Destroying Heshbon (Deuteronomy 2)

Was Israel merciful to many neighboring nations? Did God destroy perverse nations? Does God still curse aberrant nations? Let’s look at Deuteronomy 2.

What were the Israelites to do as they passed through the land of their relatives, Esau?

Then we turned around and headed back across the wilderness toward the Red Sea, just as the Lord had instructed me, and we wandered around in the region of Mount Seir for a long time. Then at last the Lord said to me, ‘You have been wandering around in this hill country long enough; turn to the north. Give these orders to the people: You will pass through the country belonging to your relatives the Edomites, the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir. The Edomites will feel threatened, so be careful. Do not bother them, for I have given them all the hill country around Mount Seir as their property, and I will not give you even one square foot of their land. If you need food to eat or water to drink, pay them for it. For the Lord your God has blessed you in everything you have done. He has watched your every step through this great wilderness. During these forty years, the Lord your God has been with you, and you have lacked nothing.’ (Deuteronomy 2:1-7 NLT)

What were the Israelites to do as they passed through the land of Moab?

So we passed by from our brothers, the children of Esau, who dwell in Seir, from the way of the Arabah from Elath and from Ezion Geber. We turned and passed by the way of the wilderness of Moab. Yahweh said to me, “Don’t bother Moab, neither contend with them in battle; for I will not give you any of his land for a possession, because I have given Ar to the children of Lot for a possession.” (The Emim lived there before, a great and numerous people, and tall as the Anakim. These also are considered to be Rephaim, as the Anakim; but the Moabites call them Emim. The Horites also lived in Seir in the past, but the children of Esau succeeded them. They destroyed them from before them, and lived in their place, as Israel did to the land of his possession, which Yahweh gave to them.) (Deuteronomy 2:8-12 WEB)

What were the Israelites to do as they passed through the land of the Ammonites?

“So then, get going. Cross the Zered ravine.” So we crossed the Zered ravine. It took us a total of thirty-eight years to go from Kadesh-barnea until we crossed the Zered ravine. It was at that point that the last of the previous generation, every one of fighting age in the camp, had died, just as the Lord had sworn about them. In fact, the Lord’s power was against them, to rid the camp of them, until they were all gone. Now as soon as all those of fighting age had died, the Lord said to me: Today you are crossing through the territory of Moab and Ar and you will come close to the Ammonites. Don’t aggravate them. Don’t fight with them because I won’t give any part of the Ammonites’ land to you as your own. I’ve given it to Lot’s descendants as their property. (Deuteronomy 2:13-19 CEB)

Who were going to be some of Israel’s other neighbors?

Before the Ammonites conquered the land that the Lord had given them, some of the Rephaim used to live there, although the Ammonites called them Zamzummim. The Zamzummim were a large and powerful tribe and were as tall as the Anakim. But the Lord helped the Ammonites, and they killed many of the Zamzummim and forced the rest to leave. Then the Ammonites settled there. The Lord helped them as he had helped the Edomites, who killed many of the Horites in Seir and forced the rest to leave before settling there themselves. A group called the Avvim used to live in villages as far south as Gaza, but the Philistines killed them and settled on their land. (Deuteronomy 2:20-23 CEV)

What were the first steps in conquering the land of Canaan?

‘Rise up, set out on your journey and go over the Valley of the Arnon. Behold, I have given into your hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land. Begin to take possession, and contend with him in battle. This day I will begin to put the dread and fear of you on the peoples who are under the whole heaven, who shall hear the report of you and shall tremble and be in anguish because of you.’ (Deuteronomy 2:24-25 ESV)

What happened in Heshbon? God had made Sihon’s heart strong. The same word is used for Joshua in a positive sense (Joshua 1:6). Sihon used his strength in stubborn rebellion. Not letting Israel through was his own decision.