking sticks . They moved from the wilderness to Mattanah , * and from there they went on to Nahaliel , and from Nahaliel to Bamoth , * and from Bamoth to the valley in the territory of the Moabites , below the top of Mount Pisgah , looking out over the desert . * »The people of Israel sent messengers to the Amorite king Sihon to say : * »Let us go through your country . We will not go through any of your fields or vineyards or drink any of the water from your wells . We will stay on the king ’s highway until we have passed through your territory .« * Sihon would not let Israel pass through his territory . Sihon gathered all his troops and came out into the desert to attack Israel . When Sihon ’s troops came to Jahaz , they fought against Israel . * Israel defeated them in battle and took possession of their land from the Arnon Valley to the Jabbok River . They stopped at the border of the Ammon because it was fortified . * The Israelites settled in the Amorite towns . They settled in the capital city of Heshbon with its surrounding villages . * King Sihon ruled from Heshbon after defeating the Moabites and taking over their land north of the Arnon River gorge . * That is why the Amorites had written this poem about Heshbon : »Come and rebuild Heshbon , King Sihon ’s capital city ! * »His armies marched out like fiery flames , burning down the town of Ar and destroying the hills along the Arnon River . * »You Moabites are done for ! Your god Chemosh deserted your people . They were captured , taken away by King Sihon the Amorite . * »We completely defeated Moab . The towns of Heshbon and Dibon , of Nophah and Medeba are ruined and gone .« * After the Israelites settled in the Amorite territory , * Moses sent some men to explore the town of Jazer . Some time later , the Israelites captured the villages surrounding it and forced out the Amorites who lived there . * They turned around and went by the way of Bashan . Og the king of Bashan went out with all his people for battle at Edrei . * Jehovah said to Moses : »Do not fear him for I have given him into your hand , and all his people and his land . You will do to him as you did to Sihon , king of the Amorites , who lived at Heshbon .« * The Israelites defeated him , his sons , and all his troops , leaving no survivors . They took possession of his land .

---