כִּ֣י רַק־ע֞וֹג מֶ֣לֶךְ הַבָּשָׁ֗ן נִשְׁאַר֮ מִיֶּ֣תֶר הָרְפָאִים֒ הִנֵּ֤ה עַרְשׂוֹ֙ עֶ֣רֶשׂ בַּרְזֶ֔ל הֲלֹ֣ה הִ֔וא בְּרַבַּ֖ת בְּנֵ֣י עַמּ֑וֹן תֵּ֧שַׁע אַמּ֣וֹת אָרְכָּ֗הּ וְאַרְבַּ֥ע אַמּ֛וֹת רָחְבָּ֖הּ בְּאַמַּת־אִֽישׁ׃
Sebab hanya Og, raja Basan, yang tersisa dari sisa-sisa orang Refaim. Lihatlah, ranjangnya adalah ranjang besi; bukankah ranjang itu ada di Raba, kota bani Amon? Panjangnya sembilan hasta dan lebarnya empat hasta, menurut hasta orang itu.
Midrash Tanchuma
(Numb. 22:2:) “Now Balak ben Zippor saw.” What is the meaning of “Now he saw?” He saw retribution which would come against Israel in the future.3Numb. R. 20:2. And he hated them more than all their enemies, as all of the [others] came with wars and subjugation which they could withstand. But this one was like a man who could extract a word from his mouth to uproot an entire nation. (Numb. 22:2:) “Now Balak [ben Zippor] saw.” It would have been better for the wicked if they had been blind, for their eyes bring a curse to the world. With reference to the generation of the flood, [it is written] (in Gen. 6:2), “The sons of God saw [how beautiful the human daughters were and took whomever they chose as their wives].” [It is also written] (in Gen. 9:22), “Then Ham, the father of Canaan, saw [the nakedness of his father and told his two brothers outside].” It is also written (in Gen. 12:15), “So Pharaoh's courtiers saw her (i.e., Abram's wife Sarah) [and praised her to Pharaoh, and the woman was taken to Pharaoh's house].” It is also written (in Gen. 34:2), “Then Shechem ben Hamor saw [Dinah].” So also [here] (in Numb. 22:2), “Now Balak [ben Zippor] saw.” The matter is comparable to someone who appointed guards to guard from an invader; and he had confidence in them, because they were warriors. When the invader came over and killed them, he trembled with fear for himself. It was the same also with Balak. When he saw what happened with Sihon and Og to whom he had been sending payment to guard him, he was afraid for himself. And in addition to that, he had seen the miracles at the Wadis of Arnon.4According to Numb. 21:26-31, Sihon defeated the King of Moab and captured his territory as far at the Arnon. See above and Numb. R. 19:25, for a description of the miracles. See also below and Numb. R. 20:7, according to which Sihon’s victory resulted from a curse by Balaam. (Numb. 22:3:) “Wayyagor mo'av.”5A traditional translation of these words would be NOW MOAB WAS IN GREAT DREAD, or something similar. What is the meaning of “Wayyagor (rt.: ygr)?”6Numb. R. 20:3. When Israel appeared to the Ammonites, they appeared clothed for peace. But when they appeared to the Moabites they appeared armed [for battle]. Thus it is stated (in Deut. 2:19), “When you draw near the frontier of the Children of Ammon, do not trouble them.” It is written [to imply not to trouble them] with all kinds of trouble; (ibid., cont.) “and do not provoke (rt.: grh) them,” with any kind of provocation. In regard to Moab, however, He said (in Deut. 2:9), “Do not trouble Moab, and do not provoke (rt.: grh) them with war.” Do not make war with them, but whatever you can seize apart from [war], seize. For that reason they appeared armed, and [the Moabites] gathered themselves (rt.: 'gr) to their cities, as stated (in Numb. 22:3), “Now Moab yagor (i.e., gathered).” Wayyagor (rt.: ygr, here understood a form of 'gr) can only be a word for a gathering, just as it says (in Prov. 10:5), “A prudent child gathers (rt.: 'gr) in the summer.” Another interpretation (of Numb. 22:3), “wayyagor”: [It is] a word for fear, in that they were afraid, as they saw the whole land in the hands of Israel. As Sihon had come and taken [part of] the land of Moab, as stated (Numb. 21:26), “and he fought against the earlier king of Moab….” And Og had taken all of the land of the Children of Ammon, as stated (Deuteronomy 3:11), “Since only Og was left from the remnant of the Rephaim….” [And] Israel came and took it from both of them; theft that has no iniquity. And [so the Moabites] saw their land in the hand of Israel and they would say, “Did the Holy One, blessed be He, not say (in Deuteronomy 2:9), ‘As I will not give you from its land as an inheritance’; and behold our land is in front of them (already in their possession).” Therefore they were afraid. (Numb. 22:3, cont.:) “And Moab had a horror (rt.: qwts) [of the Children of Israel],” because they saw themselves as a [mere] thorn (qwts) over against them.
