Focused Passage

Deuteronomy 2:26-37

The Wilderness Years End and the March Begins

From forty years of wilderness wandering (v. 1) through guarded transit past Edom, Moab, and Ammon (vv. 2-23) to the decisive command to begin the conquest at the Arnon (vv. 24-25) and the total defeat of Sihon (vv. 26-37) — the chapter turns the page from judgment to advance, from restraint to war.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

26 So from the Wilderness of Kedemoth I sent messengers with an offer of peace to Sihon king of Heshbon, saying,

27 “Let us pass through your land; we will stay on the main road. We will not turn to the right or to the left.

28 You can sell us food to eat and water to drink in exchange for silver. Only let us pass through on foot,

29 just as the descendants of Esau who live in Seir and the Moabites who live in Ar did for us, until we cross the Jordan into the land that the LORD our God is giving us.”

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.

31 Then the LORD said to me, “See, I have begun to deliver Sihon and his land over to you. Now begin to conquer and possess his land.”

32 So Sihon and his whole army came out for battle against us at Jahaz.

33 And the LORD our God delivered him over to us, and we defeated him and his sons and his whole army.

34 At that time we captured all his cities and devoted to destruction the people of every city, including women and children. We left no survivors.

35 We carried off for ourselves only the livestock and the plunder from the cities we captured.

36 From Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Valley, along with the city in the valley, even as far as Gilead, not one city had walls too high for us. The LORD our God gave us all of them.

37 But you did not go near the land of the Ammonites, or the land along the banks of the Jabbok River, or the cities of the hill country, or any place that the LORD our God had forbidden.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 26

Original words

So from the Wilderness מִמִּדְבַּ֣ר H4057 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct of Kedemoth קְדֵמ֔וֹת H6932 Noun - proper - feminine singular I sent וָאֶשְׁלַ֤ח H7971 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular messengers מַלְאָכִים֙ H4397 Noun - masculine plural with an offer דִּבְרֵ֥י H1697 Noun - masculine plural construct of peace שָׁל֖וֹם H7965 Noun - masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition Sihon סִיח֖וֹן H5511 Noun - proper - masculine singular king מֶ֣לֶךְ H4428 Noun - masculine singular construct of Heshbon חֶשְׁבּ֑וֹן H2809 Noun - proper - feminine singular saying לֵאמֹֽר׃ H559 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Verse 27

Original words

Let us pass אֶעְבְּרָ֣ה H5674 Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular through your land בְאַרְצֶ֔ךָ H776 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular we will stay on the main road בַּדֶּ֥רֶךְ H1870 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - common singular . . . בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ H1870 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - common singular . . . אֵלֵ֑ךְ H1980 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular We will not לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle turn אָס֖וּר H5493 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular to the right יָמִ֥ין H3225 Noun - feminine singular or to the left וּשְׂמֹֽאול׃ H8040 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 28

Original words

You can sell us תַּשְׁבִּרֵ֙נִי֙ H7666 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singular | first person common singular food אֹ֣כֶל H400 Noun - masculine singular - בַּכֶּ֤סֶף H3701 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular to eat וְאָכַ֔לְתִּי H398 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular [and] תִּתֶּן־ H5414 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular water וּמַ֛יִם H4325 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural to drink וְשָׁתִ֑יתִי H8354 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular in exchange for silver בַּכֶּ֥סֶף H3701 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular Only רַ֖ק H7535 Adverb let us pass through אֶעְבְּרָ֥ה H5674 Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular on foot בְרַגְלָֽי׃ H7272 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine dual construct | first person common singular
Verse 29

Original words

just as כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר H834 Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative the descendants בְּנֵ֣י H1121 Noun - masculine plural construct of Esau עֵשָׂ֗ו H6215 Noun - proper - masculine singular who live הַיֹּֽשְׁבִים֙ H3427 Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural in Seir בְּשֵׂעִ֔יר H8165 Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singular and the Moabites וְהַמּ֣וֹאָבִ֔ים H4125 Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - proper - masculine plural who live הַיֹּשְׁבִ֖ים H3427 Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural in Ar בְּעָ֑ר H6144 Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singular did for us עָֽשׂוּ־ H6213 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural until עַ֤ד H5704 Preposition - אֲשֶֽׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative we cross אֶֽעֱבֹר֙ H5674 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker the Jordan הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן H3383 Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular into אֶל־ H413 Preposition the land הָאָ֕רֶץ H776 Article | Noun - feminine singular that אֲשֶׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative the LORD יְהוָ֥ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular our God אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural is giving נֹתֵ֥ן H5414 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular us לָֽנוּ׃ Preposition | first person common plural
Verse 30

Original words

But Sihon סִיחֹן֙ H5511 Noun - proper - masculine singular king מֶ֣לֶךְ H4428 Noun - masculine singular construct of Heshbon חֶשְׁבּ֔וֹן H2809 Noun - proper - feminine singular would אָבָ֗ה H14 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular not וְלֹ֣א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle let us pass הַעֲבִרֵ֖נוּ H5674 Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct | first person common plural through בּ֑וֹ Preposition | third person masculine singular for כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction the LORD יְהוָ֨ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker had made his spirit רוּח֗וֹ H7307 Noun - common singular construct | third person masculine singular stubborn הִקְשָׁה֩ H7185 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular and his heart לְבָב֔וֹ H3824 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular obstinate וְאִמֵּץ֙ H553 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker that לְמַ֛עַן H4616 Conjunction He might deliver him תִּתּ֥וֹ H5414 Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular into your hand בְיָדְךָ֖ H3027 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular as is the case הַזֶּֽה׃ס H2088 Article | Pronoun - masculine singular this day כַּיּ֥וֹם H3117 Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 31

