22. “Let us pass through your country. We will not go through any fields of grain or vineyards. We will not drink water from the wells. We will travel only along the king’s road. We will stay on it until we have passed through your country.”
23. But King Sihon would not let the Israelites pass through his country. He gathered his army together. They marched out to meet Israel in the desert. At Jahaz they fought the Israelites.
24. Israel killed the king. Then they captured his land from the Arnon River to the Jabbok River. They took the land as far as the Ammonite border. That border was strongly defended.
25. Israel captured all the Amorite cities and lived in them. They took Heshbon and all the towns around it.
26. Heshbon was the city where Sihon, the Amorite king, lived. In the past he had fought with the king of Moab. Sihon had taken all the land as far as the Arnon.
27. That is why the poets say:“Come to Heshbonand rebuild it.Rebuild Sihon’s city.
28. A fire began in Heshbon.Flames came from Sihon’s city.It destroyed Ar in Moab.It burned the Arnon highlands.
29. How terrible for you, Moab!The people of Chemosh are ruined.His sons ran away.His daughters were capturedby Sihon, king of the Amorites.