Bible Strands
Numbers 21:23
But Sihon would not let Israel pass through his territory. Instead, he gathered his whole army and went out to confront Israel in the wilderness. When he came to Jahaz, he fought against Israel.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrator records the moment Israel requests peaceful transit through Amorite land, but King Sihon refuses the request and mobilizes his forces to intercept them.
The words — The Hebrew verb נָתַן (na.Tan) literally means “he permitted,” used here in the negative to state that Sihon would not allow Israel to pass through his territory.
The thread — This refusal to grant passage appears in Judges 11:20 and parallels Edom’s denial in Numbers 20:21, while Deuteronomy 29:7 records Sihon’s subsequent decision to come out against Israel in battle.
Why it lands — The text requires the reader to acknowledge that diplomatic overtures for safe transit can be met with organized military resistance, forcing a shift from peaceful travel to armed conflict.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And Sihon would not suffer Israel to pass through his border: but Sihon gathered all his people together, and went out against Israel into the wilderness: and he came to Jahaz, and fought against Israel.
Cross-references
- Judges 11:20 But Sihon would not trust Israel to pass through his territory. So he gathered all his people, encamped in Jahaz, and fought with Israel.
- Deuteronomy 29:7 When you reached this place, Sihon king of Heshbon and Og king of Bashan came out against us in battle, but we defeated them.
- Numbers 20:21 So Edom refused to allow Israel to pass through their territory, and Israel turned away from them.
- Deuteronomy 2:30 But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass through, for the LORD your God had made his spirit stubborn and his heart obstinate, that He might deliver him into your hand, as is the case this day.
- Isaiah 15:4 Heshbon and Elealeh cry out; their voices are heard as far as Jahaz. Therefore the soldiers of Moab cry out; their souls tremble within.
- Jeremiah 48:34 There is a cry from Heshbon to Elealeh; they raise their voices to Jahaz, from Zoar to Horonaim and Eglath-shelishiyah; for even the waters of Nimrim have dried up.