¹⁷ Please let us pass through your land. We will not cross any fields or vineyards, nor drink any well water, but we will go straight along the King’s Highway^[a] without turning to the right or to the left, until we have passed through your territory.”

¹⁸ But Edom answered him, “You shall not pass through here; if you do, I will advance against you with the sword.” ¹⁹ The Israelites said to him, “We will go up along the highway. If we or our livestock drink any of your water, we will pay for it. It is nothing—just let us pass through on foot.” ²⁰ But Edom replied, “You shall not pass through,”^(A) and advanced against them with a large and heavily armed force. ²¹ Therefore, since Edom refused to let Israel pass through their territory, Israel turned away from them.

Victory over Sihon. ²¹ Now Israel sent messengers to Sihon, king of the Amorites, with the message, ²² “Let us pass through your land. We will not turn aside into any field or vineyard, nor will we drink any well water, but we will go straight along the King’s Highway until we have passed through your territory.” ²³ Sihon,^(A) however, would not permit Israel to pass through his territory, but mustered all his forces and advanced against Israel into the wilderness. When he reached Jahaz, he engaged Israel in battle. ²⁴ But Israel put him to the sword, and took possession of his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok and as far as Jazer of the Ammonites, for Jazer is the boundary of the Ammonites. ^25 (B)Israel seized all the towns here, and Israel settled in all the towns of the Amorites, in Heshbon and all its dependencies.