The Scriptures 1998

Numbers 21:9-28 The Scriptures 1998 (ISR98)

9. So Mosheh made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole. And it came to be, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.

10. And the children of Yisra’ĕl set out and camped in Oḇoth.

11. And they departed from Oḇoth and camped at Iyĕ Ha-Aḇarim, in the wilderness which is east of Mo’aḇ, toward sunrise.

12. From there they set out and camped at the wadi Zereḏ.

13. From there they set out 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 Mo’aḇ, between Mo’aḇ and the Amorites.

14. Therefore it is said in the Book of the Battles of יהוה, “Wahĕḇ in Suphah, the wadi Arnon,

15. and the slope of the wadi that turns aside to the dwelling of Ar, and lies on the border of Mo’aḇ.”

16. And from there on to Be’ĕr, which is the well where יהוה said to Mosheh, “Gather the people, and let Me give them water.”

17. Yisra’ĕl then sang this song: “Spring up, O well! Sing to it,

18. a well the leaders sank, which the nobles of the people dug with their staves, by the word of the Law-giver.” Then from the wilderness on to Mattanah,

19. from Mattanah to Naḥali’ĕl, from Naḥali’ĕl to Bamoth,

20. and from Bamoth, in the valley that is in the country of Mo’aḇ, to the top of Pisgah which looks down on the wasteland.

21. And Yisra’ĕl sent messengers to Siḥon sovereign of the Amorites, saying,

22. “Let me pass through your land. We shall not turn off into fields or vineyards, we shall not drink water from wells, but go by the sovereign’s highway until we have passed over your border.”

23. But Siḥon would not allow Yisra’ĕl to pass through his border. So Siḥon gathered all his people together and went out against Yisra’ĕl in the wilderness, and he came to Yahats and fought against Yisra’ĕl.

24. And Yisra’ĕl smote him with the edge of the sword, and took possession of his land from the Arnon to the Yabboq, as far as the children of Ammon, for the border of the children of Ammon was strong.

25. And Yisra’ĕl took all these cities, and Yisra’ĕl dwelt in all the cities of the Amorites – in Ḥeshbon and in all its villages,

26. for Ḥeshbon was the city of Siḥon the sovereign of the Amorites, who had fought against the former sovereign of Mo’aḇ, and had taken all his land from his hand as far as the Arnon.

27. That is why those who speak in proverbs say, “Come to Ḥeshbon, let the city of Siḥon be built and established.

28. “For fire went out from Ḥeshbon, a flame from the city of Siḥon. It consumed Ar of Mo’aḇ, the masters of the heights of the Arnon.