Matthew Henry on Numbers 21:21–end
We have here an account of the victories obtained by Israel over Sihon and Og, which must be distinctly considered, not only because they are here distinctly related, but because long afterwards the memorial of them is distinctly celebrated, and they are severally assigned as instances of everlasting mercy. He slew Sihon king of the Amorites, for his mercy endureth for ever, and Og the king of Bashan, for his mercy endureth for ever, Psa 136:19, Psa 136:20.
I. Israel sent a peaceable message to Sihon king of the Amorites (Num 21:21), but received an unpeaceable return, worse than that of the Edomites to the like message, Num 20:18, Num 20:20. For the Edomites only refused them a passage, and…
Read the whole note in the consoleJamieson-Fausset-Brown on Numbers 21:25
Israel dwelt in all the cities--after exterminating the inhabitants who had been previously doomed (Deu 2:34).
John Gill on Numbers 21:25
And Israel took all these cities,.... Which lay between the rivers Arnon and Jabbok; their particular names may be seen in Numbers 32:3,
and Israel dwelt in all the cities of the Amorites; being given to the Reubenites and Gadites, who inhabited them, as their possession and inheritance, Numbers 32:2,
in Heshbon, and in all the villages thereof; or "daughters thereof" (q). Heshbon was the metropolis or mother city, and all the towns and villages adjacent were as daughters to it; of which city more is said in the following verses; see Gill on Isaiah 15:4.
(q) "filiabus ejus", Montanus, Munster, Fagius, Grotius.
John Calvin on Numbers 21:25-32
Numbers 21:25
And Israel took all these cities. As if speaking of something present, he uses the demonstrative pronoun, and says, "these cities," just as if he were pointing them out to the eyes of his readers. The word which we have rendered "towns" (oppida,) [130] others translate "country-houses" (villas,) or "hamlets" (viculos.) In the Hebrew, Moses calls by the name of "daughters" all the villages and lesser towns, whose mother-city (metropolis) was Heshbon. By these words, however, Moses indicates that, by the right of war, all these places had fallen into the hands of the Israelites, as the lot of their inheritance; for, as I have lately said, God had not yet openly declared that the…