Bamidbar Rabbah
“They turned and ascended via the Bashan, and Og king of Bashan emerged against them, he and his entire people, to the battle at Edre’i” (Numbers 21:33).
“They turned [vayifnu] and ascended” – some say that they waged the war with Siḥon in Elul. They performed the festival [of Sukkot] in Tishrei, and the war with Og was after the festival, just as it says: “You shall turn [ufanita] in the morning and go to your tents” (Deuteronomy 16:7).
“Og king of Bashan emerged” – as the Holy One blessed be He assembled them [the army of Og] before them to deliver them into their hand.
“The Lord said to Moses: Do not fear him, for I have delivered him into your hand, him and his entire people and his land; and you shall do to him as you did to Siḥon king of the Emorites, who resides in Ḥeshbon” (Numbers 21:34).
“The Lord said to Moses: Do not fear him, for I have delivered him into your hand” – this is what the verse said: “Happy is a person who is always afraid” (Proverbs 28:14). That is the attribute of the righteous; even though the Holy One blessed be He promises them, they do not divest themselves of fear. Likewise with Jacob: “Jacob was afraid” (Genesis 32:8) – why was he afraid? He said: ‘Perhaps I was sullied with something while at Laban’s, and it is written: “He shall not see a shameful matter in you, and turn from behind you” (Deuteronomy 23:15) – and the Holy One blessed be He would have forsaken me.’ Moses, too, like his patriarch, grasped fear. Why was he afraid? He said: ‘Perhaps Israel committed a trespass in the war with Siḥon, or were sullied with transgression.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: “Do not fear” – they all completed their acquisitions justly.
“Do not fear him” – as no mighty warrior had stood in the world who was tougher than he, as it is stated: “As only Og king of the Bashan remained from the rest of the Refaim” (Deuteronomy 3:11). He remained from the mighty warriors killed by Amrafel and his allies, as it is stated: “They smote the Refaim at Ashterot Karnayim” (Genesis 14:5), and this is their remnant, like olives that remain among the pomace, as it is stated: “The survivor came and told Abram the Hebrew; and he was dwelling on the plains of Mamre the Emorite, brother of Eshkol and brother of Aner, and they were allies of Abram” (Genesis 14:13) – this is Og, and it depicts him as a remnant, as it is stated: “From the rest of the Refaim.” His intention was that Abram go out and be killed. The Holy One blessed be He granted him the reward of his legs,82The reward for his effort to come and report to Abram what had befallen Lot. and he lived all those years. But He collected from him, as he fell by the hand of his descendants. When Moses came to wage war with him, he feared him. He said: ‘I am one hundred and twenty years old, and this one is more than five hundred. If he did not have merit, he would not have lived all these years.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: “Do not fear him, for I have delivered him into your hand” – kill him by your hand.
“You shall do to him as you did to Siḥon…” – “We destroyed [vanaḥarem]83The term ḥerem can mean destroyed or proscribed. them, [as we did to Siḥon]” (Deuteronomy 3:6). But is it not written: “But all the animals, and the spoils of the cities, we looted for ourselves” (Deuteronomy 3:7)? It is, rather, that they proscribed [heḥerimu] the corpses, to derive no benefit from them.
“They smote him, his sons [banav], [and his entire people]” (Numbers 21:35) – “his son [beno]” is written,84In our version of the Bible banav is written (see Minḥat Shai, Bemidbar 21:35). as he had a son tougher than he was. The Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: ‘In this world, you eradicate the nations a little at a time, but in the future, I will eliminate them all at once,’ as it is stated: “Nations will be burnings of lime, cut thorns ignited with fire” (Isaiah 33:12).
