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Sunday, July 20th, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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New Living Translation

Numbers 21:27

Therefore, the ancient poets wrote this about him: "Come to Heshbon and let it be rebuilt! Let the city of Sihon be restored.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Amorites;   Ar;   Heshbon;   Israel;   Sihon;   Song;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Amorites, the;   Desert, Journey of Israel through the;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Ammonites;   Amorites;   Poetry of the Hebrews;   Serpents;   Sihon;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Canaan;   Reuben;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Gods and Goddesses, Pagan;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Moabite;   Sihon;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Amorite (the);   Ar;   Jasher;   Jephthah;   Medeba;   Moab;   Numbers, the Book of;   Poetry;   Sihon;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Amorites;   Ballad Singers;   Book(s);   Conquest of Canaan;   Dibon;   Heshbon;   Moab and the Moabite Stone;   Pentateuch;   Poetry;   Reba;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Israel;   Jephthah;   Medeba;   Moab, Moabites;   Moses;   Numbers, Book of;   Wars of the Lord, Book of the;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Arnon ;   Heshbon ;   Moab, Moabites ;   Sihon ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Mount hor;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Ar;   Sihon;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Mo'ses;   Si'hon;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - On to Canaan;   Moses, the Man of God;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Ammon;   Amorites;   Dark Sayings;   Moab;   Moses;   Numbers, Book of;   Proverb;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Allegorical Interpretation;   Baba Batra;   Chemosh;   Dibon;   Elohist;   Invocation;   Moab;   Poetry;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
Therefore those who speak in proverbs say, Come you to Heshbon; Let the city of Sichon be built and established:
King James Version
Wherefore they that speak in proverbs say, Come into Heshbon, let the city of Sihon be built and prepared:
Lexham English Bible
Thus the ones who quote proverbs say, "Come to Heshbon! Let it be built! And let the city of Sihon be established.
English Standard Version
Therefore the ballad singers say, "Come to Heshbon, let it be built; let the city of Sihon be established.
New Century Version
That is why the poets say: "Come to Heshbon and rebuild it; rebuild Sihon's city.
New English Translation
That is why those who speak in proverbs say, "Come to Heshbon, let it be built. Let the city of Sihon be established!
Amplified Bible
That is why those who use proverbs say, "Come to Heshbon, Let the city of Sihon be built and established.
New American Standard Bible
For that reason those who use proverbs say, "Come to Heshbon! Let it be built! So let the city of Sihon be established.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Wherefore they that speake in prouerbes, say, Come to Heshbon, let the citie of Sihon bee built and repaired:
Legacy Standard Bible
Therefore those who use proverbs say,"Come to Heshbon! Let it be built!So let the city of Sihon be established.
Contemporary English Version
That's why the Amorites had written this poem about Heshbon: Come and rebuild Heshbon, King Sihon's capital city!
Complete Jewish Bible
This is why the storytellers say, "Come to Heshbon! Let it be rebuilt! Let Sichon's city be restored!
Darby Translation
Therefore the poets say, Come to Heshbon; let the city of Sihon be built and established.
Easy-to-Read Version
That is why the singers sing this song: "Go in and rebuild Heshbon! Make Sihon's city strong.
George Lamsa Translation
Wherefore they say in the proverbs. Come into Heshbon, let the city of Sihon be built and prepared:
Good News Translation
That is why the poets sing, "Come to Heshbon, to King Sihon's city! We want to see it rebuilt and restored.
Christian Standard Bible®
Therefore the poets say:
Literal Translation
On account of this the parable speakers say, Come to Heshbon! Let the city of Sihon be built and established!
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Wherfore it is sayde in the prouerbe: Come vnto He?bon, let vs buylde and prepare ye cite of Sihon.
American Standard Version
Wherefore they that speak in proverbs say, Come ye to Heshbon; Let the city of Sihon be built and established:
Bible in Basic English
So the makers of wise sayings say, Come to Heshbon, building up the town of Sihon and making it strong:
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Wherfore they that speake in prouerbes, say: Come to Hesbon, and let the citie of Sehon be built and repayred.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Wherefore they that speak in parables say: Come ye to Heshbon! let the city of Sihon be built and established!
King James Version (1611)
Wherefore they that speake in prouerbes, say, Come into Heshbon: let the citie of Sihon bee built and prepared.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Therefore say they who deal in dark speeches, Come to Esebon, that the city of Seon may be built and prepared.
English Revised Version
Wherefore they that speak in proverbs say, Come ye to Heshbon, Let the city of Sihon be built and established:
Berean Standard Bible
That is why the poets say: "Come to Heshbon, let it be rebuilt; let the city of Sihon be restored.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor it is seid in prouerbe, Come ye in to Esebon, be it bildid, and maad the citee of Seon;
Young's Literal Translation
therefore those using similes say -- `Enter ye Heshbon, Let the city of Sihon be built and ready,
Update Bible Version
Therefore those that speak in proverbs say, You come to Heshbon; Let the city of Sihon be built and established:
Webster's Bible Translation
Wherefore they that speak in proverbs say, Come into Heshbon, let the city of Sihon be built and prepared.
World English Bible
Therefore those who speak in proverbs say, Come you to Heshbon; Let the city of Sihon be built and established:
New King James Version
Therefore those who speak in proverbs say: "Come to Heshbon, let it be built; Let the city of Sihon be repaired.
New Life Bible
So those who use wise sayings say, "Come to Heshbon! Let it be built! Let the city of Sihon be built.
New Revised Standard
Therefore the ballad singers say, "Come to Heshbon, let it be built; let the city of Sihon be established.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For this cause, say the poets - Enter ye Heshbon, - Built and prepared be the city of Sihon;
Douay-Rheims Bible
Therefore it is said in the proverb: Come into Hesebon, let the city of Sehon be built and set up:
Revised Standard Version
Therefore the ballad singers say, "Come to Heshbon, let it be built, let the city of Sihon be established.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Therefore those who use proverbs say, "Come to Heshbon! Let it be built! So let the city of Sihon be established.

