| 21Israel sent messengers to Sichon the king of the Amorites to say, |
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כאוַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מַלְאָכִ֔ים אֶל־סִיחֹ֥ן מֶֽלֶךְ־הָֽאֱמֹרִ֖י לֵאמֹֽר: |
| וַיִּשְׁלַח יִשְׂרָאֵל מַלְאָכִים - Israel sent messengers - but elsewhere, Scripture attributes the sending to Moses, as it says: “Following the example God set in the Sinai desert, I sent messengers to King Sichon of Cheshbon.” Similarly, we find: “Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom,” yet in Yiftach’s account of this it states: “Israel then sent messengers to the king of Edom….” These verses need one another to arrive at the accurate conclusion that both messengers were sent by Moses on behalf of all Israel: one “locks” and the other “opens” – that Moses is equivalent to Israel, and Israel is equivalent to Moses. This is thus telling you that the leader of the generation is like the entire generation, for the leader is the collective embodiment of everyone. |
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וַיִּשְׁלַח יִשְׂרָאֵל מַלְאָכִים.
וּבְמָקוֹם אַחֵר תּוֹלֶה הַשְּׁלִיחוּת בְּמֹשֶׁה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וָאֶשְׁלַח מַלְאָכִים מִמִּדְבַּר קְדֵמוֹת" (דברים ב'), וְכֵן "וַיִּשְׁלַח מֹשֶׁה מַלְאָכִים מִקָּדֵשׁ אֶל מֶלֶךְ אֱדוֹם" (במדבר כ'), וּבְיִפְתָּח הוּא אוֹמֵר (שופטים י"א) "וַיִּשְׁלַח יִשְׂרָאֵל מַלְאָכִים אֶל מֶלֶךְ אֱדוֹם" וְגוֹ', הַכְּתוּבִים הַלָּלוּ צְרִיכִין זֶה לָזֶה, זֶה נוֹעֵל וְזֶה פוֹתֵחַ, שֶׁמֹּשֶׁה הוּא יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיִשְׂרָאֵל הֵם מֹשֶׁה, לוֹמַר לְךָ שֶׁנְּשִׂיא הַדּוֹר הוּא כְּכָל הַדּוֹר, כִּי הַנָּשִׂיא הוּא הַכֹּל (תנחומא):
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| 22“Let us pass through your land. We will not venture into fields or vineyards or drink well-water. We will walk along the king’s road until we have passed through your territory.” |
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כבאֶעְבְּרָ֣ה בְאַרְצֶ֗ךָ לֹ֤א נִטֶּה֙ בְּשָׂדֶ֣ה וּבְכֶ֔רֶם לֹ֥א נִשְׁתֶּ֖ה מֵ֣י בְאֵ֑ר בְּדֶ֤רֶךְ הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ נֵלֵ֔ךְ עַ֥ד אֲשֶׁר־נַֽעֲבֹ֖ר גְּבֻלֶֽךָ: |
| אֶעְבְּרָה בְאַרְצֶךָ - Let us pass through your land. Although they had not been commanded to begin by offering peace to them, they asked them to let them pass in peace. |
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אֶעְבְּרָה בְאַרְצֶךָ.
אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא נִצְטַוּוּ לִפְתֹּחַ לָהֶם בְּשָׁלוֹם בִּקְּשׁוּ מֵהֶם שָׁלוֹם (שם):
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| 23Sichon did not permit Israel to pass through his territory. Sichon gathered all his people, and he went out to the desert toward Israel. He arrived at Yahatz and fought against Israel. |
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כגוְלֹֽא־נָתַ֨ן סִיחֹ֥ן אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל֘ עֲבֹ֣ר בִּגְבֻלוֹ֒ וַיֶּֽאֱסֹ֨ף סִיחֹ֜ן אֶת־כָּל־עַמּ֗וֹ וַיֵּצֵ֞א לִקְרַ֤את יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ הַמִּדְבָּ֔רָה וַיָּבֹ֖א יָ֑הְצָה וַיִּלָּ֖חֶם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל: |
| וְלֹֽא־נָתַן סִיחֹן וגו' - Sichon did not permit…. – since all the Canaanite kings were paying him tribute, as he was protecting them so no army invade them. Thus, when Israel said to him: “Let us pass through your land,” he answered them, “My entire purpose in dwelling here is to protect them from you, and you are saying this!” |
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וְלֹֽא־נָתַן סִיחֹן וגו'.
