12. In earlier times the Horites had lived in Seir, but they were driven out and displaced by the descendants of Esau, just as Israel drove out the people of Canaan when the lord gave Israel their land.)
13. Moses continued, “Then the lord said to us, ‘Get moving. Cross the Zered Brook.’ So we crossed the brook.
14. “Thirty-eight years passed from the time we first left Kadesh-barnea until we finally crossed the Zered Brook! By then, all the men old enough to fight in battle had died in the wilderness, as the lord had vowed would happen.
15. The lord struck them down until they had all been eliminated from the community.
16. “When all the men of fighting age had died,
17. the lord said to me,
18. ‘Today you will cross the border of Moab at Ar
19. and enter the land of the Ammonites, the descendants of Lot. But do not bother them or start a war with them. I have given the land of Ammon to them as their property, and I will not give you any of their land.’”
20. (That area was once considered the land of the Rephaites, who had lived there, though the Ammonites call them Zamzummites.
21. They were also as strong and numerous and tall as the Anakites. But the lord destroyed them so the Ammonites could occupy their land.
22. He had done the same for the descendants of Esau who lived in Seir, for he destroyed the Horites so they could settle there in their place. The descendants of Esau live there to this day.
23. A similar thing happened when the Caphtorites from Crete invaded and destroyed the Avvites, who had lived in villages in the area of Gaza.)
24. Moses continued, “Then the lord said, ‘Now get moving! Cross the Arnon Gorge. Look, I will hand over to you Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and I will give you his land. Attack him and begin to occupy the land.
25. Beginning today I will make people throughout the earth terrified because of you. When they hear reports about you, they will tremble with dread and fear.’”
26. Moses continued, “From the wilderness of Kedemoth I sent ambassadors to King Sihon of Heshbon with this proposal of peace:
27. ‘Let us travel through your land. We will stay on the main road and won’t turn off into the fields on either side.