Deuteronomy 2:24-25
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God doesn't just tell them to fight; he says, "Behold, I have given into your hand Sihon... begin to take possession." This isn't just a declaration of war, but a divine inheritance, emphasizing that their victory and the land itself were already secured in God’s promise before the first blow was struck.
‘Rise up, set out on your journey and go over the Valley of the Arnon. Behold, I have given into your hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land. Begin to take possession, and contend with him in battle. This day I will begin to put the dread and fear of you on the peoples who are under the whole heaven, who shall hear the report of you and shall tremble and be in anguish because of you.’
English Standard Version (ESV)
After being denied passage through Edom and Moab, the Israelites are now commanded by God to cross the Arnon River and confront Sihon, the Amorite king of Heshbon. This marks the beginning of their military campaigns east of the Jordan River, as God assures them of victory and grants them possession of Sihon's land, which had been previously inhabited by Moabites.
Israel's journey had been long and difficult. Now, God calls them to step into a new phase: taking possession of a land. But how was this 'taking' meant to happen?
A Divine Declaration of Ownership
God's command to 'Rise up, take your journey, and pass over the Valley of the Arnon' (v. 24) isn't just an instruction for movement. It's a divine declaration. God states, 'Behold, I have given into your hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land.' This wasn't a request or a suggestion; it was a statement of fact from God's perspective.
The Call to Contend
This divine gift wasn't passive. The command immediately follows: 'Begin to take possession, and contend with him in battle.' This highlights a crucial aspect of God's provision: it requires our active participation. God guarantees the outcome ('I have given'), but He also commands the action ('contend with him').
Israel wasn't meant to wait for Sihon's land to fall into their laps. They were called to step out in faith, engage in the battle, and by doing so, manifest the reality of God's already-declared victory.
The conquest of Sihon's land wasn't just a military victory. It reveals a profound interplay between God's sovereign plan and the choices of human leaders.
God's Purpose Fulfilled
Scripture reveals that King Sihon's stubborn refusal to grant Israel peaceful passage was not an unforeseen obstacle for God. Instead, it was part of His plan. Deuteronomy 2:30 explains, 'the Lord your God hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate, for your sake, that he might give him into your hand, as he is this day.'
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The Wickedness of Man, the Will of God
This raises important questions about how God's sovereignty interacts with human free will and sin. Commentators note that Sihon wasn't forced against his will; he voluntarily hardened his heart. God's hardening wasn't an external compulsion but an enabling of Sihon's own rebellious disposition to fulfill God's decree. God uses the wicked choices of humanity to accomplish His predetermined purposes, demonstrating that His will ultimately prevails, even through the opposition of defiant kings.
Understand the original words
qum · Hebrew Verb
To stand up or arise. In a military or theological sense, it often signifies taking action, beginning a transition, or obeying a command from God to proceed into a new phase of activity.
milhamah · Hebrew Noun
An act of war or a decisive conflict. In Scripture, battles are often viewed under the sovereignty of God, who grants victory to those whom He has designated to succeed according to His divine purpose.
pachad · Hebrew Noun
Refers to an intense, divinely-imposed terror or awe. In this context, it is a psychological and spiritual weapon sent by God upon Israel's enemies to demoralize them and ensure victory for His people.
moraʾ · Hebrew Noun
A strong feeling of reverence or intense alarm. When linked with God's work, it refers to the overwhelming fear experienced by those who realize they are facing the judgment or the divinely-empowered people of God.
chil · Hebrew Noun
A deep sense of sorrow, pain, or internal chaos. Biblically, it refers to the state of being caught in a crisis or under the weight of divine judgment, leading to intense distress or turmoil of spirit.
This encounter highlights how God, even when commanding conquest, first offers peace, and that human defiance, especially when hardened by God's sovereign will, leads to judgment and the fulfillment of His promises to His people.
~1400 BC
Abrahamic Covenant
God establishes His covenant with Abraham, promising him and his descendants a vast land, including areas east of the Jordan River.
~1300-1200 BC
Israelites Wander in Wilderness
Following their exodus from Egypt, the Israelites spend 40 years in the wilderness, approaching the borders of the Promised Land.
c. 1250 BC
Amorites Conquer Amorite Land
The Amorites, a powerful people, conquer territory east of the Jordan River, displacing the Moabites and establishing their kingdom with Heshbon as its capital.
c. 1250 BC
Israel Requests Peaceful Passage
The Israelites send messengers to Sihon, king of the Amorites, requesting to pass peacefully through his land, offering to pay for provisions.
c. 1250 BC— this verse
Sihon Refuses Passage and Attacks
Sihon refuses the Israelite request, instead gathering his forces to attack them, a move described as God hardening his heart and making him obstinate.
c. 1250 BC
Israel Defeats Sihon
God grants victory to the Israelites. They defeat Sihon, conquer his cities, and take possession of his land east of the Jordan.
This passage describes the Israelites' journey leading up to and including the conquest of Sihon's land, directly preceding and detailing the events alluded to in Deuteronomy 2:24.
Joshua 13:21-22This passage lists Sihon, king of Heshbon, among the conquered kings whose land east of the Jordan was divided among the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh, confirming the outcome of the battle initiated by God's command.
Psalm 135:10-12This psalm recounts God giving lands and striking down kings, including Sihon and Og, as a historical example of God's faithfulness in fulfilling His promises to Israel, mirroring the specific event in Deuteronomy 2:24.
Hebrews 11:32This verse lists Gideon, Barak, Samson, and Jephthah as heroes of faith who 'through faith conquered kingdoms,' which includes the conquest of Sihon's land as a significant act of faith-driven obedience.
gillDeuteronomy 2:24: "Rise ye up, take your journey, and pass over the river Arnon: behold, I have given into thine hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land: begin to possess it, and contend with him in battle."
Rise ye up, take your journey, and pass over the river Arnon,.... Which was on the border of Moab, and divided between Moab and the Amorites, Numbers 21:13 . behold, I have given into thy hand Sihon, the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land; that is, he had determined to giv…
calvinDeuteronomy 2:24-37: "Rise ye up, take your journey, and pass over the river Arnon: behold, I have given into thine hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land: begin to possess it, and contend with him in battle."
Rise ye up, take your journey, and pass over the river Arnon: behold, I have given into thine hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land; begin to possess it, and contend with him in battle.
Surgite, proficiscimini, et transite torrentem Arnon. Vide, ded…
God doesn't just tell them to fight; he says, "Behold, I have given into your hand Sihon... begin to take possession." This isn't just a declaration of war, but a divine inheritance, emphasizing that their victory and the land itself were already secured in God’s promise before the first blow was struck.
After being denied passage through Edom and Moab, the Israelites are now commanded by God to cross the Arnon River and confront Sihon, the Amorite king of Heshbon. This marks the beginning of their military campaigns east of the Jordan River, as God assures them of victory and grants them possession of Sihon's land, which had been previously inhabited by Moabites.
After being denied passage through Edom and Moab, the Israelites are now commanded by God to cross the Arnon River and confront Sihon, the Amorite king of Heshbon. This marks the beginning of their military campaigns east of the Jordan River, as God assures them of victory and grants them possession of Sihon's land, which had been previously inhabited by Moabites.
"‘Rise up, set out on your journey and go over the Valley of the Arnon. Behold, I have given into your hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land. Begin to take possession, and contend with him in battle. This day I will begin to…" — God doesn't just tell them to fight; he says, "Behold, I have given into your hand Sihon... begin to take possession." This isn't just a declaration of war, but a divine inheritance, emphasizing…
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Last reviewed October 2026
