Numbers 21

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 The king of Arad, the Canaanite living in the Negeb, learned that Israel was coming by way ofAtharim. He attacked Israel and took some prisoners.	1 And when king Arad the Canaanite, who was living toward the south, had heard this, namely, that Israel had arrived by the way of spies, he fought against them. And proving to be the victor, he led away prey from them.
2 Israel then made this vow to Yahweh, 'If you deliver this people into my power, I shal curse theirtowns with destruction.'	2 But Israel, obliging himself by a vow to the Lord, said: “If you deliver this people into my hand, I will wipe away their cities.”
3 Yahweh heard Israel's words and delivered the Canaanites into their power, and they destroyed themin accordance with their curse. Hence the place was given the name Hormah.	3 And the Lord heard the prayers of Israel, and he delivered the Canaanite, who they put to death, overthrowing his cities. And they called the name of that place Hormah, that is, Anathema.
4 They left Mount Hor by the road to the Sea of Suph, to skirt round Edom. On the way the people lostpatience.	4 Then they set out from mount Hor, by the way that leads to the Red Sea, to circle around the land of Edom. And the people began to tire of their journey and hardships.
5 They spoke against God and against Moses, 'Why did you bring us out of Egypt to die in the desert?For there is neither food nor water here; we are sick of this meagre diet.'	5 And speaking against God and Moses, they said: “Why did you lead us away from Egypt, so as to die in the wilderness? Bread is lacking; there are no waters. Our soul is now nauseous over this very light food.”
6 At this, God sent fiery serpents among the people; their bite brought death to many in Israel.	6 For this reason, the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, which wounded or killed many of them.
7 The people came and said to Moses, 'We have sinned by speaking against Yahweh and against you.Intercede for us with Yahweh to save us from these serpents.' Moses interceded for the people,	7 And so they went to Moses, and they said: “We have sinned, because we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray, so that he may take away these serpents from us.” And Moses prayed for the people.
8 and Yahweh replied, 'Make a fiery serpent and raise it as a standard. Anyone who is bitten and looksat it wil survive.'	8 And the Lord said to him: “Make a bronze serpent, and place it as a sign. Whoever, having been struck, gazes upon it, shall live.”
9 Moses then made a serpent out of bronze and raised it as a standard, and anyone who was bitten bya serpent and looked at the bronze serpent survived.	9 Therefore, Moses made a bronze serpent, and he placed it as a sign. When those who had been struck gazed upon it, they were healed.
10 The Israelites set out and camped at Oboth.	10 And the sons of Israel, setting out, made camp at Oboth.
11 Then they left Oboth and camped at Iye-Abarim, in the desert on the eastern border of Moab.	11 Having departed from there, they pitched their tents at Iye-abarim, in the wilderness, which looks out toward Moab, opposite the eastern region.
12 They set out from there and camped in the gorge of the Zered.	12 And moving from there, they arrived at the Torrent of Zared.
13 They set out from there and camped on the other side of the Arnon. This gorge in the desert beginsin the territory of the Amorites. For the Arnon is the frontier of Moab, between the Moabites and the Amorites.	13 Having left that place behind, they then made camp opposite Arnon, which is in the desert, and which juts out at the borders of the Amorite. For certainly Arnon is at the limit of Moab, dividing the Moabites and the Amorites.
14 That is why it says in the Book of the Wars of Yahweh: '. . .Waheb near Suphah and the gorges ofthe Arnon	14 About this place, it is said in the book of the wars of the Lord: “As he did at the Red Sea, so will he do at the Torrents of Arnon.”
15 and the slope of the ravine running down to the site of Ar and over against the frontier of Moab.'	15 The stones of the torrents were bent, so that they might rest in Ar and lie back within the borders of the Moabites.
16 And from there they went to Beer, that being the well in connection with which Yahweh had said toMoses, 'Cal the people together and I wil give them water.'	16 Beyond that place appeared a well, about which the Lord said to Moses: “Gather the people together, and I will give them water.”
17 Then it was that Israel sang this song: Spring up, wel ! Sing out for the wel ,	17 Then Israel sang this verse: “Let the well rise up.” They sang:
18 sunk by the princes, dug by the people's leaders with the sceptre, with their staves! -and from thedesert to Mattanah,	18 “The well, the leaders dug it, and the commanders of the multitude prepared it, at the direction of the lawgiver, and with their staffs.”
