21. And when Sihon had conquer- | saying, you shall not fight against the ed Moab, he placed guards in the children of Esau, therefore the Iscities which he had taken from Moab, raelites removed from them and did and a considerable number of the not fight against them. children of Moab fell in battle into the hand of Sihon, and he made a great capture of them, sons and daughters, and he slew their king; so Sihon turned back to his own land.

29. So the children of Israel de-. parted from Kadesh, and all the people came to mount Hor.

30. At that time the Lord said to Moses, tell thy brother Aaron that 22. And Sihon gave numerous he shall die there, for he shall not presents of silver and gold to Beor come to the land which I have given and Balaam his son, and he dismissed to the children of Israel.

them, and they went to Mesopotamia 31. And Aaron went up, at the to their home and country. command of the Lord, to mount Hor, 23. At that time all the children in the fortieth year, in the fifth month, of Israel passed from the road of the in the first day of the month. wilderness of Moab, and returned and surrounded the wilderness of Edom.

32. And Aaron was one hundred and twenty three years old when he died in mount Hor.

CHAPTER LXXXV.

24. So the whole congregation came to the wilderness of Sin in the first month of the fortieth year from their departure from Egypt, and the 1. And king Arad the Canaanite, children of Israel dwelt there in who dwelt in the south, heard that Kadesh, of the wilderness of Sin, and the Israelites had come by the way Miriam died there and she was buried of the spies, and he arranged his there. forces to fight against the Israelites. 25. At that time Moses sent mes- 2. And the children of Israel sengers to Hadad king of Edom, say- were greatly afraid of him, for he ing, thus says thy brother Israel, let had a great and heavy army, so the me pass I pray thee through thy land, children of Israel resolved to return we will not pass through field or vine- to Egypt. yard, we will not drink the water of the well; we will walk in the king's road.

26. And Edom said to him, thou shalt not pass through my country, and Edom went forth to meet the children of Israel with a mighty people.

27. And the children of Esau refused to let the children of Israel pass through their land, so the Israelites removed from them and fought not against them.

28. For before this the Lord had commanded the children of Israel,

3. And the children of Israel turned back about the distance of three days' journey unto Maserath Beni Jaakon, for they were greatly afraid on account of the king Arad.

4. And the children of Israel would not get back to their places, so they remained in Beni Jaakon for thirty days.

5. And when the children of Levi saw that the children of Israel would not turn back, they were jealous for the sake of the Lord, and they rose up and fought against the Israelites their brethren, and slew of them a

great body, and forced them to turn messengers to Sihon, king of the back to their place, mount Hor. Amorites, saying,

6. And when they returned, king Arad was still arranging his host for battle against the Israelites.

7. And Israel vowed a vow, saying, if thou wilt deliver this people into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their cities.

14. Let us pass through thy land, we will not turn into the fields or into the vineyards, we will go along by the king's highway until we shall have passed thy border, but Sihon would not suffer the Israelites to

pass.

8. And the Lord hearkened to the voice of Israel, and he delivered the Canaanites into their hand, and he utterly destroyed them and their cities, and he called the name of the against Israel in Jahaz. place Hormah.

15. So Sihon collected all the people of the Amorites and went forth into the wilderness to meet the children of Israel, and he fought

9. And the children of Israel journeyed from mount Hor and pitched in Oboth, and they journeyed from Oboth and they pitched at Ije-abarim, in the border of Moab.

16. And the Lord delivered Sihon king of the Amorites into the hand of the children of Israel, and Israel smote all the people of Sihon with the edge of the sword and avenged the cause of Moab.

10. And the children of Israel 17. And the children of Israel took sent to Moab, saying, let us pass now possession of the land of Sihon from through thy land into our place, but Aram unto Jabuk, unto the children the children of Moab would not suf- of Ammon, and they took all the fer the children of Israel to pass spoil of the cities. through their land, for the children 18. And Israel took all these cities, of Moab were greatly afraid lest the and Israel dwelt in all the cities of children of Israel should do unto the Amorites.

them as Sihon king of the Amorites 19. And all the children of Israel had done to them, who had taken resolved to fight against the children their land and had slain many of of Ammon, to take their land also. them.

