Sihon סִיחוֹן
Amorite king of Heshbon, defeated by the Israelites.
Biography
Sihon, the Amorite king of Heshbon, is mentioned in several passages in the Old Testament, particularly in the books of Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, 1 Kings, Nehemiah, Psalms, and Jeremiah. He ruled over the territory east of the Jordan River, which the Israelites sought to pass through on their way to the Promised Land.
When Moses sent messengers to Sihon requesting permission to pass through his land peacefully, Sihon refused and instead gathered his army to attack the Israelites (Num.21.21-23; Deu.2.26-30). In response, the Israelites fought against Sihon and his army, defeating them and conquering his territory (Num.21.24-25; Deu.2.31-37). The victory over Sihon was seen as a significant milestone in the Israelites' journey to the Promised Land and a demonstration of God's power and faithfulness to His people.
The conquest of Sihon's kingdom, along with that of Og, king of Bashan, allowed the Israelites to settle in the Transjordan region, with the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh receiving their inheritance there (Num.32.33; Jos.13.10, 21, 27). The defeat of Sihon and Og is remembered as a testament to God's deliverance and is celebrated in the Psalms (Psalm Jos.135.11; 136.19).
In Scripture
8 biblical books ; 5 with study contentNumbers 5 verses
- Numbers 21:21
"Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, saying,"
- Numbers 21:23
"Sihon would not allow Israel to pass through his border, but Sihon gathered all his people together, and went out against Israel into the wilderness, and came to Jahaz. He fought against Israel."
- Numbers 21:26
"For Heshbon was the city of Sihon the king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab, and taken all his land out of his hand, even to the Arnon."
- Numbers 21:27
"Therefore those who speak in proverbs say, “Come to Heshbon. Let the city of Sihon be built and established;"
- Numbers 21:28
"for a fire has gone out of Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon. It has devoured Ar of Moab, The lords of the high places of the Arnon."
Deuteronomy 5 verses
- Deuteronomy 1:4
"after he had struck Sihon the king of the Amorites who lived in Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan who lived in Ashtaroth, at Edrei."
Study Deuteronomy → - Deuteronomy 2:24
"“Rise up, take your journey, and pass over the valley of the Arnon. Behold, I have given into your hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land; begin to possess it, and contend with him in battle."
Study Deuteronomy → - Deuteronomy 2:26
"I sent messengers out of the wilderness of Kedemoth to Sihon king of Heshbon with words of peace, saying,"
Study Deuteronomy → - Deuteronomy 2:30
"But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him; for Yahweh your God hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate, that he might deliver him into your hand, as it is today."
Study Deuteronomy → - Deuteronomy 2:31
"Yahweh said to me, “Behold, I have begun to deliver up Sihon and his land before you. Begin to possess, that you may inherit his land.”"
Study Deuteronomy →
Joshua 5 verses
- Joshua 2:10
"For we have heard how Yahweh dried up the water of the Red Sea before you, when you came out of Egypt; and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and to Og, whom you utterly destroyed."
Study Joshua → - Joshua 9:10
"and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon and to Og king of Bashan, who was at Ashtaroth."
Study Joshua → - Joshua 12:2
"Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon, and ruled from Aroer, which is on the edge of the valley of the Arnon, and the middle of the valley, and half Gilead, even to the river Jabbok, the border of the children of Ammon;"
Study Joshua → - Joshua 12:5
"and ruled in Mount Hermon, and in Salecah, and in all Bashan, to the border of the Geshurites and the Maacathites, and half Gilead, the border of Sihon king of Heshbon."
Study Joshua → - Joshua 13:10
"and all the cities of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, to the border of the children of Ammon;"
Study Joshua →
Judges 3 verses
- Judges 11:19
"Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon; and Israel said to him, ‘Please let us pass through your land to my place.’"
- Judges 11:20
"But Sihon didn’t trust Israel to pass through his border; but Sihon gathered all his people together, and encamped in Jahaz, and fought against Israel."
- Judges 11:21
"Yahweh, the God of Israel, delivered Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they struck them. So Israel possessed all the land of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that country."
1 Kings 1 verse
- 1 Kings 4:19
"Geber the son of Uri, in the land of Gilead, the country of Sihon king of the Amorites and of Og king of Bashan; and he was the only officer who was in the land."
Nehemiah 1 verse
- Nehemiah 9:22
"Moreover you gave them kingdoms and peoples, which you allotted according to their portions. So they possessed the land of Sihon, even the land of the king of Heshbon, and the land of Og king of Bashan."
Study Nehemiah →
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script | Strong's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | סִיחוֹן | H5511 |
| (same form as previous) | Hebrew | סִיחוֹן | H5511 |