And Israel smote him with the edge of the sword, and possessed his land from Arnon unto Jabbok, even unto the children of Ammon: for the border of the children of Ammon was strong.
Israel defeated him in battle with the sword and took control of his land from the Arnon River to the Jabbok River, right up to the territory of the Ammonites. They stopped there because the Ammonite border was well-fortified.
The writer is describing how Israel defeated King Sihon in battle and conquered his territory, expanding their land up to the strongly defended Ammonite border.
📚 Historical Context
This verse describes Israel's victory over Sihon, king of the Amorites, during their journey to the Promised Land around 1400 BC. Sihon had refused to let the Israelites pass peacefully through his territory, so they fought and conquered his land east of the Jordan River. The Arnon and Jabbok rivers marked the boundaries of this conquered territory, with the fortified Ammonite region forming the eastern limit of Israel's expansion.
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