20. So the Lord said to the child11. Therefore Moab would not ren of Israel, do not besiege the suffer the Israelites to pass through children of Ammon, neither stir up his land, and the Lord commanded battle against them, for I will give the children of Israel, saying that nothing to you of their land, and the they should not fight against Moab, children of Israel hearkened to the so the Israelites removed from Moab. word of the Lord, and did not fight 12. And the children of Israel against the children of Ammon. journeyed from the border of Moab 21. And the children of Israel and they came to the other side of turned and went up by the way of Arnon, the border of Moab, between Bashan to the land of Og, king of Moab and the Amorites, and they Bashan, and Og the king of Bashan pitched in the border of Sihon, king went out to meet the Israelites in of the Amorites, in the wilderness of battle, and he had with him many Kedemoth. valiant men, and a very strong force 13. And the children of Israel sent from the people of the Amorites.

22. And Og king of Bashan was a in the Lord, and they fought against very powerful man, but Naaron his the men of Jaazer.

son was exceedingly powerful, even stronger than he was.

31. And these men took Jaazer and its villages, and the Lord delivered them into their hand, and they drove out the Amorites who had been

23. And Og said in his heart, behold now the whole camp of Israel takes up a space of three * parsa, now there. will I smite them at once without sword or spear.

32. And the children of Israel took the land of the two kings of the Amorites, sixty cities which were on the other side of Jordan, from the brook of Arnon unto Mount Hermon.

24. And Og went up mount Jahaz and took therefrom one large stone, the length of which was three parsa, and he placed it on his head, and resolved to throw it upon the camp of the children of Israel, to smite all the Israelites with that dan, by Jericho.

33. And the children of Israel journeyed and came into the plain of Moab, which is on this side of Jor

34. And the children of Moab heard all the evil which the children of Israel had done to the two kings of the Amorites, to Sihon and Og, so all the men of Moab were greatly afraid of the Israelites.

35. And the elders of Moab said, behold the two kings of the Amorites, Sihon and Og, who were more powerful than all the kings of the earth, could not stand against the children of Israel, how then can we stand before them?

27. And Moses went down to him 36. Surely they sent us a message with a small number of the children before now to pass through our land of Israel, and Moses smote Og with on their way, and we would not suffer a stick at the ankles of his feet and them, now they will turn upon us smote him. with their heavy swords and destroy 28. The children of Israel after-us; and Moab was distressed on acward pursued the children of Og and count of the children of Israel, and all his people, and they beat and de- they were greatly afraid of them, and stroyed them till there was no rem- they counselled together what was to nant left of them. be done to the children of Israel.

29. Moses afterward sent some of the children of Israel to spy out Jaazer, for Jaazer was a very famous city.

37. And the elders of Moab resolved and took one of their men, Balak the son of Zippor the Moabite, and made him king over them at that time, and Balak was a very

30. And the spies went to Jaazer and explored it, and the spies trusted wise man. *Talmudical term for four miles, each mile consisting of two thousand cubits.

up

38. And the elders of Moab rose and sent to the children of Midian

to make peace with them, for a great the face of the earth, and they abide battle and enmity had been in those over against me. days between Moab and Midian, from the days of Hadad the son of Bedad king of Edom, who smote Midian in the field of Moab, unto these days.

39. And the children of Moab sent to the children of Midian, and they made peace with them, and the elders of Midian came to the land of Moab to make peace in behalf of the children of Midian.

40. And the elders of Moab counselled with the elders of Midian what to do in order to save their lives from Israel.

46. Now therefore come and curse this people for me, for they are too mighty for me, peradventure I shall prevail to fight against them, and drive them out, for I heard that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and whom thou cursest is cursed.

47. So the messengers of Balak went to Balaam and brought Balaam to curse the people to fight against Moab.

48. And Balaam came to Balak to curse Israel, and the Lord said to Balaam, curse not this people for it

49. And Balak urged Balaam day by day to curse Israel, but Balaam hearkened not to Balak on account of the word of the Lord which he had spoken to Balaam.

