New Living Translation
Numbers 21:23
23But King Sihon refused to let them cross his territory. Instead, he mobilized his entire army and attacked Israel in the wilderness, engaging them in battle at Jahaz.
Numbers 21:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Sihon would not suffer Israel to pass through his border: but Sihon gathered all his people together, and went out against Israel into the wilderness: and he came to Jahaz, and fought against Israel.
- New International Version (NIV)But Sihon would not let Israel pass through his territory. He mustered his entire army and marched out into the wilderness against Israel. When he reached Jahaz, he fought with Israel.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But Sihon would not allow Israel to pass through his territory. He gathered all his people together and went out against Israel to the wilderness and came to Jahaz and fought against Israel.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But Sihon would not allow Israel to pass through his territory. So Sihon gathered all his people together and went out against Israel in the wilderness, and he came to Jahaz and fought against Israel.
Context of Numbers 21:23
21The Israelites sent ambassadors to King Sihon of the Amorites with this message: 22“Let us travel through your land. We will be careful not to go through your fields and vineyards. We won’t even drink water from your wells. We will stay on the king’s road until we have passed through your territory.” But King Sihon refused to let them cross his territory. Instead, he mobilized his entire army and attacked Israel in the wilderness, engaging them in battle at Jahaz. 24But the Israelites slaughtered them with their swords and occupied their land from the Arnon River to the Jabbok River. They went only as far as the Ammonite border because the boundary of the Ammonites was fortified. 25So Israel captured all the towns of the Amorites and settled in them, including the city of Heshbon and its surrounding villages.
Read all of Numbers 21Numbers 21:23 word by word
וְלֹא־נָתַ֨ן סִיחֹ֣ן אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל֮ עֲבֹ֣ר בִּגְבֻלוֹ֒ וַיֶּאֱסֹ֨ף סִיחֹ֜ן אֶת־כָּל־עַמּ֗וֹ וַיֵּצֵ֞א לִקְרַ֤את יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ הַמִּדְבָּ֔רָה וַיָּבֹ֖א יָ֑הְצָה וַיִּלָּ֖חֶם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Sihonסִיחוֹןsîychôn sîychôn · SihonH5511
- would not sufferנָתַןnâthan · to give: allowH5414
- Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- to passעָבַר‛âbar · to passH5674
- through his borderגְּבוּלgebûl gebûl · border: areaH1366
- gatheredאָסַף'âsaph · to gatherH622
- all his peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- and went outיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
- againstקִרְאָהqir'âh · befallH7125
- into the wildernessמִדְבָּרmidbâr · wildernessH4057
- and he cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- to Jahazיַ֫הַץהyahats yahtsâh yahtsâh · JahazH3096
- and foughtלָחַםlâcham · to fightH3898
Cross-references for Numbers 21:23
- Deuteronomy 2:30“But King Sihon of Heshbon refused to allow us to pass through, because the Lord your God made Sihon stubborn and defiant so he could help you defeat him, as he has now done.
- Deuteronomy 29:7“When we came here, King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan came out to fight against us, but we defeated them.
- Judges 11:20But King Sihon didn’t trust Israel to pass through his land. Instead, he mobilized his army at Jahaz and attacked them.
- Isaiah 15:4The people of Heshbon and Elealeh will cry out; their voices will be heard as far away as Jahaz! The bravest warriors of Moab will cry out in utter terror. They will be helpless with fear.
- Jeremiah 48:34“Instead, their awful cries of terror can be heard from Heshbon clear across to Elealeh and Jahaz; from Zoar all the way to Horonaim and Eglath-shelishiyah. Even the waters of Nimrim are dried up now.
Commentaries on Numbers 21:23
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 21-35Verses 21-35 Sihon went with his forces against Israel, out of his own borders, without provocation, and so ran upon his own ruin. The enemies of God's church often perish by the counsels they think most wisely taken. Og, king of Bashan, instead of being warned by the fate of his neighbours, to make peace with Israel, makes war with them, which proves in like manner his destruction. Wicked men do their utmost to secure themselves and their possessions…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21-24King Sihon's land was between Moab and Ammon. God would not allow the Israelites to invade Ammon, Edom, or Moab (Deuteronomy 2:19; Deuteronomy 2:4–9). This was because they were relatives (Genesis 19:30–38; 32:3). Yet, Israel needed to cross Transjordan (the region across the Jordan River) to enter Canaan. Sihon's territory was the natural route.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 21-2321-23. Israel sent messengers unto Sihon--The rejection of their respectful and pacific message was resented--Sihon was discomfited in battle--and Israel obtained by right of conquest the whole of the Amorite dominions.Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 21:23
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Numbers 21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
New Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries