21:21-35

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Territory seized east of Jordan

(Nu 21:21-22:1)

Although Israel had not attacked its brother nation Edom when the king of Edom refused a request to pass through his territory, it did not hesitate to go to war with the Amorite king Sihon who refused a similar request. The Amorites started the fighting, but Israel crushed their army, conquered their chief city Heshbon, and overran their territory (Nu 21:21-25).

The victory was especially pleasing to Israel, because the Amorites had only recently gained this territory from the Moabites. The Amorites had written a victory song to celebrate their conquest of Moab (along with its national god Chemosh), but now they themselves were conquered (Nu 21:26-30).

As a result of this victory, Israel now controlled an area on Canaan’s eastern border that extended from the Arnon River north to the Jabbok River (Nu 21:31-32).

Israel expanded even farther north with its conquest of Og, another Amorite king, who ruled over the rich pasture land of Bashan.

This gave Israel control of the whole region east of the Jordan River (Nu 21:33-35).

The Israelites set up their main camp on the plains of Moab, east of Jordan opposite Jericho (Nu 22:1).