Judges 11:19
New International Version
“Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon, and said to him, ‘Let us pass through your country to our own place.’

New Living Translation
“Then Israel sent messengers to King Sihon of the Amorites, who ruled from Heshbon, asking for permission to cross through his land to get to their destination.

English Standard Version
Israel then sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, king of Heshbon, and Israel said to him, ‘Please let us pass through your land to our country,’

Berean Standard Bible
And Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon, and said to him, ‘Please let us pass through your land into our own place.’

King James Bible
And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon; and Israel said unto him, Let us pass, we pray thee, through thy land into my place.

New King James Version
Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, king of Heshbon; and Israel said to him, “Please let us pass through your land into our place.”

New American Standard Bible
And Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon; and Israel said to him, “Please let us pass through your land to our place.”

NASB 1995
‘And Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon, and Israel said to him, “Please let us pass through your land to our place.”

NASB 1977
‘And Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon, and Israel said to him, “Please let us pass through your land to our place.”

Legacy Standard Bible
And Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon, and Israel said to him, “Please let us pass through your land to our place.”

Amplified Bible
Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, king of Heshbon, and Israel said to him, “Please let us pass through your land to our place.”

Christian Standard Bible
“Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, king of Heshbon. Israel said to him, ‘Please let us travel through your land to our country,’

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, king of Heshbon. Israel said to him, ‘Please let us travel through your land to our country,’

American Standard Version
And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon; and Israel said unto him, Let us pass, we pray thee, through thy land unto my place.

Contemporary English Version
The Israelites sent messengers to the Amorite King Sihon of Heshbon. "Please," they said, "let our people go through your country to get to our own land."

English Revised Version
And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon; and Israel said unto him, Let us pass, we pray thee, through thy land unto my place.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"Then the people of Israel sent messengers to King Sihon of the Amorites. Sihon ruled from Heshbon. The people of Israel said to him, 'Please let us go through your land to our own.'

Good News Translation
Then the Israelites sent messengers to Sihon, the Amorite king of Heshbon, and asked him for permission to go through his country to their own land.

International Standard Version
Then Israel sent a delegation to Sihon, king of the Amorites and king of Heshbon. Israel requested of him, "Please let us pass through your territory to our place."

Majority Standard Bible
And Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon, and said to him, ?Please let us pass through your land into our own place.?

NET Bible
Israel sent messengers to King Sihon, the Amorite king who ruled in Heshbon, and said to him, "Please allow us to pass through your land to our land."

New Heart English Bible
Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon; and Israel said to him, "Please let me pass through your land to our land.'

Webster's Bible Translation
And Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon; and Israel said to him, Let us pass, we pray thee, through thy land to my place.

World English Bible
Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon; and Israel said to him, ‘Please let us pass through your land to my place.’
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Israel sends messengers to Sihon, king of the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and Israel says to him, Please let us pass over through your land, to my place,

Young's Literal Translation
'And Israel sendeth messengers unto Sihon, king of the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and Israel saith to him, Let us pass over, we pray thee, through thy land, unto my place,

Smith's Literal Translation
And Israel will send messengers to Sihon, king of the Amorites, king of Heshbon; and Israel will say to him, We will pass now through in thy land, even to my place.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
So Israel sent messengers to Sehon king of the Amorrhites, who dwelt in Hesebon, and they said to him: Suffer me to pass through thy land to the river.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And so Israel sent messengers to Sihon, the king of the Amorites, who was living at Heshbon. And they said to him, “Permit me to cross through your land as far as the river.”

New American Bible
Then Israel sent messengers to the Amorite king Sihon, who was king of Heshbon. Israel said to him, “Let me pass through your land to my own place.”

New Revised Standard Version
Israel then sent messengers to King Sihon of the Amorites, king of Heshbon; and Israel said to him, ‘Let us pass through your land to our country.’
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon; and Israel said to him, Let us pass through your land until we come to our land.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Israel sent Messengers to Sihon, King of the Amorites, and the King of Kheshbon, and Israel said to him: “Let us pass into your land to my land”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon; and Israel said unto him: Let us pass, we pray thee, through thy land unto my place.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Israel sent messengers to Seon king of the Amorite, king of Esbon, and Israel said to him, Let us pass, we pray thee, by thy land to our place.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jephthah Delivers Israel
18Then Israel traveled through the wilderness and bypassed the lands of Edom and Moab. They came to the east side of the land of Moab and camped on the other side of the Arnon. But they did not enter the territory of Moab, since the Arnon was its border. 19And Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon, and said to him, ‘Please let us pass through your land into our own place.’ 20But Sihon would not trust Israel to pass through his territory. So he gathered all his people, encamped in Jahaz, and fought with Israel.…

Cross References
Numbers 21:21-24
Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, saying, / “Let us pass through your land. We will not turn aside into any field or vineyard, or drink water from any well. We will stay on the King’s Highway until we have passed through your territory.” / But Sihon would not let Israel pass through his territory. Instead, he gathered his whole army and went out to confront Israel in the wilderness. When he came to Jahaz, he fought against Israel. ...