Contextual Overview

21 The Israelites sent ambassadors to King Sihon of the Amorites with this message: 22 "Let us travel through your land. We will be careful not to go through your fields and vineyards. We won't even drink water from your wells. We will stay on the king's road until we have passed through your territory." 23 But King Sihon refused to let them cross his territory. Instead, he mobilized his entire army and attacked Israel in the wilderness, engaging them in battle at Jahaz. 24 But the Israelites slaughtered them with their swords and occupied their land from the Arnon River to the Jabbok River. They went only as far as the Ammonite border because the boundary of the Ammonites was fortified. 25 So Israel captured all the towns of the Amorites and settled in them, including the city of Heshbon and its surrounding villages. 26 Heshbon had been the capital of King Sihon of the Amorites. He had defeated a former Moabite king and seized all his land as far as the Arnon River. 27 Therefore, the ancient poets wrote this about him: "Come to Heshbon and let it be rebuilt! Let the city of Sihon be restored. 28 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. 29 What sorrow awaits you, O people of Moab! You are finished, O worshipers of Chemosh! Chemosh has left his sons as refugees, his daughters as captives of Sihon, the Amorite king. 30 We have utterly destroyed them, from Heshbon to Dibon. We have completely wiped them out as far away as Nophah and Medeba."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Numbers 21:14, Isaiah 14:4, Habakkuk 2:6

Reciprocal: Numbers 32:37 - Heshbon Judges 11:15 - Israel took Psalms 44:1 - in the times Jeremiah 48:4 - Moab