41. And all the children of Moab is blessed. said to the elders of Midian, now therefore the children of Israel lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field, for thus did they do to the two kings of the Amorites who are stronger than

we are.

50. And when Balak saw that Balaam would not accede to his wish, he rose up and went home, and Balaam also returned to his land and he went from there to Midian.

51. And the children of Israel

42. And the elders of Midian said to Moab, we have heard that at the time when Sihon king of the Amorites fought against you, when he prevailed over you and took your land, journeyed from the plain of Moab, he had sent to Beor the son of Janeas and pitched by Jordan from Bethand to Balaam his son from Mesopo- jesimoth even unto Abel-shittim, tamia, and they came and cursed you; at the end of the plains of Moab. therefore did the hand of Sihon prevail over you, that he took your land. 43. Now therefore send you also to Balaam his son, for he still remains in his land, and give him his hire, that he may come and curse all the people of whom you are afraid; so the elders of Moab heard this thing, and it pleased them to send to Balaam the son of Beor.

52. And when the children of Israel abode in the plain of Shittim, they began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.

ap

53. And the children of Israel proached Moab, and the children of Moab pitched their tents opposite to the camp of the children of Israel.

54. And the children of Moab were afraid of the children of Israel, and the children of Moab took all their daughters and their wives of beautiful aspect and comely appearance, 45. Behold there is a people come and dressed them in gold and silver out from Egypt, behold they cover and costly garments.

44. So Balak the son of Zippor king of Moab sent messengers to Balaam, saying,

55. And the children of Moab was kindled against Israel on account seated those women at the door of of this matter, and he sent a pestitheir tents, in order that the children lence amongst them, and there died of Israel might see them and turn to of the Israelites twenty-four thousand them, and not fight against Moab.

men.

56. And all the children of Moab 62. Now there was a man of the did this thing to the children of Is- children of Simeon whose name was rael, and every man placed his wife Zimri, the son of Salu, who connectand daughter at the door of his tent, ed himself with the Midianite Cosbi, and all the children of Israel saw the the daughter of Zur, king of Midian, act of the children of Moab, and the in the sight of all the children of Ischildren of Israel turned to the daugh-rael. ters of Moab and coveted them, and they went to them.

63. And Phineas the son of Elazer, the son of Aaron the priest, saw 57. And it came to pass that when this wicked thing which Zimri had a Hebrew came to the door of the done, and he took a spear and rose tent of Moab, and saw a daughter of up and went after them, and pierced Moab and desired her in his heart, them both and slew them, and the and spoke with her at the door of the pestilence ceased from the children tent that which he desired, whilst of Israel. they were speaking together the men of the tent would come out and speak to the Hebrew like unto these words: 58. Surely you know that we are brethren, we are all the descendants of Lot and the descendants of Abraham his brother, wherefore then will you not remain with us, and wherefore will you not eat our bread and our sacrifice?

59. And when the children of Moab had thus overwhelmed him with their speeches, and enticed him by their flattering words, they seated him in the tent and cooked and sacrificed for him, and he ate of their sacrifice and of their bread.

CHAPTER LXXXVI.

1. At that time after the pestilence, the Lord said to Moses, and to Elazer the son of Aaron the priest, saying,

2. Number the heads of the whole community of the children of Israel, from twenty years old and upward, all that went forth in the army.

3. And Moses and Elazer numbered the children of Israel after their families, and the number of all Israel was seven hundred thousand, seven hundred and thirty.

4. And the number of the children of Levi, from one month old and up60. They then gave him wine and ward, was twenty-three thousand, he drank and became intoxicated, and and amongst these there was not a they placed before him a beautiful man of those numbered by Moses damsel, and he did with her as he and Aaron in the wilderness of Sinai. liked, for he knew not what he was 5. For the Lord had told them that doing, as he had drunk plentifully of they would die in the wilderness, so wine. they all died, and not one had been left of them excepting Caleb the son of Jephuneh, and Joshua the son of

61. Thus did the children of Moab to Israel in that place, in the plain of Shittim, and the anger of the Lord Nun.