The penetration into the Transjordan

THE PENETRATION INTO TRANSJORDAN

The Israelite conquest began in eastern Transjordan, beyond the borders of the Land of Canaan.In this sparsely settled region, there were extensive lands for pasturage (Num 32:1–4). Peoples related to the Israelites had already settled in the southern parts of Transjordan, soon forming organized kingdoms – Edom, Moab, and Ammon. The Amorite kingdom of Heshbon was located between Moab and Ammon; its ruler, Sihon, warred against Moab's first king and conquered the entire plateau of Moab to the Arnon River (Num. 21:26). Moses exploited this political situation by asking the Kings of Moab and Edom to grant the Israelites passage through their lands on the King's Highway, to reach the territory of Sihon (Num 20:14–21; Judg 11:17); when refused this permission, Moses turned southward to Elath, avoiding Edom and Moab, and then penetrated Sihon's kingdom from the eastern desert (the wilderness of Kedemoth). Since that time, the Arnon has been considered the traditional border between the Israelite tribes and Moab, even though Moab never accepted the fact and took every opportunity to regain control over “the plain,” north of the Arnon.

Article abstract from The Sacred Bridge