15. In fact, the Lord’s power was against them, to rid the camp of them, until they were all gone.
16. Now as soon as all those of fighting age had died,
17. the Lord said to me:
18. Today you are crossing through the territory of Moab and Ar
19. and you will come close to the Ammonites. Don’t aggravate them. Don’t fight with them because I won’t give any part of the Ammonites’ land to you as your own. I’ve given it to Lot’s descendants as their property.
20. Now people thought that land was Rephaim territory as well. The Rephaim had lived there previously. But the Ammonites called them "Zamzummim."
21. They were large, numerous, and tall, just like the Anakim. But the Lord completely destroyed the Zamzummim before the Ammonites, and they took possession of that area, settling in their place.
22. That is exactly what God did for Esau’s descendants, who live in Seir, when he completely destroyed the Horites in their presence, and they took possession of the Horites’ area, settling in their place to this very day.
23. The Avvim, who had lived in settlements around Gaza, were completely destroyed by the Caphtorim, who had come from Caphtor. They replaced the Avvim there.
24. "So get going. Cross the Arnon ravine. I have handed Sihon the Amorite king of Heshbon and his land over to you. It’s time to possess the area! It’s time to fight him in battle!
25. Starting right now, I am making everyone everywhere afraid of you and scared of you. Once they hear news of you, they will be shaking and worrying because of you."
26. I then sent messengers from the Kedemoth desert to Sihon, Heshbon’s king, with words of peace:
27. "Please let us pass through your land. We promise to stay on the road. We won’t step off it, right or left.
28. Please sell us food for money so we can eat; sell us water for money so we can drink. Let us pass through on foot—
29. just as Esau’s descendants who live in Seir and the Moabites who live in Ar did for me—until we cross the Jordan River into the land that the Lord our God is giving to us."
30. But Sihon, Heshbon’s king, wasn’t willing to let us pass through his land because the Lord your God had made his spirit hard and his heart inflexible so that God could hand him over to you, which is exactly how it happened.
31. The Lord said to me: Look! Right now I’m laying Sihon and his land before you. It’s time to take possession of his land!
32. Sihon and all his forces came out to meet us in battle at Jahaz.