Numbers 21 28

Numbers 21:28 kjv

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.

Numbers 21:28 nkjv

"For fire went out from Heshbon, A flame from the city of Sihon; It consumed Ar of Moab, The lords of the heights of the Arnon.

Numbers 21:28 niv

"Fire went out from Heshbon, a blaze from the city of Sihon. It consumed Ar of Moab, the citizens of Arnon's heights.

Numbers 21:28 esv

For fire came out from Heshbon, flame from the city of Sihon. It devoured Ar of Moab, and swallowed the heights of the Arnon.

Numbers 21:28 nlt

A fire flamed forth from Heshbon,
a blaze from the city of Sihon.
It burned the city of Ar in Moab;
it destroyed the rulers of the Arnon heights.

Numbers 21 verses

Numbers 21 28 Meaning

Numbers 21:28 describes the destructive power unleashed by Sihon, king of the Amorites. It uses the metaphor of "fire" and "flame" erupting from his capital, Heshbon, consuming Ar of Moab, its capital city, and devastates the "lords of the high places of Arnon." This verse is part of an ancient Amorite victory song, quoted by Israel, to narrate Sihon’s past conquests over Moab. It serves to emphasize the widespread devastation wrought by Sihon against the Moabites before he himself was defeated by the Israelites, thus providing historical and legal context for Israel’s subsequent claim to that territory.

Numbers 21 28 Context

Numbers 21:28 is embedded within a unique section (Numbers 21:27-30) often referred to as "the Song of Heshbon." Following Israel's victorious battle against Sihon, king of the Amorites, this ancient Amorite poem is quoted. Israel had requested peaceful passage through Sihon's land, but he refused and attacked them. After Israel's decisive victory, they occupied Sihon’s territory. The inclusion of this song serves as a powerful theological and legal justification for Israel's claim to the land east of the Jordan. It demonstrates that the territory Israel took from Sihon had previously been seized by Sihon from Moab, rather than being original Moabite land, which God had explicitly commanded Israel not to conquer (Deut 2:9). The song itself reflects the triumph of the Amorites over their Moabite enemies, showcasing Sihon's prowess and the utter devastation he brought upon Moab's heartland and cultic centers. Israel's recounting of this song implies that YHWH, the God of Israel, orchestrated Sihon's defeat and transferred his conquests, which he had wrested from Moab, to His chosen people.

Numbers 21 28 Word analysis

• For (כִּי - kī): This conjunction means "for" or "because," introducing the reason or explanation for the preceding statement, in this case, validating the ballad singer's song. It signifies a causal relationship.
• fire (אֵשׁ - ʾēš): Literal fire, but primarily used here as a metaphor for immense, destructive power of warfare. In biblical literature, fire can also represent divine judgment or an overwhelming force.
• has come out (יָֽצְאָה - yāṣəʾâ): Feminine singular form of "to go out," "to come forth." It indicates an active emission or unleashing, emphasizing the source of destruction.
• from Heshbon (מֵחֶשְׁבֹּון - mēḥešbōn): Heshbon was the fortified capital city of Sihon, king of the Amorites. This signifies the point of origin for the destructive force attributed to Sihon's military might.
• a flame (לֶהָבָה - lehāvâ): Similar to "fire" but often connoting a fiercer, more intense burning. It acts as a poetic parallel to "fire," common in Hebrew parallelism, intensifying the imagery of devastation.
• from the city (מִקִּרְיַת - miqqiryaṯ): "Qiryat" means "city" or "town." It emphasizes that the destructive force originated from the very heart of Sihon's domain.
• of Sihon (סִיחֹון - sîḥôn): Refers to Sihon, the king of the Amorites, a formidable figure who had recently conquered territories from Moab. He is the specific agent of this destruction.
• It has consumed (אָֽכְלָה - ʾāḵlâ): Lit. "it ate" or "devoured." A vivid anthropomorphic verb to describe total destruction and overwhelming power, leaving nothing behind.
• Ar of Moab (עָ֣ר מֹואָ֔ב - ʿār môʾāḇ): "Ar" simply means "city," but it refers here to the primary city, the capital, or a significant stronghold of Moab. It identifies the direct target of Sihon's conquest.
• and the lords of the high places (בַּעֲלֵ֖י בָּמֹ֥ות - baʿălê bāmôṯ):
  • lords (בַּעֲלֵי - baʿălê): Can mean "owners," "masters," or "rulers." It refers to influential leaders, possibly tribal chiefs or powerful individuals connected to these religious/strategic sites. The term "Baal" also relates to Canaanite deities, suggesting perhaps the leadership associated with such cults.
  • high places (בָּמֹות - bāmôṯ): Elevated open-air sanctuaries often used for pagan worship (like Chemosh, the Moabite deity) but also could be strategic defense points. Their destruction signifies the fall of religious and administrative centers, embodying a complete defeat.
• of Arnon (אַרְנֹֽן - ʾarnôn): The Arnon River served as a key geographical boundary and was part of the Moabite territory. "The high places of Arnon" signifies areas and settlements in or along the Arnon region, reinforcing the extensive scope of Sihon's conquest over Moabite lands.