(Numb. 21:27:) THEREFORE THOSE WHO SPEAK IN PARABLES SAY: This refers to Balaam and his father, whom Sihon had hired to curse Moab. It was they who had said (ibid., cont.): COME TO HESHBON, LET IT BE BUILT; LET THE CITY OF SIHON BE ESTABLISHED.

(Numb. 21:28:) FOR A FIRE HAS COME FORTH FROM HESHBON, A FLAME FROM THE CITY OF SIHON. IT HAS DEVOURED AR OF MOAB. Thus they cursed Moab so that they might deliver it into Sihon's hand.

(Numb. 21:29–31:) WOE BE TO YOU, O MOAB!…. WE HAVE SHOT AT THEM; HESHBON HAS PERISHED…. THUS ISRAEL DWELT {IN ALL THE CITIES} [IN THE LAND OF] THE AMORITES. Only Jazer survived.²⁰⁸

footnotes: ²⁰⁸ Numb. R. 19:31.

(Numb. 21:32:) SO MOSES SENT TO SPY OUT JAZER. These spies were zealous. They said: we have confidence in the prayer of Moses, and we believe in the Holy One. Then they did as they were told and slew the Amorites who were in the city.

(Numb. 21:33): THEN THEY TURNED AND WENT UP. Some say the war of Sihon took place in Elul. Then they celebrated the festival in Tishri,²⁰⁹ then after the festival came the war with Og. [Just as you say] (in Deut. 16:7): AND IN THE MORNING YOU SHALL TURN,²¹⁰ while it is written (in Numb. 21:33): THEN THEY TURNED AND WENT UP. Gezerah shawah (a verbal analogy): Just as the turning comes after the festival below (in Deut. 16:7), so also here (in Numb. 21:33): THEN THEY TURNED AND WENT UP. Because of the similar use of the word TURNED, the contexts must have been similar; therefore the turning here in Numb. 21:33 must have taken place after the festival.

footnotes: ²⁰⁹ Numb. R. 19:32. ²¹⁰ In the biblical context the turning denotes Israel turning to their tents after celebrating Passover.

(Numb. 21:33, cont.:) AND KING OG OF BASHAN CAME OUT AGAINST THEM, HE AND ALL HIS PEOPLE, for the Holy One had gathered Og and his people before Israel in order to deliver Gog and his people into their hand.