Cross-References

Genesis 21:22
About this time, Abimelech came with Phicol, his army commander, to visit Abraham. "God is obviously with you, helping you in everything you do," Abimelech said.
Genesis 21:23
"Swear to me in God's name that you will never deceive me, my children, or any of my descendants. I have been loyal to you, so now swear that you will be loyal to me and to this country where you are living as a foreigner."
Genesis 21:28
But Abraham also took seven additional female lambs and set them off by themselves.
Genesis 21:31
Then he named the place Beersheba (which means "well of the oath"), because that was where they had sworn the oath.
Genesis 31:44
So come, let's make a covenant, you and I, and it will be a witness to our commitment."
1 Samuel 18:3
And Jonathan made a solemn pact with David, because he loved him as he loved himself.
Proverbs 17:8
A bribe is like a lucky charm; whoever gives one will prosper!
Proverbs 18:16
Giving a gift can open doors; it gives access to important people!
Proverbs 18:24
There are "friends" who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.
Proverbs 21:14
A secret gift calms anger; a bribe under the table pacifies fury.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Wherefore they that speak in proverbs say,.... The historical writers of those times, among the Amorites, who were usually poets, and wrote the history of the wars between the Moabites and Amorites in verse; as Homer among the Greeks wrote the wars of Troy; and the compositions of those ancient bards were short and compendious, and wrapped up in proverbial sayings, and enigmatical and figurative expressions, that they might be the better retained in memory, and therefore were called proverbialists. Jarchi says, they were Balaam and Beor that took up their parables, and said,

come into Heshbon; which words are the beginning of the song, and in which the Amorites are represented as inviting Sihon, and his nobles, to enter Heshbon, which he had taken, and make it his royal seat; or as encouraging one another to go into it and repair it, having suffered much at the taking of it, which seems to be confirmed by what follows:

let the city of Sihon be built and prepared; that is, let us set about rebuilding of the city, and let us fit it up for Sihon our king, and let it be called his city, and made the place of his residence, his palace, and where his court may be kept.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

They that speak in proverbs - The original word is almost equivalent to “the poets.” The word supplies the title of the Book of Proverbs itself; and is used of the parable proper in Ezekiel 17:2; of the prophecies of Balsam in Numbers 23:7-10; Numbers 24:3-9; etc.; and of a song of triumph over Babylon in Isaiah 14:4.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Numbers 21:27. They that speak in proverbs — המשלים hammoshelim, from משל mashal, to rule, to exercise authority; hence a weighty proverbial saying, because admitted as an axiom for the government of life. The moshelim of the ancient Asiatics were the same, in all probability, as the Poetae among the Greeks and Latins, the [Arabic] shaara among the Arabs, who were esteemed as Divine persons, and who had their name from [Arabic] shaara, he knew, understood; whose poems celebrated past transactions, and especially those which concerned the military history of their nation. These poets were also termed [Arabic] sahebi deewan, companions or lords of the council of state, because their weighty sayings and universal knowledge were held in the highest repute. Similar to these were the bards among the ancient Druids, and the Sennachies among the ancient Celtic inhabitants of these nations.

The ode from the Numbers 21:27-30; Numbers 21:27-30Numbers 21:27-30; Numbers 21:27-30 verse is composed of three parts. The first takes in verses Numbers 21:27 and Numbers 21:27; the second verse Numbers 21:29; and the third verse Numbers 21:30.

The first records with bitter irony the late insults of Sihon and his subjects over the conquered Moabites.

The second expresses the compassion of the Israelites over the desolations of Moab, with a bitter sarcasm against their god Chemosh, who had abandoned his votaries in their distress, or was not able to rescue them out of the hands of their enemies.

The third sets forth the revenge taken by Israel upon the whole country of Sihon, from Heshbon to Dibon, and from Nophah even to Medeba. See Isaiah 15:1-2.

The whole poem, divided into its proper hemistichs, as it stands in Kennicott's Hebrew Bible, is as follows: -


VERSE Numbers 21:27. PART I

Come ye to Heshbon, let it be rebuilt;

The city of Sihon, let it be established.

VERSE Numbers 21:28

For from Heshbon the fire went out,

And a flame from the city of Sihon:

It hath consumed the city of Moab,

With the lords of the heights of Arnon.

VERSE Numbers 21:29. PART II


Alas for thee, O Moab!

Thou hast perished, O people of Chemosh!

He hath given up his fugitive sons

And his daughters into captivity,

To the king of the Amorites, Sihon.

VERSE Numbers 21:30. PART III

But on them have WE lifted destruction,

From Heshbon even to Dibon;

We have destroyed even to Nophah,

The fire did reach to Medebah.


See Kennicott's Remarks.


 
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