14. Now the length of time it took for us to come to Kadesh Barnea until we crossed over the brook Zered was thirty-eight years, until all the generation of the men of war perished from among the army, just as the Lord swore to them.
15. For indeed the hand of the Lord was against them, to destroy them from among their midst, until they were gone.
16. So it came to pass, when all the men of war were gone and dead from among the people,
17. then the Lord spoke to me, saying,
18. “Today, you are to pass over through Ar, the border of Moab.
19. When you come close to the Ammonites, do not harass them or provoke them, for I will not give you any of the land of the Ammonites as a possession, because I have given it to the children of Lot for a possession.”
20. (That also is considered the land of giants. Giants formerly lived there, but the Ammonites call them Zamzummites.
21. They were a great people, as numerous and tall as the Anakites. But the Lord destroyed them before the Ammonites. Then they dispossessed them and lived in their place,
22. just as He had done for the children of Esau, who lived in Seir, when He destroyed the Horites from before them, and they dispossessed them, and lived in their place even to this day.
23. And the Avvites, who lived in villages as far as Gaza, the Caphtorites, who came out of Caphtor, destroyed them, and lived in their place.)
24. “Arise, set out, and cross the River Arnon. See, I have given Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land into your hand. Begin to possess it and contend with him in battle.
25. This day I will begin to put the dread of you and the fear of you on the nations that are under the whole heaven, who shall hear the report of you, and shall tremble, and be in anguish because of you.”
26. I sent messengers out of the Wilderness of Kedemoth to Sihon, king of Heshbon, with words of peace, saying,
27. “Let me pass through your land. I will only go on the main road. I will not turn aside to the right or the left.
28. You shall sell me food for money so that I may eat, and give me water for money so that I may drink, only allow me to pass through on foot,
29. just as the children of Esau who dwell in Seir and the Moabites who dwell in Ar did for me, until I pass over the Jordan into the land which the Lord our God is giving us.”
30. But Sihon, king of Heshbon, would not let us pass by him, for the Lord your God hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate, so that He might deliver him into your hand as he is to this day.
31. The Lord said to me, “See, I have begun to give Sihon and his land to you. Begin to possess it, so that you may inherit his land.”
32. Then Sihon came out against us, he and all his people, to fight at Jahaz.