לְפִי שֶׁכָּל מַלְכֵי כְנַעַן הָיוּ מַעֲלִין לוֹ מַס, שֶׁהָיָה שׁוֹמְרָם שֶׁלֹּא יַעַבְרוּ עֲלֵיהֶם גְּיָסוֹת, כֵּיוָן שֶׁאָמְרוּ לוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶעְבְּרָה בְאַרְצֶךָ, אָ"לָ, כָּל עַצְמִי אֵינִי יוֹשֵׁב כָּאן אֶלָּא לְשָׁמְרָם מִפְּנֵיכֶם, וְאַתֶּם אוֹמְרִים כָּךְ (תנחומא):
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| וַיֵּצֵא לִקְרַאת יִשְׂרָאֵל - And he went out toward Israel. Even if Cheshbon were full of gnats, no creature could have conquered it, and even if Sichon were in a weak village, no one could have conquered him – all the more so that he was in Cheshbon. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “Why should I have My children go to the trouble of laying siege to each individual city?” He therefore inspired all the Amorite soldiers to leave their cities, and they all gathered in one place and were defeated there. From there, Israel proceeded to the cities, where no one resisted them for there were none there but women and children. |
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וַיֵּצֵא לִקְרַאת יִשְׂרָאֵל.
אִלּוּ הָיְתָה חֶשְׁבּוֹן מְלֵאָה יַתּוּשִׁין אֵין כָּל בְּרִיָּה יְכוֹלָה לְכָבְשָׁהּ, וְאִם הָיָה סִיחוֹן בִּכְפָר חַלָּשׁ אֵין כָּל אָדָם יָכוֹל לְכָבְשׁוֹ, וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁהָיָה בְּחֶשְׁבּוֹן; אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מָה אֲנִי מַטְרִיחַ עַל בָּנַי כָּל זֹאת לָצוּר עַל כָּל עִיר וָעִיר? נָתַן בְּלֵב כָּל אַנְשֵׁי הַמִּלְחָמָה לָצֵאת מִן הָעֲיָרוֹת, וְנִתְקַבְּצוּ כֻלָּם לְמָקוֹם אֶחָד וְשָׁם נָפְלוּ, וּמִשָּׁם הָלְכוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל הֶעָרִים וְאֵין עוֹמֵד לְנֶגְדָּם, כִּי אֵין שָׁם אֶלָּא נָשִׁים וָטָף (שם):
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| 24Israel smote him with the sword, and took possession of his land from the Arnon River to the Yabok River, and as far east as the Ammonites, for the border of the Ammonites was strong. |
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כדוַיַּכֵּ֥הוּ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לְפִי־חָ֑רֶב וַיִּירַ֨שׁ אֶת־אַרְצ֜וֹ מֵֽאַרְנֹ֗ן עַד־יַבֹּק֙ עַד־בְּנֵ֣י עַמּ֔וֹן כִּ֣י עַ֔ז גְּב֖וּל בְּנֵ֥י עַמּֽוֹן: |
| כִּי עַז - For it was strong. And what was its strength? The warning of the Holy One, blessed be He, who said to them: “Do not distress them….” |
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כִּי עַז.
וּמַהוּ חָזְקוֹ? הַתְרָאָתוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁאָמַר לָהֶם אַל תְּצֻרֵם וְגוֹ' (דברים ב'):
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| 25Israel took all these cities and Israel dwelt in all the cities of the Amorites, in Cheshbon and all its villages. |
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כהוַיִּקַּח֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֵ֥ת כָּל־הֶֽעָרִ֖ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה וַיֵּ֤שֶׁב יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בְּכָל־עָרֵ֣י הָֽאֱמֹרִ֔י בְּחֶשְׁבּ֖וֹן וּבְכָל־בְּנֹתֶֽיהָ: |
| בְּנֹתֶֽיהָ - means: its adjacent villages. |
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בְּנֹתֶֽיהָ.
כְּפָרִים הַסְּמוּכִים לָהּ:
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| 26For Cheshbon was the city of King Sichon of the Amorites, for he had fought against the first king of Moab, taking all his land as far as the Arnon River. |
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כוכִּ֣י חֶשְׁבּ֔וֹן עִ֗יר סִיחֹ֛ן מֶ֥לֶךְ הָֽאֱמֹרִ֖י הִ֑וא וְה֣וּא נִלְחַ֗ם בְּמֶ֤לֶךְ מוֹאָב֙ הָֽרִאשׁ֔וֹן וַיִּקַּ֧ח אֶת־כָּל־אַרְצ֛וֹ מִיָּד֖וֹ עַד־אַרְנֹֽן: |
| וְהוּא נִלְחַם - For he had fought. Why did this need to be written? Since it says: “Do not distress the Moabites,” and Cheshbon was originally part of Moab, it tells us that Sichon had taken it away from them, and thus through him it became permitted to Israel. |
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וְהוּא נִלְחַם.