“They turned [vayifnu] and ascended” – some say that they waged the war with Siḥon in Elul. They performed the festival [of Sukkot] in Tishrei, and the war with Og was after the festival, just as it says: “You shall turn [ufanita] in the morning and go to your tents” (Deuteronomy 16:7).
“Og king of Bashan emerged” – as the Holy One blessed be He assembled them [the army of Og] before them to deliver them into their hand.
“The Lord said to Moses: Do not fear him, for I have delivered him into your hand, him and his entire people and his land; and you shall do to him as you did to Siḥon king of the Emorites, who resides in Ḥeshbon” (Numbers 21:34).
“The Lord said to Moses: Do not fear him, for I have delivered him into your hand” – this is what the verse said: “Happy is a person who is always afraid” (Proverbs 28:14). That is the attribute of the righteous; even though the Holy One blessed be He promises them, they do not divest themselves of fear. Likewise with Jacob: “Jacob was afraid” (Genesis 32:8) – why was he afraid? He said: ‘Perhaps I was sullied with something while at Laban’s, and it is written: “He shall not see a shameful matter in you, and turn from behind you” (Deuteronomy 23:15) – and the Holy One blessed be He would have forsaken me.’ Moses, too, like his patriarch, grasped fear. Why was he afraid? He said: ‘Perhaps Israel committed a trespass in the war with Siḥon, or were sullied with transgression.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: “Do not fear” – they all completed their acquisitions justly.
“Do not fear him” – as no mighty warrior had stood in the world who was tougher than he, as it is stated: “As only Og king of the Bashan remained from the rest of the Refaim” (Deuteronomy 3:11). He remained from the mighty warriors killed by Amrafel and his allies, as it is stated: “They smote the Refaim at Ashterot Karnayim” (Genesis 14:5), and this is their remnant, like olives that remain among the pomace, as it is stated: “The survivor came and told Abram the Hebrew; and he was dwelling on the plains of Mamre the Emorite, brother of Eshkol and brother of Aner, and they were allies of Abram” (Genesis 14:13) – this is Og, and it depicts him as a remnant, as it is stated: “From the rest of the Refaim.” His intention was that Abram go out and be killed. The Holy One blessed be He granted him the reward of his legs,82The reward for his effort to come and report to Abram what had befallen Lot. and he lived all those years. But He collected from him, as he fell by the hand of his descendants. When Moses came to wage war with him, he feared him. He said: ‘I am one hundred and twenty years old, and this one is more than five hundred. If he did not have merit, he would not have lived all these years.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: “Do not fear him, for I have delivered him into your hand” – kill him by your hand.
“You shall do to him as you did to Siḥon…” – “We destroyed [vanaḥarem]83The term ḥerem can mean destroyed or proscribed. them, [as we did to Siḥon]” (Deuteronomy 3:6). But is it not written: “But all the animals, and the spoils of the cities, we looted for ourselves” (Deuteronomy 3:7)? It is, rather, that they proscribed [heḥerimu] the corpses, to derive no benefit from them.
“They smote him, his sons [banav], [and his entire people]” (Numbers 21:35) – “his son [beno]” is written,84In our version of the Bible banav is written (see Minḥat Shai, Bemidbar 21:35). as he had a son tougher than he was. The Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: ‘In this world, you eradicate the nations a little at a time, but in the future, I will eliminate them all at once,’ as it is stated: “Nations will be burnings of lime, cut thorns ignited with fire” (Isaiah 33:12).
Bamidbar Rabbah
“Moav was very alarmed by the nation because they were numerous, and Moav was dreaded by the children of Israel” (Numbers 22:3).
