Read the Modern Pastor’s Version

When King Arad, a Canaanite ruler from the south, heard that Israel was traveling along the same route the spies had taken, he attacked them and captured some of their people. Israel vowed to the Lord, saying, "If you will deliver this people into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their cities." The Lord listened to Israel's plea and delivered up the Canaanites; they were completely destroyed along with their cities, and He called that place Hormah.

From Mount Hor, they journeyed by way of the Red Sea, going around the land of Edom. But the people's spirits grew discouraged because of the route. They spoke against God and Moses, saying, "Why have you led us out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no food, and we have no water; our very lives loathe this meager bread." The Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit many of Israel, causing them to die.

The people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned against the Lord and against you; pray that he remove the serpents from us." And Moses prayed for the people. The Lord said to Moses, "Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole; then everyone who has been bitten will live when they look at it."

Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole, so anyone who had been bitten by a snake would live if they looked at the serpent. The Israelites moved forward and camped in Oboth. They continued their journey from Oboth to Ijeabarim, where they pitched their tents in the wilderness before Moab, facing east.

From there, they journeyed to the valley of Zered and then on to the other side of Arnon, which marks the boundary between Moab and the Amorites. It is said that the Lord did great things in the Red Sea and in the brooks of Arnon. They crossed over a stream of brooks flowing down to the dwelling place of Ar, marking the border of Moab.

From there, they traveled to Beer, where the Lord spoke to Moses and told him to gather the people together so He could give them water. Israel sang a song about the well: "Spring up, O well; sing ye unto it: The well which the princes dug, with their scepters and staves." They continued on from Mattanah to Nahaliel, then Bamoth in the valley, that is in the country of Moab, to the top of Pisgah, which overlooks Jeshimon.

Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, saying, "Let me pass through your land. We will not turn aside into fields or vineyards; we won't drink from the waters of the wells until we have gone by the king's highway and are beyond your borders." But Sihon refused, so he gathered his people and marched out against Israel in the wilderness, coming to Jahaz where they fought.

Israel struck down Sihon with the edge of the sword and took possession of his land from Arnon to Jabbok, including the territory of the Amorites. They conquered all these cities and settled in every city of the Amorites, including Heshbon and its surrounding villages. For Heshbon was the city of Sihon, king of the Amorites, who had taken all the land of Moab from him, even unto Arnon.

The people say that there is a fire that has gone out of Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon, which has consumed Ar of Moab and the rulers of the high places of Arnon. Woe to you, Moab! You are undone, O people of Chemosh: he has given his sons who escaped and his daughters into captivity unto Sihon king of the Amorites.

We have shot at them; Heshbon has perished all the way to Dibon, and we have laid waste everything as far as Nophah, which reaches to Medeba. Israel dwelled in the land of the Amorites. Moses sent spies to Jaazer, who took its villages and drove out the Amorites who lived there.

The people turned and went up by the way of Bashan, where Og king of Bashan came out against them with all his people to battle at Edrei. The Lord said to Moses, "Do not be afraid of him; I have given him and his people into your hand, along with his land, just as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites who lived in Heshbon."

They struck Og down, his sons, and all his people until none were left alive. They took possession of his land.