16. From there they went to Beer, which is the well of which the Lord said to Moses, Gather the people together so that I may give them water.
17. Then Israel sang this song:Spring up, O well!—so sing to it—
18. The well that the princes sank,that the nobles of the people dug,With their scepters and their staffs—from the wilderness, a gift.
19. From Beer to Nahaliel, from Nahaliel to Bamoth,
20. from Bamoth to the valley in the country of Moab at the headland of Pisgah that overlooks Jeshimon.
21. Now Israel sent messengers to Sihon, king of the Amorites, with the message,
22. “Let us pass through your land. We will not turn aside into any field or vineyard, nor will we drink any well water, but we will go straight along the King’s Highway until we have passed through your territory.”
23. Sihon, however, would not permit Israel to pass through his territory, but mustered all his forces and advanced against Israel into the wilderness. When he reached Jahaz, he engaged Israel in battle.
24. But Israel put him to the sword, and took possession of his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok and as far as Jazer of the Ammonites, for Jazer is the boundary of the Ammonites.
25. Israel seized all the towns here, and Israel settled in all the towns of the Amorites, in Heshbon and all its dependencies.
26. For Heshbon was the city of Sihon, king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab and had taken all his land from him as far as the Arnon.
27. That is why the poets say:“Come to Heshbon, let it be rebuilt,let Sihon’s city be firmly constructed.
28. For fire went forth from Heshbonand a blaze from the city of Sihon;It consumed Ar of Moaband swallowed up the high places of the Arnon.
29. Woe to you, Moab!You are no more, people of Chemosh!He let his sons become fugitivesand his daughters be taken captive by the Amorite king Sihon.
30. From Heshbon to Dibon their dominion is no more;Ar is laid waste; fires blaze as far as Medeba.”
31. So Israel settled in the land of the Amorites.