Beware of the Enemy’s Subtle Devices – Numbers 21:21-22:6
21 (21) Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, saying, (22) Let me pass through your country. We will not turn aside into any field or vineyard, or drink water from any well. We will travel along the king’s highway until we have passed through your territory. (23) But Sihon would not allow Israel to pass through his territory. He mustered his entire army and marched out into the wilderness against Israel. When he reached Jahaz, he attacked Israel. (24) Israel, however, struck him down with the sword and took possession of his land from the Arnon River to the Jabbok River, but only as far as the Ammonite border, because their border was fortified. (25) Israel captured all the cities of the Amorites and occupied them, including Heshbon and all its surrounding suburbs. (26) Heshbon had been the royal city of Sihon king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former 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 the city of Sihon be rebuilt and restored. (28) Fire went out from Heshbon, a blaze from the city of Sihon. It consumed Ar of Moab, the citizens of Arnon’s heights. (29) Woe to you, O Moab! You are destroyed, O people of Chemosh! He has given up his sons as fugitives and his daughters as captives to Sihon king of the Amorites. (30) Indeed, we have overthrown them; Heshbon is destroyed all the way to Dibon. We have demolished them as far as Nophah, that extends to Medeba. (31) So Israel settled in the land of the Amorites. (32) After Moses had sent spies to Jazer, the Israelites captured its surrounding suburbs and drove out the Amorites who were there. (33) Then they turned and went up along the road toward Bashan, and Og king of Bashan and his whole army marched out to meet them in battle at Edrei. (34) Jehovah said to Moses, Do not be afraid of him, for I have handed him over to you, with his whole army and his land. Do to him the same as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon. (35) So they struck him down, together with his sons and his whole army, leaving them no survivors. And they took possession of his land.
22 Then the children of Israel traveled to the plains of Moab and camped along the Jordan River across from Jericho. (2) Now Bakak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. (3) Moab was terrified of the people, because they were so numerous. Indeed, Moab was filled with dread because of the children of Israel. (4) The Moabites said to the elders of Midian, This horde will lick up everything around us, like an ox licks up the grass of the field. Now Balak the son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time. (5) So he sent messengers to summon Balaam the son of Beor, who was at Pethor, which is near the Euphrates River, in his native land. He said, A people have come out of Egypt; they cover the face of the land and are encamped next to me. (6) Now, therefore, please come and curse these people for me, because they are too powerful for me. If you curse them, I might then succeed in defeating them and driving them out of the land; for I know that whomever you bless is blessed, and whomever you curse is cursed.
Now proceed to the next section of this study, entitled, Exploring the Passage.
