¹⁷ Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, “Please let us cross through your land,” but the king of Edom would not listen. And they also sent messengers to the king of Moab, but he was not willing. So Israel stayed in Kadesh. ¹⁸ Then they traveled through the wilderness, went around the land of Edom and Moab, and came to the east^[a] side of the land of Moab, and they^[b] encamped beyond the Arnon; and they did not go into the territory of Moab because the Arnon was the border of Moab. ¹⁹ Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites,^[c] king of Heshbon; and Israel said to him, ‘Please let us cross through your land to our country.’^[d]