Keraia
Deuteronomy 2

Deuteronomy 2:37

The Defeat of Sihon · Deuteronomy 2:24–37
Read Deuteronomy 2

Translations

Modern
But you did not go near the land of the Ammonites, or the land along the banks of the Jabbok River, or the cities of the hill country, or any place that the LORD our God had forbidden.
Traditional
Only unto the land of the children of Ammon thou camest not, nor unto any place of the river Jabbok, nor unto the cities in the mountains, nor unto whatsoever the Lord our God forbad us.
Literal
Only near the land of the sons of Ammon you did not go near, anywhere along the River Jabbok, or to the cities of the mountains, or wherever YHWH our God had forbidden us.
Latin
…absque terra filiorum Ammon, ad quam non accessimus: et cunctis quæ adjacent torrenti Jeboc, et urbibus montanis, universisque locis, a quibus nos prohibuit Dominus Deus noster.

Original

Hebrew
English
But you did not go near the land of the Ammonites, or the land along the banks of the Jabbok River, or the cities of the hill country, or any place that the LORD our God had forbidden.

Notes

Deuteronomy 2:37

  • Like the Moabites, the Ammonites were relatives of Israel and must be left alone (see 2:9).

  • The Jabbok River, a major tributary of the Jordan River, marked the border between Gilead to the north and the Amorite kingdom of Sihon to the south. The Ammonites lived east and south of the Jabbok (see 2:19). Jacob wrestled with a stranger at night somewhere at the Jabbok (see Genesis 32:22–32).

Deuteronomy 1:6–4:40

Secular treaties (formal agreements between nations) often included a section about the past relationship between the two partners. This section reviewed what had happened before the agreement.

In this case, the purpose was to review Israel’s successes and failures since the exodus from Egypt. It reminded the people that God had kept his word, even when they did not obey him.

To prepare the Israelites for life in Canaan, Moses reminded them about life in Egypt, their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, and their past mistakes. He warned them to obey God's covenant. He assured them that God's grace would follow them as they learned to trust and obey the Lord.

Theme notes and profiles

Moab and Ammon

Parallels

Numbers 21:21–30

Places

Ammon: An ancient nation and its capital city, enemies of Israel Jabbok: A river east of the Jordan, associated with Jacob

Glossary

Amorites Archaeology and the Bible Deuteronomy, Book of Sihon Tribe of Dan

Topics

Ammonites: Israelites Forbidden to Disturb Rivers: Jabbok Sihon: Conquest of his Kingdom by the Israelites