Bible Strands
Psalms 136:19
Sihon king of the Amorites His loving devotion endures forever.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The psalmist recites a liturgical catalog of defeated rulers to a congregational audience during corporate worship. Each entry follows the established refrain pattern of the surrounding verses.
The words — סִיחוֹן (si.chon) identifies the Amorite ruler Sihon, while חַסְדּוֹ (chas.do) literally means his covenant loyalty. The modifier לְעוֹלָם (le.ʿo.lam) asserts that this loyalty endures forever.
The thread — Sihon appears with Og in Deuteronomy 29:7 as a defeated enemy, is described as stubborn in Deuteronomy 2:30, and is named in Numbers 21:21 during Israel’s diplomatic approach to his territory.
Why it lands — The verse records Sihon’s defeat as a sequential entry in a historical litany, not as a narrative account of battle. It requires the reader to acknowledge Yahweh’s consistent sovereignty over opposing kingdoms.
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
Sihon king of the Amorites: for his mercy endureth for ever:
Cross-references
- 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.
- 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.
- Numbers 21:21 Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, saying,