Numbers 21:21-30 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Numbers 21:21-35

We have here an account of the victories obtained by Israel over Sihon and Og, which must be distinctly considered, not only because they are here distinctly related, but because long afterwards the memorial of them is distinctly celebrated, and they are severally assigned as instances of everlasting mercy. He slew Sihon king of the Amorites, for his mercy endureth for ever, and Og the king of Bashan, for his mercy endureth for ever, Ps. 136:19; 20. I. Israel sent a peaceable message to Sihon... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 21:21

And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites ,.... Who were one of the nations of the Canaanites, and a principal and powerful one, and who were devoted to destruction, and their land designed for the people of Israel; see Genesis 15:16 , at this time Sihon was their king, to whom Moses, in the name of Israel, sent a very peaceable message from the wilderness of Kedemoth, which lay near his country, Deuteronomy 2:26 , saying ; as follows. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 21:22

Let me pass through thy land ,.... Through some part of it, which would have been a shorter way to the river Jordan, over which Israel was to pass into the land of Canaan; the terms proposed, or things to be observed in their passage, which they would bind themselves strictly to, are the same that were made to the king of Edom. See Gill on Numbers 20:17 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 21:23

And Sihon would not suffer Israel to pass through his border ,.... Because he could not trust them, and confide in the promises they made, and thought it not safe to let such a body of people into any part of his dominions, Judges 11:20 and chiefly because his heart was hardened by the Lord, that he might be delivered into the hands of Israel, as was determined, Deuteronomy 2:30 , but Sihon gathered all his people together ; all that were able to bear arms out of his cities, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 21:24

And Israel smote him with the edge of the sword ,.... Slew him and his army, entirely routed them, and got a complete victory over them; God giving them up into their hands, who otherwise were a very strong, powerful, and warlike people; see Amos 2:9 . and possessed his land from Arnon unto Jabbok ; two rivers, the one to the south, the other to the north of his country; the one was the boundary of his country between him and the Moabites, the other the boundary of his country between... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 21:25

And Israel took all these cities ,.... Which lay between the rivers Arnon and Jabbok; their particular names may be seen in Numbers 32:3 , and Israel dwelt in all the cities of the Amorites ; being given to the Reubenites and Gadites, who inhabited them, as their possession and inheritance, Numbers 32:2 , in Heshbon, and in all the villages thereof ; or "daughters thereof" F17 בנתיה "filiabus ejus", Montanus, Munster, Fagius, Grotius. . Heshbon was the metropolis or... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 21:26

For Heshbon was the city of Sihon the king of the Amorites ,.... His royal city, where he kept his palace, where he had resided for some time, and perhaps some of his predecessors; and therefore being now in his possession when taken by the Israelites, they had a good right and title to keep it, and dwell in it: and indeed this is here given as a reason of it: who had fought against the former king of Moab ; either the king that reigned before Balak, or some king of Moab, that reigned... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 21:27

Wherefore they that speak in proverbs say ,.... The historical writers of those times, among the Amorites, who were usually poets, and wrote the history of the wars between the Moabites and Amorites in verse; as Homer among the Greeks wrote the wars of Troy; and the compositions of those ancient bards were short and compendious, and wrapped up in proverbial sayings, and enigmatical and figurative expressions, that they might be the better retained in memory, and therefore were called... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 21:28

For there is a fire gone out of Heshbon ,.... Not before, but after Sihon had subdued it, as Jarchi observes; and is to be understood of his soldiers going out from thence, and making desolations in the adjacent parts, like a strong fire, and the fierce flames of it there is no resisting; and so the Jerusalem Targum,"for a people mighty, and burning like fire, are gone out of Heshbon:'see Amos 1:4 , a flame from the city of Sihon: which is the same thing in other words, the city of Sihon... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 21:29

Woe to thee, Moab! thou art undone ,.... The whole country ruined, or likely to be so: O people of Chemosh ; which was the name of their idol, who is called the abomination of the Moabites, 1 Kings 11:7 , he hath given his sons that escaped ; that is, the idol Chemosh had given his sons, the men of the country that worshipped him, who escaped the sword of the Amorites, these: and his daughters, into captivity unto Sihon king of the Amorites ; who took captive what he slew not,... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Numbers 21:21-35

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 21:21

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 21:22

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 21:23

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 21:24

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 21:25

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 21:26

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 21:27

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 21:28

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 21:29

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