23 The Caphtorite people came from Crete. They destroyed the Avvites. The Avvites lived in towns all the way to Gaza. But the Caphtorites destroyed them and took their place.)
24 The Lord said, “Get up. Cross the Arnon Ravine. See, I am giving you the power to defeat Sihon the Amorite. He is king of Heshbon. I am giving you his land. So fight against him and begin taking his land.
25 Today I will begin to make all the people in the world afraid of you. They will hear reports about you. And they will shake with fear. They will be terrified of you.”
26 I sent messengers from the desert of Kedemoth to Sihon king of Heshbon. They offered him peace. They said,
27 “Let us pass through your country. We will stay on the road. We will not turn right or left.
28 We will pay you in silver for any food we eat or water we drink. We only want to walk through your country.
29 The descendants of Esau in Edom let us go through their land. So did the Moabites in Ar. We want to cross the Jordan River into the land the Lord our God has given us.”