Therefore, the ancient poets wrote this about him: “Come to Heshbon and let it be rebuilt! Let the city of Sihon be restored.
Parallel translations
- WEB Therefore those who speak in proverbs say, “Come to Heshbon. Let the city of Sihon be built and established;
- KJV Wherefore they that speak in proverbs say, Come into Heshbon, let the city of Sihon be built and prepared:
- BSB That is why the poets say: “Come to Heshbon, let it be rebuilt; let the city of Sihon be restored.
- NKJV Therefore those who speak in proverbs say: “Come to Heshbon, let it be built; Let the city of Sihon be repaired.
- NASB For that reason those who use proverbs say, “Come to Heshbon! Let it be built! So let the city of Sihon be established.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
An old proverb is quoted celebrating the rebuilding of Heshbon, the city of Sihon. The poem recalls Sihon's earlier triumph over Moab.
Overview
The 'ballad' boasts of Heshbon's establishment under Sihon, an Amorite victory song now turned to Israel's account. By quoting it, the narrator shows that the city Sihon had taken so proudly has now fallen to Israel. The irony magnifies the Lord's reversal in handing it over to His people.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 3
- Num 21:14Therefore it is said in the book of the Wars of Yahweh, “Vaheb in Suphah, the valleys of the Arnon,
- Isa 14:4that you will take up this parable against the king of Babylon, and say, “How the oppressor has ceased! The golden city has ceased!”
- Hab 2:6Won’t all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, ‘Woe to him who increases that which is not his, and who enriches himself by extortion! How long?’
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Christ at the center
In the wilderness Christ is the water from the rock, the bronze serpent lifted up that the dying might look and live (John 3:14), and the star and scepter that Balaam saw rising out of Jacob.
How Numbers 21:27 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.