לָמָּה הֻצְרַךְ לִכָּתֵב? לְפִי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שם) "אַל תָּצַר אֶת מוֹאָב", וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן מִשֶּׁל מוֹאָב הָיְתָה, כָּתַב לָנוּ שֶׁסִּיחוֹן לְקָחָהּ מֵהֶם וְעַל יָדוֹ טָהֲרָה לְיִשְֹרָאֵל (חולין ס'; גיטין ל"ח):
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| מִיָּדוֹ - (lit.) From his hand - means from being in his possession. |
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מִיָּדוֹ.
מֵרְשׁוּתוֹ (בבא מציעא נ"ו):
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| 27Therefore, those who speak in parables said, “Come to Cheshbon. May it be built and established as the city of Sichon. |
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כזעַל־כֵּ֛ן יֹֽאמְר֥וּ הַמּֽשְׁלִ֖ים בֹּ֣אוּ חֶשְׁבּ֑וֹן תִּבָּנֶ֥ה וְתִכּוֹנֵ֖ן עִ֥יר סִיחֽוֹן: |
| עַל־כֵּן - (lit.) About this - i.e., concerning that war that Sichon fought against Moab. |
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עַל־כֵּן.
עַל אוֹתָהּ מִלְחָמָה שֶׁנִּלְחַם סִיחוֹן בְּמוֹאָב:
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| יֹֽאמְרוּ הַמּֽשְׁלִים - Those who speak in parables said. This refers principally to Balaam, about whom it says: “He began to recite his parable (מְשָׁלוֹ).” |
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יֹֽאמְרוּ הַמּֽשְׁלִים.
בִּלְעָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ "וַיִּשָּׂא מְשָׁלוֹ" (במדבר כ"ג):
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| הַמּֽשְׁלִים - Those who speak in parables - i.e., Balaam and his father Be’or, and they said: |
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הַמּֽשְׁלִים.
בִּלְעָם וּבְעוֹר, וְהֵם אָמְרוּ:
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| בֹּאוּ חֶשְׁבּוֹן - Come to Cheshbon - for Sichon was unable to conquer it, so he went and hired Balaam to curse it. And this is what Balak referred to when he said to him: “for I know that whomever you bless is blessed….” |
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בֹּאוּ חֶשְׁבּוֹן.
שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה סִיחוֹן יָכוֹל לְכָבְשָׁהּ וְהָלַךְ וְשָׂכַר אֶת בִּלְעָם לְקַלְּלוֹ (תנחומא); וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ בָּלָק "כִּי יָדַעְתִּי אֵת אֲשֶׁר תְּבָרֵךְ מְבֹרָךְ" וְגוֹ' (במדבר כ"ב):
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| תִּבָּנֶה וְתִכּוֹנֵן - May it be built and established. referring to Cheshbon – with the name of Sichon, to become his city. |
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תִּבָּנֶה וְתִכּוֹנֵן.
חֶשְׁבּוֹן בְּשֵׁם סִיחוֹן לִהְיוֹת עִירוֹ:
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| 28For a fire has gone forth from Cheshbon, a flame from the city of Sichon; it has consumed Ar of Moab, wherein reside the masters of the altars of the Arnon River. |
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כחכִּי־אֵשׁ֙ יָֽצְאָ֣ה מֵֽחֶשְׁבּ֔וֹן לֶֽהָבָ֖ה מִקִּרְיַ֣ת סִיחֹ֑ן אָֽכְלָה֙ עָ֣ר מוֹאָ֔ב בַּֽעֲלֵ֖י בָּמ֥וֹת אַרְנֹֽן: |
| כִּי־אֵשׁ יָֽצְאָה מֵֽחֶשְׁבּוֹן - For a fire has gone forth from Cheshbon - after Sichon conquered it. |
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כִּי־אֵשׁ יָֽצְאָה מֵֽחֶשְׁבּוֹן.
מִשֶּׁכְּבָשָׁהּ סִיחוֹן:
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| אָֽכְלָה עָר מוֹאָב - It has consumed Ar of Moab. The name of that district is Ar in Hebrew and Lechayat in Aramaic. Thus: |
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אָֽכְלָה עָר מוֹאָב.