“Moav was…alarmed [vayagor]” – what is vayagor? When Israel appeared to the Amonites, they appeared garbed for peace, but to the Moavites, they appeared armed for war, as it is written: “You will approach opposite the children of Amon; do not besiege them [tetzurem] [and do not provoke [titgar] them]” (Deuteronomy 2:19). “Do not tetzurem” – do not cause them [tatzar] any kind of trouble [tzara]; “and do not titgar them” – any kind of provocation [girui]. But regarding Moav, He said: “Do not besiege Moav, and do not provoke war with them” (Deuteronomy 2:9). War you may not wage, but whatever you can seize from them, seize. That is why they appeared armed to Moav, so they [the Moavites] gathered in their cities, as vayagor is nothing other than an expression of gathering, as it is stated: “One who gathers [oger] during the summer is a wise son” (Proverbs 10:5).
Another matter, vayagor is an expression meaning stranger [ger]; they considered themselves strangers in the world.6The Moavites viewed themselves as strangers while the Israelites were the permanent residents. Meaning, they were afraid that the Israelites would overcome them, turning them into strangers in their own land. They said: ‘They descended to Egypt to sojourn there, but they seized it and would rent houses to them, as it is stated: “Each woman will borrow…from her neighbor and from the resident of her house”’ (Exodus 3:22).
Another matter, vayagor, an expression of fear, as they were afraid because they saw all the nations in the possession of Israel, as Siḥon came and took the land of Moav: “And he battled against the first king of Moav, [and took all his land from his possession]” (Numbers 21:26), and Og took all the land of the children of Amon, as it is stated: “As only Og, king of the Bashan [was left…in Raba of the children of Amon]” (Deuteronomy 3:11). Israel came and took it from both of them, and there is no injustice.7Even though Israel were not allowed to conquer Amon or Moav, they were allowed to conquer lands that had belonged to Amon and Moav that had been conquered by Siḥon and Og. These would see their land in Israel’s possession and would say: ‘Did the Holy One blessed be He not say to them: “As I will not give you of its land as an inheritance”? (Deuteronomy 2:9). But our land is before them.’ That is why they were afraid.8They were afraid that Israel would also try to conquer Moav.
“Moav was dreaded [vayakotz]” – they saw themselves as thorns [kotzim] before them.
“Moav was…alarmed [vayagor]” – what is vayagor? When Israel appeared to the Amonites, they appeared garbed for peace, but to the Moavites, they appeared armed for war, as it is written: “You will approach opposite the children of Amon; do not besiege them [tetzurem] [and do not provoke [titgar] them]” (Deuteronomy 2:19). “Do not tetzurem” – do not cause them [tatzar] any kind of trouble [tzara]; “and do not titgar them” – any kind of provocation [girui]. But regarding Moav, He said: “Do not besiege Moav, and do not provoke war with them” (Deuteronomy 2:9). War you may not wage, but whatever you can seize from them, seize. That is why they appeared armed to Moav, so they [the Moavites] gathered in their cities, as vayagor is nothing other than an expression of gathering, as it is stated: “One who gathers [oger] during the summer is a wise son” (Proverbs 10:5).
Another matter, vayagor is an expression meaning stranger [ger]; they considered themselves strangers in the world.6The Moavites viewed themselves as strangers while the Israelites were the permanent residents. Meaning, they were afraid that the Israelites would overcome them, turning them into strangers in their own land. They said: ‘They descended to Egypt to sojourn there, but they seized it and would rent houses to them, as it is stated: “Each woman will borrow…from her neighbor and from the resident of her house”’ (Exodus 3:22).
Another matter, vayagor, an expression of fear, as they were afraid because they saw all the nations in the possession of Israel, as Siḥon came and took the land of Moav: “And he battled against the first king of Moav, [and took all his land from his possession]” (Numbers 21:26), and Og took all the land of the children of Amon, as it is stated: “As only Og, king of the Bashan [was left…in Raba of the children of Amon]” (Deuteronomy 3:11). Israel came and took it from both of them, and there is no injustice.7Even though Israel were not allowed to conquer Amon or Moav, they were allowed to conquer lands that had belonged to Amon and Moav that had been conquered by Siḥon and Og. These would see their land in Israel’s possession and would say: ‘Did the Holy One blessed be He not say to them: “As I will not give you of its land as an inheritance”? (Deuteronomy 2:9). But our land is before them.’ That is why they were afraid.8They were afraid that Israel would also try to conquer Moav.
“Moav was dreaded [vayakotz]” – they saw themselves as thorns [kotzim] before them.