דברים, פרק ב׳, פסוק כ״ד

After a long period of restraint, during which the Israelites were commanded to avoid military conflict with neighboring nations like Edom, Ammon, and Moab, the divine approach undergoes a dramatic shift. The era of waiting concludes, marking the beginning of the active conquest of the land. God issues a strict and urgent demand for swift movement westward. This forceful directive serves as a stern warning against the people's hesitation, as they were reluctant to cross the river and face Sihon in battle, preferring to seek alternative routes [העמק דבר, מנחת שי]. The very act of crossing the Arnon River constitutes a provocation for war and an initial step of inheritance, as the river itself is granted to Israel as a divine gift [מלבי״ם].

To dispel any lingering fears, God assures Moses that the impending victory is absolute, an assurance that transcends mere symbolism. Moses is granted a literal vision of Sihon's spiritual representative bound and handed over by God [קיצור בעל הטורים]. Furthermore, arriving at the Arnon River reveals to the people the hidden miracles God performed on their behalf, destroying the Amorite forces that had been hiding in the rocky caves. Witnessing this firsthand proves to them that their triumph is guaranteed [אלשיך]. This certainty is reflected in the divine framing of the impending battle, where the concept of inheritance is presented before the actual warfare. In God's eyes, the land is already considered conquered and the victory predetermined [אברבנאל].

The instruction to possess the territory is primarily understood as an act of inheritance [אבן עזרא, רבינו בחיי], while others view it as a directive to drive out the current inhabitants [נתינה לגר]. This moment marks the first time the Israelites acquire an estate of their own [ביאור יש״ר]. Interestingly, although this territory originally belonged to Moab, a nation the Israelites were explicitly forbidden to attack, it is now permitted for conquest. Because Sihon had previously captured this land from Moab, his occupation effectively neutralized its protected status, making it permissible for Israel to claim [רבינו בחיי, צפנת פענח]. God explicitly instructs the Israelites to provoke Sihon and actively create a pretext for conflict [רשב״ם, אברבנאל, העמק דבר]. This marks a complete reversal from earlier warnings to avoid provoking the descendants of Esau and Lot [ביאור יש״ר, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This aggressive change in policy is intended, in part, to restore Israel's national honor. Without a display of strength, the surrounding nations might have misinterpreted their earlier avoidance of war as mere weakness and cowardice [אברבנאל].

This direct command to provoke war raises a significant chronological and moral question. If God explicitly ordered an unprovoked attack on Sihon, how could Moses immediately send messengers offering terms of peace? The primary approach among commentators resolves this by adjusting the timeline of events. According to this view, Moses actually dispatched the peace envoys before receiving the current divine command. God is speaking to Moses after the fact, explaining that the peace offer is futile because He has already hardened Sihon's heart to ensure a refusal, demonstrating that all events are ultimately orchestrated by God [רמב״ן, הטור הארוך, ביאור יש״ר]. Conversely, another perspective maintains the chronological order of events. According to this approach, the laws of the Torah mandate extending an offer of peace before initiating any war, ensuring that the surrounding nations do not view Israel as an aggressive band of robbers. God desired that Moses offer peace, but simultaneously hardened Sihon's heart as a punishment for his past misdeeds. This ensured that Sihon would reject the offer, allowing the land to be conquered through just warfare [רלב״ג, אלשיך].