15. In fact, it was the Lord himself who got rid of all of them until none were left in the camp.
16. When the last of these soldiers had died,
17. the Lord said to me,
18. “Today you are going to pass by the border of Moab at Ar.
19. When you come near the Ammonites, don’t bother them or start a fight with them. I’m not giving you any of the land that I have already given to the descendants of Lot as their property.”
20. This land was thought of as the land of the Rephaim who used to live there, but the Ammonites called them Zamzummim.
21. These people were as strong, as numerous, and as tall as the people of Anak. But the Lord wiped them out before the Ammonites came so that the Ammonites claimed their land and took their place.
22. The Lord did the same thing for the descendants of Esau, who lived in Seir. Before the descendants of Esau came, he wiped out the Horites so that Esau’s descendants claimed their land and took their place. Esau’s descendants are still there today.
23. The same thing happened to the Avvites who lived in villages as far away as Gaza. The Caphtorites, who came from Crete, wiped them out and took their place.
24. ⌊The Lord continued,⌋ “Now break camp. Cross the Arnon Valley. I’m going to hand King Sihon of Heshbon, the Amorite, over to you. Fight him, and take possession of his country.
25. Today I will start to make all the people under heaven terrified of you. When they hear about you, they will tremble and shake because of you.”
26. From the desert of Kedemoth, I sent messengers to King Sihon of Heshbon with the following offer of peace:
27. “If you allow us to travel through your country, we’ll go straight through and won’t ever leave the road.