Deuteronomy 2:26-30
So from the Wilderness of Kedemoth I sent messengers with an offer of peace to Sihon king of Heshbon, saying, / “Let us pass through your land; we will stay on the main road. We will not turn to the right or to the left. / You can sell us food to eat and water to drink in exchange for silver. Only let us pass through on foot, ...

Joshua 2:10
For we have heard how the LORD dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites across the Jordan, whom you devoted to destruction.

Joshua 11:19-20
No city made peace with the Israelites except the Hivites living in Gibeon; all others were taken in battle. / For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts to engage Israel in battle, so that they would be set apart for destruction and would receive no mercy, being annihilated as the LORD had commanded Moses.

1 Samuel 11:1-11
Then Nahash the Ammonite came up and laid siege to Jabesh-gilead. All the men of Jabesh said to him, “Make a treaty with us, and we will serve you.” / But Nahash the Ammonite replied, “I will make a treaty with you on one condition, that I may put out everyone’s right eye and bring reproach upon all Israel.” / “Hold off for seven days,” replied the elders of Jabesh, “and let us send messengers throughout Israel. If there is no one to save us, we will surrender to you.” ...

2 Kings 3:9-27
So the king of Israel, the king of Judah, and the king of Edom set out, and after they had traveled a roundabout route for seven days, they had no water for their army or for their animals. / “Alas,” said the king of Israel, “for the LORD has summoned these three kings to deliver them into the hand of Moab!” / But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no prophet of the LORD here? Let us inquire of the LORD through him.” And one of the servants of the king of Israel answered, “Elisha son of Shaphat is here. He used to pour water on the hands of Elijah.” ...

Psalm 83:6-8
the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, of Moab and the Hagrites, / of Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek, of Philistia with the people of Tyre. / Even Assyria has joined them, lending strength to the sons of Lot. Selah

Isaiah 16:6-7
We have heard of Moab’s pomposity, his exceeding pride and conceit, his overflowing arrogance. But his boasting is empty. / Therefore let Moab wail; let them wail together for Moab. Moan for the raisin cakes of Kir-hareseth, you who are utterly stricken.

Jeremiah 48:1-2
Concerning Moab, this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “Woe to Nebo, for it will be devastated. Kiriathaim will be captured and disgraced; the fortress will be shattered and dismantled. / There is no longer praise for Moab; in Heshbon they devise evil against her: ‘Come, let us cut her off from nationhood.’ You too, O people of Madmen, will be silenced; the sword will pursue you.

Amos 2:1-3
This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of Moab, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because he burned to lime the bones of Edom’s king. / So I will send fire against Moab to consume the citadels of Kerioth. Moab will die in tumult, amid war cries and the sound of the ram’s horn. / I will cut off the ruler of Moab and kill all the officials with him,” says the LORD.

Matthew 5:9
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.

Luke 14:31-32
Or what king on his way to war with another king will not first sit down and consider whether he can engage with ten thousand men the one coming against him with twenty thousand? / And if he is unable, he will send a delegation while the other king is still far off, to ask for terms of peace.

Romans 12:18
If it is possible on your part, live at peace with everyone.

1 Corinthians 6:1-8
If any of you has a grievance against another, how dare he go to law before the unrighteous instead of before the saints! / Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? / Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! ...

2 Corinthians 5:20
Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ: Be reconciled to God.


Treasury of Scripture

And Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon; and Israel said to him, Let us pass, we pray you, through your land into my place.

Numbers 21:21-35
And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, saying, …

Deuteronomy 2:26-34
And I sent messengers out of the wilderness of Kedemoth unto Sihon king of Heshbon with words of peace, saying, …

Deuteronomy 3:1-17
Then we turned, and went up the way to Bashan: and Og the king of Bashan came out against us, he and all his people, to battle at Edrei…

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Amorite Amorites Country Heshbon Israel Messengers Please Ruled Sihon
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Amorite Amorites Country Heshbon Israel Messengers Please Ruled Sihon
Judges 11
1. The covenant between Jephthah and the Gileadites, that he should lead
12. The treaty of peace between him and the Ammonites is in vain
29. Jephthah's vow
32. His conquest of the Ammonites
34. He performs his vow on his daughter.














