Numbers 21:11-35 NKJV
11 And they journeyed from Oboth and camped at [a]Ije Abarim, in the wilderness which is east of Moab, toward the sunrise. 12 From there they moved and camped in the Valley of Zered. 13 From there they moved and camped on the other side of the Arnon, which is in the wilderness that extends from the border of the Amorites; for the Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites. 14 Therefore it is said in the Book of the Wars of the Lord:
[b]“Waheb in Suphah,
The brooks of the Arnon,
15 And the slope of the brooks
That reaches to the dwelling of Ar,
And lies on the border of Moab.”
16 From there they went to Beer, which is the well where the Lord said to Moses, “Gather the people together, and I will give them water.” 17 Then Israel sang this song:
“Spring up, O well!
All of you sing to it—
18 The well the leaders sank,
Dug by the nation’s nobles,
By the lawgiver, with their staves.”
And from the wilderness they went to Mattanah, 19 from Mattanah to Nahaliel, from Nahaliel to Bamoth, 20 and from Bamoth, in the valley that is in the [c]country of Moab, to the top of Pisgah which looks down on the [d]wasteland.
King Sihon Defeated
21 Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, saying, 22 “Let me pass through your land. We will not turn aside into fields or vineyards; we will not drink water from wells. We will go by the King’s Highway until we have passed through your territory.” 23 But Sihon would not allow Israel to pass through his territory. So Sihon gathered all his people together and [e]went out against Israel in the wilderness, and he came to Jahaz and fought against Israel. 24 Then Israel defeated him with the edge of the sword, and took possession of his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, as far as the people of Ammon; for the border of the people of Ammon was fortified. 25 So Israel took all these cities, and Israel dwelt in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon and in all its villages. 26 For Heshbon was the city of Sihon king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab, and had taken all his land from his hand as far as the Arnon. 27 Therefore those who speak in [f]proverbs say:
“Come to Heshbon, let it be built;
Let the city of Sihon be repaired.
28 “For fire went out from Heshbon,
A flame from the city of Sihon;
It consumed Ar of Moab,
The lords of the heights of the Arnon.
29 Woe to you, Moab!
You have perished, O people of Chemosh!
He has given his sons as fugitives,
And his daughters into captivity,
To Sihon king of the Amorites.
30 “But we have shot at them;
Heshbon has perished as far as Dibon.
Then we laid waste as far as Nophah,
Which reaches to Medeba.”
31 Thus Israel dwelt in the land of the Amorites. 32 Then Moses sent to [g]spy out Jazer; and they took its villages and drove out the Amorites who were there.
King Og Defeated
33 And they turned and went up by the way to Bashan. So Og king of Bashan went out against them, he and all his people, to battle at Edrei. 34 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Do not fear him, for I have [h]delivered him into your hand, with all his people and his land; and you shall do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt at Heshbon.” 35 So they defeated him, his sons, and all his people, until there was no survivor left him; and they took possession of his land.
As the children of Israel continued to wander the wilderness, ultimately on their way to the Promised Land, they asked permission of Sihon king of the Amorites simply to pass by their territory. They asked for nothing except untroubled passage, taking no water from their wells nor going through any fields or vineyards. However, Sihon not only did not let the Israelites through, but went out to war against them only to be defeated soundly. It wasn’t the original plan to defeat the Amorites, but God gave them into the hands of the Israelites in a powerful and convincing way. “Thus, Israel dwelt in the land of the Amorites” (v. 31).
In addition, Og, King of Bashan attacked the Israelites but was defeated soundly and completely, for God had told Moses that He would deliver Og and his army into their hands with all the people and the land.
Imaging Moses’ confidence as he and the Israelites not only fought off but annihilated both the Amorites and Og’s army and land. And well Moses should have been confident; he had the Word of God Himself spoken directly to him. Things could not have been any clearer, so he and the Israelites went forward in the name and power of the Lord God.
Throughout Holy Scripture God has given His Word and promises to His people not to fear their enemies and to trust solely in Him. It seems like it should have been so easy for God’s people: simply trust in God’s Word and you’ll ultimately be fine! But man is not so trustworthy or strong; all too often we prefer our own ways to God’s but should know by the constant testimony of Scripture not to do that!
Sinful man that you are, dear Saint, like so many before you, you will not be perfectly obedient or perfectly faithful this side of heaven. But Christ our Lord “humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross” (Phil 2:8). By God-given faith in Jesus, His perfect obedience is counted to you as righteousness, and you are forgiven and free.
Let us pray: Thank You, Jesus, for Your obedience and atoning sacrifice for all my sins. Amen