Numbers 21:21-32

21The Israelites sent men with a message to Sihon, the king of the Amorites.

22They said, ‘Please let us travel through your country. We will not go through any fields or through any vineyards. We will not even drink water from your wells. We will go along the main road. We will not leave that road on either side until we have gone through all your land.’

23But Sihon would not let the Israelites travel through his land. Sihon and his army marched to Jahaz, in the desert. They attacked the Israelites there.

24The Israelites fought against the army of Sihon and they won. They got power over the land from the River Arnon to the River Jabbok. But the border of the Ammonites' land had strong towns, so they could not go beyond them.

25They got power over all the cities of the Amorites. Those cities included Heshbon and the towns round it.

26Heshbon was the city of Sihon, the king of the Amorites. He had fought against the king of Moab. He took from the king of Moab the land as far as the River Arnon.

27So the people who write songs wrote this: ‘Come to Heshbon and build it up again. Build the city of Sihon again.

28An army that was like a fire went out from Heshbon. It was like a flame that went out from Sihon's city. It destroyed Ar in Moab, and everything on the hills near the River Arnon.

29It will be very bad for you, people of Moab. Sihon has killed you people who worship the god Chemosh. Your god has let the king of the Amorites put you in prison.

30But now, we have won against them! We have destroyed Heshbon, and as far as Dibon. We have killed them from Nophah to Medeba.’

31So the Israelites stayed in the land of the Amorites.

32Moses sent men to find the best way to attack Jazer. Then the Israelites attacked Jazer and the towns round it. They caused the Amorites who lived there to run away.