And Israel sent messengers
The phrase "And Israel sent messengers" indicates a diplomatic approach by the Israelites. The Hebrew root for "sent" is שָׁלַח (shalach), which often implies a mission or a purposeful dispatch. This reflects Israel's desire to peacefully negotiate passage through foreign territory, emphasizing their intent to avoid conflict. Historically, sending messengers was a common practice in the ancient Near East for communication between nations, highlighting Israel's adherence to established diplomatic protocols.

to Sihon king of the Amorites
"Sihon king of the Amorites" identifies the ruler and his people, the Amorites, who were a significant Canaanite group. The Amorites are frequently mentioned in the Old Testament as inhabitants of the land before Israel's conquest. The name "Sihon" may derive from a root meaning "sweeping away," possibly reflecting his reputation or military prowess. This encounter is pivotal, as it sets the stage for the subsequent conflict between Israel and the Amorites, illustrating the challenges Israel faced in claiming the Promised Land.

the king of Heshbon
"Heshbon" was a major city and the capital of Sihon's kingdom. Archaeological evidence suggests it was a fortified city, strategically located on the King's Highway, a vital trade route. This highlights the significance of Israel's request, as controlling Heshbon would have been crucial for regional dominance. The mention of Heshbon underscores the geopolitical realities of the time, where control of key cities was essential for power and influence.

and said, 'Let us pass through your land
The request "Let us pass through your land" is a plea for safe passage. The Hebrew verb עָבַר (avar) means "to pass over" or "to cross," indicating a temporary transit rather than a permanent settlement. This request reflects Israel's intention to respect the sovereignty of the Amorites while pursuing their divinely ordained journey to the Promised Land. It underscores the principle of seeking peace before engaging in conflict, aligning with the broader biblical theme of pursuing peace with all men (Hebrews 12:14).

to our place.'
The phrase "to our place" refers to the land promised to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This promise is central to Israel's identity and mission. The Hebrew word מָקוֹם (maqom) can mean "place" or "home," signifying not just a physical location but a divinely appointed inheritance. This highlights the faith and determination of the Israelites to reach the land God had promised them, despite the obstacles they faced. It serves as a reminder of God's faithfulness and the importance of trusting in His promises.

(19) Unto Sihon.--Numbers 21:21; Deuteronomy 2:26-29 (where see the Commentary).

The King of Heshbon.--He was king of the Aniorites by birth, but king of Heshbon only by conquest. The town was assigned to Reuben (Numbers 32:37).

Into my place.--The conquest of the territories of Reuben, Gad, and half-Manasseh had not entered into the original plan of Israel, but had been providentially determined by the hostility of Sihon and Og (Deuteronomy 2:29). The Vulg. renders it "unto the river (usque ad fluvium).

Verse 19. - And Israel, etc. The text here follows Numbers 21:21-24 almost verbatim; but the expression, "the king of Heshbon," is from Deuteronomy 2:24, 26, 80.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
And Israel
יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

sent
וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח (way·yiš·laḥ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7971: To send away, for, out

messengers
מַלְאָכִ֔ים (mal·’ā·ḵîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 4397: A messenger, of God, an angel

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

Sihon
סִיח֥וֹן (sî·ḥō·wn)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 5511: Sihon -- a king of the Amorites

king
מֶֽלֶךְ־ (me·leḵ-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4428: A king

of the Amorites,
הָאֱמֹרִ֖י (hā·’ĕ·mō·rî)
Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 567: Amorites -- perhaps 'mountain dwellers', a Canaanite tribe

who ruled
מֶ֣לֶךְ (me·leḵ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4428: A king

in Heshbon,
חֶשְׁבּ֑וֹן (ḥeš·bō·wn)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 2809: Heshbon -- a place East of the Jordan

and said
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to him,
לוֹ֙ (lōw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew

‘Please
נָּ֥א (nā)
Interjection
Strong's 4994: I pray', 'now', 'then'

let us pass
נַעְבְּרָה־ (na‘·bə·rāh-)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common plural
Strong's 5674: To pass over, through, or by, pass on

through your land
בְאַרְצְךָ֖ (ḇə·’ar·ṣə·ḵā)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

into
עַד־ (‘aḏ-)
Preposition
Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while

our own place.’
מְקוֹמִֽי׃ (mə·qō·w·mî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 4725: A standing, a spot, a condition


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OT History: Judges 11:19 Israel sent messengers to Sihon king (Jd Judg. Jdg)
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