19 and from Mattanah to Nahaliel, and from Nahaliel to Bamoth,	19 They went from the wilderness to Mattanah, from Mattanah to Nahaliel, from Nahaliel to Bamoth,
20 and from Bamoth to the val ey that opens into the country of Moab, towards the heights of Pisgahoverlooking the desert.	20 from Bamoth, a valley in the region of Moab, to the top of Pisgah, which looks out opposite the desert.
21 Israel sent messengers to say to Sihon king of the Amorites,	21 Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon, the king of the Amorites, saying:
22 'I wish to pass through your country. We shall not stray into the fields or vineyards; we shall not drinkthe water from the wells; we shal keep to the king's highway until we have passed through your territory.'	22 “I beg you to permit me to cross through your land. We will not turn aside into the fields or the vineyards. We will not drink waters from the wells. We will travel by the royal way, until we have passed your borders.”
23 But Sihon would not give Israel leave to pass through his country. He assembled al his people,marched into the desert to meet Israel, and reached Jahaz, where he gave battle to Israel.	23 And he was not willing to allow Israel to cross through his borders. But instead, gathering an army, he went out to meet them in the desert, and he arrived at Jahaz and fought against them.
24 Israel defeated him by force of arms and conquered his country from the Arnon to the Jabbok, as faras the Ammonites, for Jazer marked the Ammonite frontier.	24 And he was struck down by them with the edge of the sword, and they possessed his land from Arnon, even to Jabbok and the sons of Ammon. For the borders of the Ammonites were held by a strong fortress.
25 Israel took all these towns. Israel occupied al the Amorite towns, Heshbon and al its dependencies,	25 Therefore, Israel took all his cities and lived in the cities of the Amorite, namely, in Heshbon and its villages.
26 Heshbon being the capital of Sihon king of the Amorites, who had made war on the first king ofMoab and captured al his territory as far as the Arnon.	26 Heshbon was the city of Sihon, the king of the Amorites, who fought against the king of Moab. And he took all the land, which had been under his sovereignty, as far as Arnon.
27 Hence the poets say: Come to Heshbon! Let the city of Sihon be rebuilt on firm foundations!	27 About this, it is said in the proverb: “Enter into Heshbon. Let the city of Sihon be established and built.
28 For fire has burst from Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon, devouring Ar of Moab, engulfing theheights of the Arnon.	28 A fire has gone forth from Heshbon, a flame from the town of Sihon, and it has devoured Ar of the Moabites, and the inhabitants of the heights of Arnon.
29 Oh, unhappy Moab! People of Chemosh, you are lost! He has resigned his sons as fugitives, and hisdaughters as prisoners to Sihon king of the Amorites.	29 Woe to you, Moab! You are perishing, O people of Chemosh. He gave flight to his sons, and he gave the daughters into captivity, to the king of the Amorites, Sihon.
30 Their posterity has been destroyed from Heshbon al the way to Dibon, and we have lit a fire all theway from Nophah to Medeba.	30 Their yoke has been scattered from Heshbon even to Dibon. They have passed through, wearily, into Nophah, and as far as Medeba.”
31 Thus Israel occupied the Amorites' territory.	31 And so Israel lived in the land of the Amorite.
32 Moses then sent men to reconnoitre Jazer, and Israel took it and its dependencies, evicting theAmorites who lived there.	32 And Moses sent some to explore Jazer. These captured its villages and possessed its inhabitants.
33 They then turned and marched on Bashan. Og king of Bashan and al his people marched to meetthem and give battle at Edrei.	33 And they turned themselves and ascended, along the way of Bashan. And Og, the king of Bashan, met them with all his people, to fight at Edrei.
34 Yahweh said to Moses, 'Do not be afraid of him, for I have put him, al his people and his country atyour mercy. Treat him as you treated Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon.'	34 And the Lord said to Moses: “Do not be afraid of him. For I have delivered him, and all his people, as well as his land, into your hand. And you shall do to him just as you did to Sihon, the king of the Amorites, the inhabitant of Heshbon.”
35 So they pressed their attack against him, his sons and al his people until there was no one left alive.And they took possession of his country.	35 Therefore, they struck him down also, with his sons, and all his people, even to utter destruction, and they possessed his land.