Deuteronomy 2:24-37

Deuteronomy 2:24-37

[24] Rise ye up,  take your journey,  and pass over  the river  Arnon:  behold,  I have given  into thine hand  Sihon  the Amorite,  king  of Heshbon,  and his land:  begin  to possess  it, and contend  with him in battle.  [25] This day  will I begin  to put  the dread  of thee and the fear  of thee upon the nations  that are under the whole heaven,  who shall hear  report  of thee, and shall tremble,  and be in anguish  because of thee.  [26] And I sent  messengers  out of the wilderness  of Kedemoth  unto Sihon  king  of Heshbon  with words  of peace,  saying,  [27] Let me pass  through thy land:  along by the high way,  I will neither turn  unto the right hand  nor to the left.  [28] Thou shalt sell  me meat  for money,  that I may eat;  and give  me water  for money,  that I may drink:  only I will pass through  on my feet;  [29] (As the children  of Esau  which dwell  in Seir,  and the Moabites  which dwell  in Ar,  did  unto me;) until I shall pass over  Jordan  into the land  which the LORD  our God  giveth  us. [30] But Sihon  king  of Heshbon  would  not let us pass  by him: for the LORD  thy God  hardened  his spirit,  and made his heart  obstinate,  that he might deliver  him into thy hand,  as appeareth this day.  [31] And the LORD  said  unto me, Behold,  I have begun  to give  Sihon  and his land  before  thee: begin  to possess,  his land.  [32] Then Sihon  came out  against  us, he and all his people,  to fight  at Jahaz.  [33] And the LORD  our God  delivered  him before  us; and we smote  him, and his sons,  and all his people.  [34] And we took  all his cities  at that time,  and utterly destroyed  the men,  and the women,  and the little ones,  of every city,  we left  none to remain:  [35] Only the cattle  we took for a prey  unto ourselves, and the spoil  of the cities  which we took.  [36] From Aroer,  which is by the brink  of the river  of Arnon,  and from the city  that is by the river,  even unto Gilead,  there was not one city  too strong  for us: the LORD  our God  delivered  all unto us:  [37] Only unto the land  of the children  of Ammon  thou camest  not, nor unto any place  of the river  Jabbok,  nor unto the cities  in the mountains,  nor unto whatsoever the LORD  our God  forbad 

What does Deuteronomy 2:24-37 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

This narrative closely parallels the one in Numbers 21:21-32. In this account Moses emphasized for the people God"s faithfulness to them. Note especially Deuteronomy 2:25; Deuteronomy 2:29-31; Deuteronomy 2:33; Deuteronomy 2:36.
""All the nations under heaven" ( Deuteronomy 2:25) is an idiomatic hyperbole signifying all the nations in the vicinity; that Isaiah , at least from horizon to horizon (under heaven)." [1]
"The process of Sihon"s fall was much the same as that of the fall of ... the Pharaoh of the Exodus. Each was approached with a request to favor the Israelites ( Deuteronomy 2:26-29), which he refused, because "the Lord ... hardened his spirit" ( Deuteronomy 2:30). Each made a hostile advance against Israel ( Deuteronomy 2:32) and suffered defeat, as the Lord fought for His people ( Deuteronomy 2:31; Deuteronomy 2:33 ff.)." [2]
As God had promised His people, "No city was too high" for them ( Deuteronomy 2:36). Moses gave God all the credit for this victory.
"Apart from the Lord"s intention to provide a home and land for God"s people, there are two criteria for the destruction of inhabitants of the land: (1) those who oppose God"s purpose and promise to Israel-that Isaiah , Sihon and Og; and (2) those who seem to pose in a special way the problem of religious contamination and syncretism-that Isaiah , the Canaanites and Amorites." [3]
". . . the divine hardening described here [4] was part of Yahweh"s sovereign judgment on a morally corrupt culture." [4]7