Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Numbers 21:24
And Israel smote him with the edge of the sword, and possessed his land from Arnon unto Jabbok, even unto the children of Ammon: for the border of the children of Ammon [was] strong.
24. from Arnon unto Jabbok, even unto the children of Ammon ] This gives three boundaries of Sihon’s kingdom, the Jordan being the western boundary. Arnon was on the south ( Num 21:13), Jabbok on the north, and the Ammonites on the east, whither the Amorites had driven them. The Jabbok flows into the Jordan nearly 25 miles north of the Dead Sea. The district here described is now known as the Belka‘ (see G. A. Smith, H. G. [Note: . G. Historical Geography of the Holy Land.] 535 f.).
for the border of the children of Ammon was strong ] This may be intended to explain why Sihon’s territory extended no further on the east, or why the Israelites did not push their conquests further. The natural features of the country would afford no special obstacle, but the border fortresses might be impregnable. The Heb. adjective, however, is peculiar; ‘az ( ) usually denotes ‘fierce,’ ‘cruel,’ rather than strong. The LXX. read the word as ‘Jazer,’ a town mentioned in Num 21:32, Num 32:3; Num 32:35; and it is possible that ‘for strong ( ) was the border, &c.’ should be emended to ‘at Jazer ( ) was the border, &c.’ a statement which finds a parallel in Jos 13:25. The words may have been a comment by the writer or a compiler on the preceding clause.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Jabbok (now Wady Zerka: compare Gen 32:22) runs eastward under Rabbah of the children of Ammon, thence westward, and reaches the Jordan, 45 miles north of the Arnon. It was between Rabbah and Gerasa that it formed the Ammonite boundary.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
From Arnon; or which reached from Arnon, &c. such supplements being very usual; and so here is contained a description or limitation of Sihons conquest and kingdom, that it extended only from Arnonunto the children of Ammon; and then the following words, for the border of the children of Ammon was strong, come in very fitly, not as a reason why the Israelites did not or could not conquer the Ammonites, for they were absolutely forbidden to meddle with them, Deu 3:8; but as a reason why Sihon could not enlarge his conquests and empire to the Ammonites, as he had done to the Moabites.
Jabbok; a river by which the countries of Ammon and Moab were in part bounded and divided.
Was strong; either by the advantage of the river, or by their strong holds in their frontiers.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
24. from Arnon unto Jabboknowthe Zurka. These rivers formed the southern and northern boundariesof his usurped territory.
for the border of . . . Ammonwas stronga reason stated for Sihon not being able to push hisinvasion further.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And Israel smote him with the edge of the sword,…. Slew him and his army, entirely routed them, and got a complete victory over them; God giving them up into their hands, who otherwise were a very strong, powerful, and warlike people; see Am 2:9
and possessed his land from Arnon unto Jabbok; two rivers, the one to the south, the other to the north of his country; the one was the boundary of his country between him and the Moabites, the other the boundary of his country between him and the Ammonites, as it follows:
even unto the children of Ammon; for the border of the children of Ammon was strong; which is given as a reason why the Israelites proceeded no further in their conquest; there was another reason for that, which was the order of the Lord not to distress the Ammonites, nor meddle with them; though Jarchi makes this prohibition to be their strength, De 2:19, but this is given as a reason why Sihon could not extend his conquests further, because it was so well fortified, either by nature or art, or both, by the river Jabbok, by mountains and frontier towns, and particularly by Rabbah, as the Targum of Jonathan suggests, which was their royal city in later times, and a very strong place; see 2Sa 12:26.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Verse 24-30:
This was the first major military operation of Israel’s new generation. It was a critical campaign, against a powerful army which had only recently occupied a portion of the territory of Moab. It is likely that Joshua was now their commander. Israel was victorious in this campaign.
The Jabbok runs in a large, curve northward, northwest, and west, emptying into the Jordan about forty-five miles north of the Arnon. It formed the boundary of Sihon’s territory, with the kingdom of Og, and the land of the Ammonites. Sihon did not attack the Ammonites, as their city Rabbah was a strong fortress which afforded protection as late as David’s reign, 2Sa 11, 12.
Israel captured and occupied the cities of Sihon’s territory. The most prominent was Heshbon, a city situated half way between Arnon and Jabbok, about eighteen miles east of where Jordan flows into the Dead Sea. Sihon had made this city his capitol when he conquered that territory.
“They that speak in proverbs,” a class or group of those with poetic gift who expressed in poetry the significance of important events. Their song at the overthrow of Sihon is a taunt against the Amorites, who were victorious over Moab but were now themselves overthrown.
Chemosh was the national deity of Moab. This song also tells of the inability of Chemosh to deliver his devotees in time of trouble.
“Dibon” is a city whose present site is unknown.
