Commentary for Numbers 22:3

ויגר is an expression signifying fear, as in (Job. 19:29): “Be ye afraid (גורו‎)" .

AND MOAB WAS SORE AFRAID OF THE PEOPLE. The meaning of this is [that Moab stood in great fear] because they [the Israelites] were many,¹The Hebrew text reads: ki rav hu. This can be interpreted as “although they were many,” in which case the reference would be to the Moabites, [the word ki meaning “although”]. The meaning of the verse would thus be: “And Moab was sore afraid of the Israelites although they [the Moabites] were many, Ramban, wishing to exclude this interpretation, for the reason cited in the text, explains that the word ki here means “because”; hence the pronoun hu — “they” [they were many] refers to the Israelites. for Moab was small among the nations;²See Obadiah 1:2. and it was not an ancient people, like the Canaanites, the Amorites and other [nations of the] sons of Noah. Therefore they [the Moabites] were greatly afraid of the people who outnumbered them exceedingly, for they were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and waxed³Exodus 1:7. greater than the Moabites. And they were furthermore overcome with dread because of the children of Israel,⁴Verse 3 here. — Hence the double expression of the verse: And Moab was sore afraid … and Moab was overcome with dread. for they had heard of the great wonders that had happened to them and their fathers. Now Moab knew that Israel would not take their land from them, since they had sent to them [offering peace]⁵Judges 11:17: And in like manner he sent unto the king of Moab … just as they had sent to Sihon, [asking permission only to pass through their land], saying, until I shall pass over the Jordan into the Land which the Eternal our G-d giveth us.⁶Deuteronomy 2:29. Or it is also possible that they had heard of G-d’s prohibition, when He said to the Israelites, Be not at enmity with Moab.⁷Ibid., Verse 9. Therefore they said to the elders of Midian: “Even though the Israelites will not capture our land, they will lick up because of their great numbers all that is round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field,⁸Verse 4 here. and they will capture all [the lands] that surround us, just as they did to the two Amorite kings, and they will make us servants to do taskwork.”⁹Joshua 16:10.

ויגר מואב, the leaders of Moav who had not allowed the Israelites to traverse their territory as reported in Judges 11,17 were now afraid,