Deuteronomy 2:26
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What's striking here is that Moses first sent messengers with "words of peace" to Sihon, even though God had already declared He had given Sihon and his land to Israel. This shows God's profound commitment to justice and fairness, ensuring every opportunity for peace was extended before judgment was enacted. It highlights that war was a last resort, not a first option.
“So I sent messengers from the wilderness of Kedemoth to Sihon the king of Heshbon, with words of peace, saying,
English Standard Version (ESV)
After being denied passage through Edom and Moab, Moses sends messengers from the Kedemoth wilderness to Sihon, king of the Amorites in Heshbon. He offers peaceful passage through Sihon's land, promising to stay on the main road and purchase food and water, similar to the accommodations Israel had received from Esau and Moab. This attempt at diplomacy is crucial because it establishes that Sihon's subsequent refusal and attack would make Israel's subsequent conquest of his land just and divinely ordained.
Before the battle, there was a message. Why did God instruct Moses to send messengers with words of peace?
Before launching an attack, God commanded Moses to seek peaceful passage through Sihon's territory. This wasn't just a formality; it was a crucial diplomatic move that ensured Israel wouldn't be the aggressor.
The Protocol of Peace
Sihon refused Israel's offer of peace and came out to fight. Was this purely Sihon's choice, or was something more at play?
The text reveals a profound truth about God's sovereignty. While Sihon made the choice to reject peace and attack, God was actively working to bring about His purposes.
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Hardened Hearts, Divine Plans
Understand the original words
shalom · Hebrew Noun
A greeting or proposal offered with the intent of maintaining goodwill or avoiding conflict, often implying a state of covenantal or relational harmony.
This encounter highlights God's desire for peace, as Moses offered Sihon a chance to coexist, a pattern echoed in later Israelite interactions with other nations. Sihon's aggressive refusal, however, brought about his divinely ordained defeat.
c. 14th Century BC
Amorite Conquest of Heshbon
Before Israel's arrival, the Amorites, led by King Sihon, conquered the city of Heshbon and its surrounding lands from the Moabites.
c. 14th Century BC
Israel's Wilderness Journey Begins
Following their exodus from Egypt, the Israelites began a long journey through the Sinai wilderness, guided by God's cloud and seeking to enter the Promised Land.
c. 14th Century BC— this verse
Request to Pass Through Amorite Territory
As the Israelites approached Amorite territory, Moses sent messengers to King Sihon of Heshbon, seeking peaceful passage and offering to buy provisions.
c. 14th Century BC
Sihon's Rejection and War
King Sihon refused Israel's request for peaceful passage and instead gathered his army to fight them, leading to a decisive Israelite victory.
c. 14th Century BC
Israelite Conquest of Amorite Lands
After defeating Sihon, the Israelites took possession of his cities and land, extending their territory to the north as they continued their journey.
This passage directly recalls the same event, with the elders of Israel requesting peaceful passage through Edom and Moab before Sihon, highlighting the consistent policy of seeking peace first.
Numbers 21:21-23This passage provides the parallel account from the book of Numbers, showing Sihon's aggressive rejection of Israel's plea for peaceful passage and setting the stage for the ensuing conflict.
Romans 12:18This New Testament passage echoes the principle behind Moses' message, emphasizing the importance of living peaceably with all people, even those who may become adversaries.
Matthew 5:9Jesus' teaching on the Beatitudes calls the peacemakers blessed, mirroring the spirit of Moses' diplomatic approach as he sought to avoid unnecessary conflict by offering peace first.
gillDeuteronomy 2:26: "And I sent messengers out of the wilderness of Kedemoth unto Sihon king of Heshbon with words of peace, saying,"
And I sent messengers out of the wilderness of Kedemoth,.... A city in the tribe of Reuben, and given by them to the Levites in later times, having been taken from the Amorites with others; near this lay a wilderness, which took its name from it, and seems to be the same with Jeshimon, Numbers 21:20 . Aben Ezra takes it to be the wilderness of Matthanah, which acco…
bensonDeuteronomy 2:26: "And I sent messengers out of the wilderness of Kedemoth unto Sihon king of Heshbon with words of peace, saying,"
Deuteronomy 2:26 . I sent messengers unto Sihon — To show the prince of the Amorites that we were not aggressors, and offered no violence, and that, if he refused to grant us a passage through his land, his destruction would be of himself. Kedemoth was a city of that tract which fell to the lot of the Reubenites.
What's striking here is that Moses first sent messengers with "words of peace" to Sihon, even though God had already declared He had given Sihon and his land to Israel. This shows God's profound commitment to justice and fairness, ensuring every opportunity for peace was extended before judgment was enacted. It highlights that war was a last resort, not a first option.
After being denied passage through Edom and Moab, Moses sends messengers from the Kedemoth wilderness to Sihon, king of the Amorites in Heshbon. He offers peaceful passage through Sihon's land, promising to stay on the main road and purchase food and water, similar to the accommodations Israel had received from Esau and Moab. This attempt at diplomacy is crucial because it establishes that Sihon's subsequent refusal and attack would make Israel's subsequent conquest of his land just and divinely ordained.
After being denied passage through Edom and Moab, Moses sends messengers from the Kedemoth wilderness to Sihon, king of the Amorites in Heshbon. He offers peaceful passage through Sihon's land, promising to stay on the main road and purchase food and water, similar to the accommodations Israel had received from Esau and Moab. This attempt at diplomacy is crucial because it establishes that Sihon's subsequent refusal and attack would make Israel's subsequent conquest of his land just and divinely ordained.
"“So I sent messengers from the wilderness of Kedemoth to Sihon the king of Heshbon, with words of peace, saying," — What's striking here is that Moses first sent messengers with "words of peace" to Sihon, even though God had already declared He had given Sihon and his land to Israel. This shows God's profound co…
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Last reviewed October 2026