שֵׁם אוֹתָהּ הַמְּדִינָה קָרוּי עָר בְּלָשׁוֹן עִבְרִי וּלְחָיַת בְּלָשׁוֹן אֲרַמִּי:
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| עָר מוֹאָב - means the Ar district of Moab. |
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עָר מוֹאָב.
עָר שֶׁל מוֹאָב:
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| 29Woe to you, Moab; you are lost, people of Kemosh. He has given his sons over as refugees and his daughters into captivity, to Sichon, king of the Amorites. |
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כטאֽוֹי־לְךָ֣ מוֹאָ֔ב אָבַ֖דְתָּ עַם־כְּמ֑וֹשׁ נָתַ֨ן בָּנָ֤יו פְּלֵיטִם֙ וּבְנֹתָ֣יו בַּשְּׁבִ֔ית לְמֶ֥לֶךְ אֱמֹרִ֖י סִיחֽוֹן: |
| אֽוֹי־לְךָ מוֹאָב - Woe to you, Moab - for Balaam and Be’or cursed the Moabites to be handed over to Sichon. |
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אֽוֹי־לְךָ מוֹאָב.
שֶׁקִּלְּלוּ אֶת מוֹאָב שֶׁיִּמָּסְרוּ בְיָדוֹ (תנחומא):
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| כְּמוֹשׁ - Kemosh - the name of Moab’s deity. |
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כְּמוֹשׁ.
שֵׁם אֱלֹהֵי מוֹאָב:
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| נָתַן - He has given - i.e., whoever gave, this being an elliptical phrase – the sons of Moab as – |
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נָתַן.
הַנּוֹתֵן אֶת בָּנָיו שֶׁל מוֹאָב:
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| פְּלֵיטִם - Refugees - i.e., running to escape the sword, and given “his daughters into captivity….” |
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פְּלֵיטִם.
— נָסִים וּפְלֵטִים מֵחֶרֶב וְאֶת בְּנוֹתָיו בַּשְּׁבִית וְגוֹ':
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| 30Their sovereignty over Cheshbon is destroyed; it has departed from Divon. We laid them waste as far as Nofach, which reaches until Meideva.” |
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לוַנִּירָ֛ם אָבַ֥ד חֶשְׁבּ֖וֹן עַד־דִּיבֹ֑ן וַנַּשִּׁ֣ים עַד־נֹ֔פַח אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַד־מֵֽידְבָֽא: |
| וַנִּירָם אָבַד - means: their sovereignty. |
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וַנִּירָם אָבַד.
מַלְכוּת שֶׁלָּהֶם:
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| אָבַד חֶשְׁבּוֹן עַד־דִּיבֹן - means the sovereignty and authority Moab had over Cheshbon disappeared from there. The same meaning applies to עַד דִּיבֹן, for the Aramaic translation of סָר “depart” is עַד, i.e., their sovereignty departed from Divon. נִיר is a term denoting sovereignty and authority of human rule, as in: “so that there be sovereignty (נִיר) for My servant David.” |
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אָבַד חֶשְׁבּוֹן עַד־דִּיבֹן.
— מַלְכוּת וְעֹל שֶׁהָיָה לְמוֹאָב בְּחֶשְׁבּוֹן אָבַד מִשָּׁם, וְכֵן עַד דִּיבֹן; תַּרְגּוּם שֶׁל סָר "עַד", כְּלוֹמַר סָר נִיר מִדִּיבֹן; נִיר לְשׁוֹן מַלְכוּת וְעֹל מֶמְשֶׁלֶת אִישׁ, כְּמוֹ "לְמַעַן הֱיוֹת נִיר לְדָוִד עַבְדִּי" (מ"א י"א):
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| וַנַּשִּׁים -
the ש has a dagesh, denoting desolation (שְׁמָמָה); i.e., this is what those speaking in parables said: וַנַּשִּׁים אוֹתָם – We laid them desolate –
We laid them desolate as far as Nofach.
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וַנַּשִּׁים.
