Numbers 21:21-35 comments: Amorites and Moabites

 

Numbers 21:21 ¶  And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, saying, 22  Let me pass through thy land: we will not turn into the fields, or into the vineyards; we will not drink of the waters of the well: but we will go along by the king’s high way, until we be past thy borders. 23  And Sihon would not suffer Israel to pass through his border: but Sihon gathered all his people together, and went out against Israel into the wilderness: and he came to Jahaz, and fought against Israel. 24  And Israel smote him with the edge of the sword, and possessed his land from Arnon unto Jabbok, even unto the children of Ammon: for the border of the children of Ammon was strong. 25  And Israel took all these cities: and Israel dwelt in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all the villages thereof. 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 unto Arnon. 27  Wherefore they that speak in proverbs say, Come into Heshbon, let the city of Sihon be built and prepared: 28  For there is a fire gone out of Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon: it hath consumed Ar of Moab, and the lords of the high places of Arnon. 29  Woe to thee, Moab! thou art undone, O people of Chemosh: he hath given his sons that escaped, and his daughters, into captivity unto Sihon king of the Amorites. 30  We have shot at them; Heshbon is perished even unto Dibon, and we have laid them waste even unto Nophah, which reacheth unto Medeba. 31  Thus Israel dwelt in the land of the Amorites. 32  And Moses sent to spy out Jaazer, and they took the villages thereof, and drove out the Amorites that were there. 33  And they turned and went up by the way of Bashan: and Og the king of Bashan went out against them, he, and all his people, to the battle at Edrei. 34  And the LORD said unto Moses, Fear him not: for I have delivered him into thy hand, and all his people, and his land; and thou shalt do to him as thou didst unto Sihon king of the Amorites, which dwelt at Heshbon. 35  So they smote him, and his sons, and all his people, until there was none left him alive: and they possessed his land.

 

Because of God’s perfect will these child-sacrificing, bestiality practicing, temple prostitute patronizing, worshippers of devils are defeated soundly by the overwhelming power of the Israelites. Their devils could not save them. Chemosh in verse 29 is the abomination of Moab in the following sad verse that underscores how Solomon’s political marriages harmed his spiritual walk with God.

 

1Kings 11:7  Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon.