14. Thirty-eight years passed from the time we left Kadesh Barnea until we crossed the Zered Valley. By then, that entire generation of fighting men had perished from the camp, as the Lord had sworn to them.
15. The Lord’s hand was against them until he had completely eliminated them from the camp.
16. Now when the last of these fighting men among the people had died,
17. the Lord said to me,
18. “Today you are to pass by the region of Moab at Ar.
19. When you come to the Ammonites, do not harass them or provoke them to war, for I will not give you possession of any land belonging to the Ammonites. I have given it as a possession to the descendants of Lot.”
20. (That too was considered a land of the Rephaites, who used to live there; but the Ammonites called them Zamzummites.
21. They were a people strong and numerous, and as tall as the Anakites. The Lord destroyed them from before the Ammonites, who drove them out and settled in their place.
22. The Lord had done the same for the descendants of Esau, who lived in Seir, when he destroyed the Horites from before them. They drove them out and have lived in their place to this day.
23. And as for the Avvites who lived in villages as far as Gaza, the Caphtorites coming out from Caphtor destroyed them and settled in their place.)
24. “Set out now and cross the Arnon Gorge. See, I have given into your hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his country. Begin to take possession of it and engage him in battle.
25. This very day I will begin to put the terror and fear of you on all the nations under heaven. They will hear reports of you and will tremble and be in anguish because of you.”
26. From the Desert of Kedemoth I sent messengers to Sihon king of Heshbon offering peace and saying,
27. “Let us pass through your country. We will stay on the main road; we will not turn aside to the right or to the left.
28. Sell us food to eat and water to drink for their price in silver. Only let us pass through on foot—