שִׁי"ן דְּגוּשָׁה, לְשׁוֹן שְׁמָמָה, כָּךְ יֹאמְרוּ הַמֹּשְׁלִים, "וַנַּשִּׁים אוֹתָם עַד נֹפַח" — הֲשִׁמּוֹנוּם עַד נֹפַח:
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| 31Israel settled in the land of the Amorites. |
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לאוַיֵּ֨שֶׁב֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בְּאֶ֖רֶץ הָֽאֱמֹרִֽי: |
| 32Moses sent men to spy out Ya’zer. They captured its villages, dispossessing the Amorites who lived there. |
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לבוַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח משֶׁה֙ לְרַגֵּ֣ל אֶת־יַעְזֵ֔ר וַיִּלְכְּד֖וּ בְּנֹתֶ֑יהָ וַיּ֖וֹרֶשׁ (כתיב ויירש) אֶת־הָֽאֱמֹרִ֥י אֲשֶׁר־שָֽׁם: |
| וַיִּשְׁלַח משֶׁה לְרַגֵּל אֶת־יַעְזֵר - Moses sent [men] to spy out Ya’zer. The spies themselves captured it. They said: “We will not act like the first spies. We are confident in the power of Moses’ prayer to be able to fight.” |
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וַיִּשְׁלַח משֶׁה לְרַגֵּל אֶת־יַעְזֵר.
הַמְרַגְּלִים לְכָדוּהָ, אָמְרוּ לֹא נַעֲשֶׂה כָּרִאשׁוֹנִים, בְּטוּחִים אָנוּ בְּכֹחַ תְּפִלָּתוֹ שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה לְהִלָּחֵם (תנחומא):
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| 33They turned and ascended toward Bashan. King Og of Bashan came out toward them with all his people to wage war at Edre’i. |
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לגוַיִּפְנוּ֙ וַיַּֽעֲל֔וּ דֶּ֖רֶךְ הַבָּשָׁ֑ן וַיֵּצֵ֣א עוֹג֩ מֶֽלֶךְ־הַבָּשָׁ֨ן לִקְרָאתָ֜ם ה֧וּא וְכָל־עַמּ֛וֹ לַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה אֶדְרֶֽעִי: |
| 34God said to Moses, “Do not fear him, for I have delivered him, his people, and his land into your hand. You will do to him as you did to Sichon king of the Amorites, who dwelt in Cheshbon.” |
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לדוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֤ה אֶל־משֶׁה֙ אַל־תִּירָ֣א אֹת֔וֹ כִּ֣י בְיָֽדְךָ֞ נָתַ֧תִּי אֹת֛וֹ וְאֶת־כָּל־עַמּ֖וֹ וְאֶת־אַרְצ֑וֹ וְעָשִׂ֣יתָ לּ֔וֹ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשִׂ֗יתָ לְסִיחֹן֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ הָֽאֱמֹרִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר יוֹשֵׁ֖ב בְּחֶשְׁבּֽוֹן: |
| אֶל־תִּירָא אֹתוֹ - Do not fear him. God said this to him for Moses was afraid to fight Og, thinking the merit of informing Abraham of Lot’s capture might stand up for him, as it says: “The survivor came and told Abram….” This was Og, who alone survived of the Rephaim whom Kedorla’omer and his allies defeated at Ashterot-Karnayim, as it says: “For only King Og of Bashan was left from the remnant of the Rephaim.” |
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אֶל־תִּירָא אֹתוֹ.
שֶׁהָיָה מֹשֶׁה יָרֵא לְהִלָּחֵם, שֶׁמָּא תַּעֲמֹד לוֹ זְכוּתוֹ שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וַיָּבֹא הַפָּלִיט" (בראשית י"ד) — הוּא עוֹג שֶׁפָּלַט מִן הָרְפָאִים שֶׁהִכּוּ כְּדָרְלָעֹמֶר וַחֲבֵרָיו בְּעַשְׁתְּרוֹת קַרְנַיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ג') "רַק עוֹג מֶלֶךְ הַבָּשָׁן נִשְׁאַר מִיֶּתֶר הָרְפָאִים" (נדה ס"א):
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| 35They smote him, his sons, and all his people, leaving no survivors, and they took possession of his land. |
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להוַיַּכּ֨וּ אֹת֤וֹ וְאֶת־בָּנָיו֙ וְאֶת־כָּל־עַמּ֔וֹ עַד־בִּלְתִּ֥י הִשְׁאִֽיר־ל֖וֹ שָׂרִ֑יד וַיִּֽירְשׁ֖וּ אֶת־אַרְצֽוֹ: |
| וַיַּכּוּ אֹתוֹ - They smote him - it was Moses himself who killed him, as stated in Tractate Berachot in chapter Haro’eh: Og uprooted a mountain three parsah wide, the same width as the Israelite camp…. |
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וַיַּכּוּ אֹתוֹ.
מֹשֶׁה הֲרָגוֹ, כִּדְאִיתָא בִבְרָכוֹת בְּהָרוֹאֶה (ברכות דף נ"ד), עֲקַר טוּרָא בַּר תְּלָתָא פַרְסֵי וְכוּ':
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