The Israelites turned back and set out toward the desert, following the road to the Red Sea, just as the Lord had directed Moses. For a long time, they wandered around the hill country of Seir.
Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, "You have circled this hill country long enough; now turn north. Tell the people, 'You are about to pass through the land of your brothers—the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir. They will be afraid of you, so be careful. Do not provoke them, for I will not give you even a foot of their land. I have given Esau the hill country of Seir as his possession. You must buy food and water from them with silver.'"
The Lord had blessed His people in all their work and watched over them through the vast wilderness. For forty years, He had been with them, and they had lacked nothing.
So the Israelites passed by their brothers, the descendants of Esau, who lived in Seir. They turned away from the Arabah road, coming up from Elath and Ezion Geber, and traveled along the desert road of Moab.
Then the Lord said to Moses, "Do not harass or fight against Moab, for I will not give you any part of their land. I have given Ar to the descendants of Lot." The Emites had once lived there—a strong and tall people like the Anakites. They were also considered Rephaites, but the Moabites called them Emites. The Horites had once lived in Seir, but the descendants of Esau drove them out, just as Israel would later do in the land the Lord gave them.
Then the Lord said, "Now get up and cross the Zered Valley." So they crossed it.
Thirty-eight years passed from the time they left Kadesh Barnea until they crossed the Zered Valley. By then, the entire generation of fighting men had perished, as the Lord had sworn. His hand had been against them until all were gone from the camp. When the last of them died, the Lord spoke again:
"Today you will pass by the region of Moab at Ar. When you come near the Ammonites, do not harass or provoke them, for I will not give you any of their land. I have given it to the descendants of Lot."
That land, too, had once belonged to the Rephaites, called Zamzummites by the Ammonites—strong and tall people like the Anakites. The Lord destroyed them before the Ammonites, who took possession of their land, just as He had done for Esau's descendants in Seir when they drove out the Horites. Even the Avvites who once lived near Gaza were driven out by the Caphtorites, who came from Caphtor and settled in their place.
Then the Lord said, "Set out now and cross the Arnon Gorge. I have given into your hand Sihon, king of the Amorites of Heshbon. Begin to take possession of his land and fight against him. From this day on, I will make the nations tremble with fear when they hear of you."
From the desert of Kedemoth, Moses sent messengers to Sihon with an offer of peace: "Let Israel pass through your land. We will stay on the main road and pay silver for food and water. Just allow us to pass through—just as the descendants of Esau in Seir and the Moabites in Ar did—until we cross the Jordan into the land the Lord our God is giving us."
But Sihon, king of Heshbon, refused to let them pass. The Lord had made his spirit stubborn and his heart hard so that He might deliver him into Israel's hands.
Then the Lord said, "See, I have begun to give Sihon and his land over to you. Begin to conquer and possess it."
Sihon and his army came out to battle at Jahaz, but the Lord delivered him into Israel's hands. The Israelites struck him down along with his sons and all his army. They captured all his towns and completely destroyed them—men, women, and children—with none left alive. Only the livestock and the spoils of the cities were kept.
From Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Gorge, including the town in the valley and as far as Gilead, no city was too strong for them. The Lord handed all of them over to Israel. Yet, in obedience to the Lord's command, they did not go near the land of the Ammonites or the towns in the hill country.