Numbers 21

¹ When the Canaanite King of Arad wey dey for southern part of Canaan hear say Israelites dey come through Atharim way, he attack them and capture some of them.

² Naso Israelites pray to God say, “Our God, if you help us defeat these Canaanites, we go destroy their city and everything wey dey inside am, to show say dem belong to you.”

³ God answer their prayer and help them wipe out Canaanite army and destroy their town completely. Na why dem name one of their town Hormah, wey mean “Place wey don destroy.”

⁴ Naso Israelites go round Edom country, when dem leave Mount Hor, dem begin dey go south toward Red Sea. But as dem dey go, their blood begin dey hot again

⁵ and dem begin dey complain against God and dem tell Moses say, “Shey you bring us commot for Egypt make we come die for desert? Water no dey here, and we no fit dey eat this kind rubbish food!”

⁶ Naso God send poisonous snake wey come bite and kill many of them.

⁷ Some of the people come go meet Moses and say, “We gree say e dey wrong for us to insult you and God. Abeg ask him make he allow this snake go away.” Moses pray,

⁸ and God answer say, “Make a snake with bronze, and place am on top pole. Anyone wey snake don bite fit look the snake, and the person no go die.”

⁹ Moses obey God. And all people wey look the bronze snake no die, even if the poisonous snake don bite them.

¹⁰ Israelites come continue their journey to Canaan, dem camp for Oboth,

¹¹ then for Lye-Abarim inside desert east of Moab,

¹² and then for Zered Gorge.

¹³ After that, dem cross Arnon River and camp for Moabite desert wey share border with Amorite country.

¹⁴ That na why The Book of the LORD Battle talk of “town of Waheb for area of Suphah and the valleys. E talk of Arnon River,

¹⁵ with the valleys wey extend go town and near Moabite border.”

¹⁶ From there, dem go to a place wey dem dey call Wells, where God tell Moses say, “Gather the people together, and I go give them water to drink.”

¹⁷ Na that same time people of Israel sing this song: “Wells, bring out your water; And we go greet am with a song –

¹⁸ Na great men dig this well. Na important leaders dig this well. Dem dig this well with their staffs and walking sticks. Na gift for desert e be.”

¹⁹ The people travel from Mattanah to Nathaliel, and from Nathaliel to Bamoth,

²⁰ and from Bamoth to valley for Moabites country, wey dey below top of Pisgah Mountain, wey dey look out over the desert.

²¹ The people of Israel come send messenger to Amorite king Sihon say:

²² “Abeg, allow us make we pass through your land. We promise say we no go touch una fields and vineyards, and we no go drink any water from una wells. And na main road we go stay.”

²³ But Sihon no allow Israelites pass through him country. He gather him army and go attack Israelites for Jahaz inside desert.

²⁴ But the Israelites kill many of the enemy and take their land from north of Arnon River take reach Jabbok for Ammonites border. But dem stop for there, because Ammonite border strong pass them.

²⁵ Naso the people of Israel capture all Amorite cities, with Heshbon and all town wey surround am, and dem settle there.

²⁶ Na Heshbon be the capital city of Amorite king Sihon, wey don fight against the former king of Moab and capture all him land take reach Arnon River.

²⁷ Na why the singer dey sing this song: “Come rebuild Heshbon, King Sihon capital city!

²⁸ Him army dey match out like fire, dem burn city of Ar in Moab, and dem destroy the hills wey dey along Arnon River.

²⁹ People of Moab, una don enter trouble! Trouble don fall on una wey dey worship Chemosh! Una god don leave una, and king Sihon don capture una men and women, and dem don turn him slaves.

³⁰ But now their descendant don destroy, all the way from Heshbon take reach Dibon, from Nashim take reach Naphah, near Medeba.”

³¹ Naso people of Israel settle for Amorites country,

³² and Moses send men, make dem go find best way wey dem go attack Jazer city. The Israelites capture am and cities wey surround am, and dem drive out the Amorites wey dey live there.

³³ Israelites come turn and take the road go Bashan, and King Og of Bashan match out with him army to attack them for Edrei.

³⁴ God tell Moses say, “Make una no fear him. I go make una defeat him, all him people, and him land. Make una handle am the way una handle Sihon, the Amorite king wey been dey rule for Heshbon.”

³⁵ Naso Israelites kill Og, him sons, and all him people, dem no leave any person alive, and dem take the land.