“Nophah,” the city mentioned in Jg 8:11.
“Medeba,” about six miles south by southeast of Heshbon. In David’s time it was a fortress, 1Ch 19:7.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(24) For the border of the children of Ammon was strong.These words assign the reason why the conquests of the Amorites were arrested, not why the children of Israel did not take possession of the land of the Ammonites, with whom they were forbidden to meddle, and whose land they were not to occupy. (See Deu. 2:19.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
24. Jabbok This is one of the two important streams flowing into the Jordan on the east. It was the scene of Jacob’s wrestling with the angel, and of his meeting with Esau. See Gen 30:22; Jos 12:2, notes.
Unto the children of Ammon This difficult passage is thus explained. The Ammonites at one time possessed the whole country between the rivers Arnon and Jabbok. Being driven out by Sihon they took possession of the eastern plain and the eastern defiles of Gilead, around the sources and upper branches of the Jabbok. For this reason the border of the children of Ammon was strong, that is, well fortified, so that Sihon had only been able to push his conquests to the upper Jabbok, not into the territory of the Ammonites which Israel was forbidden by Jehovah to enter. See Deu 2:19.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Sihon Is Defeated and His Land Possessed Up to The Borders of Ammon ( Num 21:24 ).
Num 21:24
‘And Israel smote him with the edge of the sword, and possessed his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, even to the children of Ammon. For the border of the children of Ammon was strong.’
Israel defeated Sihon, and possessed his land. There would first be the initial battle and then the progressive taking of cities and seizure of the land which is described in summary. This is then followed by the history of Heshbon in poetic form.
“From the Arnon to the Jabbok.” The Arnon was the southern border of Sihon’s land and formed the border with Moab. The River Jabbok was to the north and then curved round southward to form a border with Ammon.
Once Sihon determined to resist Israelite progress battle was inevitable. The border of Ammon, the only other possible route, was strong, guarded by a ring of fortresses to which archaeology bears witness. Thus it was defeat Sihon or retreat. And once the victory had been won the rest followed. Deuteronomy tells us that in fact all this was because Yahweh intended this land for Israel and therefore hardened Sihon’s spirit in order to make him behave in the way in which he did (Deu 2:30). There the credit for the victory goes to Yahweh. And as the Amorites were basically ‘Canaanites’ (related to inhabitants of Canaan) they were all to be put to the sword.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Num 21:24. Possessed his land from Arnon unto Jabbok, even unto the children of Ammon This is a brief description of the extent of Sihon’s country, which reached from the river Arnon, the bound of the Moabites country on the south, ch. Num 22:36 unto the river Jabbok, which was the bound of the Ammonites country on the north, Deu 3:16. Jos 12:2; Jos 13:10. For the border of the children of Ammon was strong; Houbigant renders, for the borders, &c. were fortified; and this is mentioned as one reason why the children of Israel did not attack their country. We are farther told, that they were forbidden to meddle with them, because they were the descendants of Lot, Deu 2:19. The border of the children of Ammon was rendered naturally strong by a ridge of mountains, which parted them from the kingdom of Sihon.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Israel: Num 32:1-4, Num 32:33-42, Deu 2:31-37, Deu 29:7, Jos 9:10, Jos 12:1-3, Jos 13:8-10, Jos 24:8, Jdg 11:21-23, Jdg 12:1, Jdg 12:2, Jdg 21:8, Neh 9:22, Psa 135:10-12, Psa 136:19, Amo 2:9
Arnon: Num 21:13, Gen 32:22, Deu 3:16
Reciprocal: Num 21:34 – thou shalt Num 32:4 – General Deu 2:33 – we smote Deu 2:37 – Jabbok Deu 31:4 – General Jos 8:24 – returned unto Ai Jos 12:6 – did Moses Jos 13:10 – General Jos 13:21 – whom Moses Jdg 11:13 – Because Israel Jdg 11:20 – General
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Num 21:24. From Arnon Or, which reached from Arnon; and so here is a description or limitation of Sihons conquest and kingdom, that it extended only from Arnon unto the children of Ammon And then the following words, for the border of the children of Ammon was strong, come in very fitly, not as a reason why the Israelites did not conquer the Ammonites, for they were absolutely forbidden to meddle with them, (Deu 3:8,) but as a reason why Sihon could not enlarge his conquests to the Ammonites, as he had done to the Moabites. Jabbok A river by which the countries of Ammon and Moab were in part bounded and divided. Strong Either by the advantage of the river, or by their strong holds in their frontiers.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
21:24 And Israel smote him with the edge of the sword, and possessed his land from Arnon unto {h} Jabbok, even unto the children of Ammon: for the border of the children of Ammon [was] {i} strong.
(h) The river.
(i) For the people were tall and strong like giants; De 2:20.