Who was Sihon in the Bible?

What does the Bible say about Sihon?

Sihon, the Amorite king of Heshbon, is mentioned in several passages in the Old Testament, particularly in the books of Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, 1 Kings, Nehemiah, Psalms, and Jeremiah. He ruled over the territory east of the Jordan River, which the Israelites sought to pass through on their way to the Promised Land. When Moses sent messengers to Sihon requesting permission to pass through his land peacefully, Sihon refused and instead gathered his army to attack the Israelites (Num.21.21-23; Deu.2.26-30). In response, the Israelites fought against Sihon and his army, defeating them and conquering his territory (Num.21.24-25; Deu.2.31-37). The victory over Sihon was seen as a significant milestone in the Israelites' journey to the Promised Land and a demonstration of God's power and faithfulness to His people. The conquest of Sihon's kingdom, along with that of Og, king of Bashan, allowed the Israelites to settle in the Transjordan region, with the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh receiving their inheritance there (Num.32.33; Jos.13.10, 21, 27). The defeat of Sihon and Og is remembered as a testament to God's deliverance and is celebrated in the Psalms (Psalm Jos.135.11; 136.19).

Where does Sihon appear in the Bible?

Sihon is referenced in 32 verses across 7 books. Every passage below is about this one, not just every verse the word turns up in.

• Deuteronomy 1:4
• Deuteronomy 2:24
• Deuteronomy 2:26
• Deuteronomy 2:30
• Deuteronomy 2:31
• Deuteronomy 2:32
• Deuteronomy 3:2
• Deuteronomy 3:6
• Deuteronomy 4:46
• Deuteronomy 29:7
• Deuteronomy 31:4
• Judges 11:19
• Judges 11:20
• Judges 11:21
• Jeremiah 48:45
• Joshua 2:10
• Joshua 9:10
• Joshua 12:2
• Joshua 13:10
• Joshua 13:21
• Joshua 13:27
• Nehemiah 9:22
• Numbers 21:21
• Numbers 21:23

What else appears in these passages?

These turn up in the same passages as Sihon.