Original words

Then the LORD יְהוָה֙ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular said וַיֹּ֤אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular to me אֵלַ֔י H413 Preposition | first person common singular See רְאֵ֗ה H7200 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular I have begun הַֽחִלֹּ֙תִי֙ H2490 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common singular to deliver תֵּ֣ת H5414 Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct Sihon סִיחֹ֖ן H5511 Noun - proper - masculine singular - וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker and his land אַרְצ֑וֹ H776 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular over to you לְפָנֶ֔יךָ H6440 Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singular Now אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker begin הָחֵ֣ל H2490 Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular to conquer רָ֔שׁ H3423 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular and possess לָרֶ֖שֶׁת H3423 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker his land אַרְצֽוֹ׃ H776 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 32

Original words

So Sihon סִיחֹ֨ן H5511 Noun - proper - masculine singular - ה֧וּא H1931 Pronoun - third person masculine singular and his whole וְכָל־ H3605 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct army עַמּ֛וֹ H5971 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular came out וַיֵּצֵא֩ H3318 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular for battle לַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה H4421 Preposition-l, Article | Noun - feminine singular against us לִקְרָאתֵ֜נוּ H7122 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | first person common plural at Jahaz יָֽהְצָה׃ H3096 Noun - proper - feminine singular | third person feminine singular
Verse 33

Original words

And the LORD יְהוָ֥ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular our God אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural delivered him over וַֽיִּתְּנֵ֛הוּ H5414 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular to us לְפָנֵ֑ינוּ H6440 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural and we defeated him וַנַּ֥ךְ H5221 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - first person common plural - אֹת֛וֹ H853 Direct object marker | third person masculine singular - וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker and his sons בְּנוֹ H1121 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular - וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker and his whole כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct army עַמּֽוֹ׃ H5971 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 34

Original words

At that הַהִ֔וא H1931 Article | Pronoun - third person feminine singular time בָּעֵ֣ת H6256 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - common singular we captured וַנִּלְכֹּ֤ד H3920 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct his cities עָרָיו֙ H5892 Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singular and devoted to destruction וַֽנַּחֲרֵם֙ H2763 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - first person common plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker the people מְתִ֔ם H4962 Noun - masculine plural of every כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct city עִ֣יר H5892 Noun - feminine singular including women וְהַנָּשִׁ֖ים H802 Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - feminine plural and children וְהַטָּ֑ף H2945 Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular We left הִשְׁאַ֖רְנוּ H7604 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common plural no לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle survivors שָׂרִֽיד׃ H8300 Noun - masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Forms of the Hebrew cherem refer to the giving over of things or persons to the LORD, either by destroying them or by giving them as an offering.
Verse 35

Original words

We carried off for ourselves only רַ֥ק H7535 Adverb בָּזַ֣זְנוּ בָּזַ֣זְנוּ H962 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common plural the livestock הַבְּהֵמָ֖ה H929 Article | Noun - feminine singular and the plunder וּשְׁלַ֥ל H7998 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct from the cities הֶעָרִ֖ים H5892 Article | Noun - feminine plural - אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative we captured לָכָֽדְנוּ׃ H3920 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common plural
Verse 36

Original words

From Aroer מֵֽעֲרֹעֵ֡ר H6177 Preposition-m | Noun - proper - feminine singular - אֲשֶׁר֩ H834 Pronoun - relative on עַל־ H5921 Preposition the rim שְׂפַת־ H8193 Noun - feminine singular construct of the Arnon אַרְנֹ֜ן H769 Noun - proper - feminine singular Valley נַ֨חַל H5158 Noun - masculine singular construct along with the city וְהָעִ֨יר H5892 Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - feminine singular - אֲשֶׁ֤ר H834 Pronoun - relative in the valley בַּנַּ֙חַל֙ H5158 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular even as וְעַד־ H5704 Conjunctive waw | Preposition far as Gilead הַגִּלְעָ֔ד H1568 Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular not one לֹ֤א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle city קִרְיָ֔ה H7151 Noun - feminine singular [had walls] הָֽיְתָה֙ H1961 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular - אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative too high שָׂגְבָ֖ה H7682 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular for us מִמֶּ֑נּוּ H4480 Preposition | first person common plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker The LORD יְהוָ֥ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular our God אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural gave נָתַ֛ן H5414 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular us לְפָנֵֽינוּ׃ H6440 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural all of them הַכֹּ֕ל H3605 Article | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 37

Original words

But רַ֛ק H7535 Adverb . . . אֶל־ H413 Preposition you did not לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle go near קָרָ֑בְתָּ H7126 Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular the land אֶ֥רֶץ H776 Noun - feminine singular construct of the Ammonites בְּנֵי־ H1121 Noun - masculine plural construct . . . עַמּ֖וֹן H5983 Noun - proper - masculine singular or [the land] כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct along the banks יַ֞ד H3027 Noun - feminine singular construct of the Jabbok יַבֹּק֙ H2999 Noun - proper - feminine singular River נַ֤חַל H5158 Noun - masculine singular construct or the cities וְעָרֵ֣י H5892 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural construct of the hill country הָהָ֔ר H2022 Article | Noun - masculine singular or any וְכֹ֥ל H3605 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular place that אֲשֶׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative the LORD יְהוָ֥ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular our God אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural had forbidden צִוָּ֖ה H6680 Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.