במדבר, פרק כ״א, פסוק כ״ה

The conquest and subsequent settlement of the Amorite territory marked a major milestone for the Israelites [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Rather than facing a drawn-out, grueling campaign, they experienced a remarkably peaceful transition into their new surroundings. God orchestrated the conflict so that the Amorite forces abandoned their individual towns and gathered to fight in a single location. This divine intervention spared the Israelites the exhausting burden of laying siege to each community one by one. Consequently, they simply walked into the empty cities and settled safely without facing any resistance or challengers. Because this was their very first military campaign, God granted them this specific kindness to ensure they would not become overwhelmed or lose heart ahead of the battles still to come [שפתי כהן].

Taking up residence in these newly acquired lands was not a fleeting arrangement. The Israelites lived securely in these cities for the entire duration of their stay in the region, remaining there until they eventually moved on to the plains of Moab [העמק דבר].

The focal point of this new settlement was the royal capital of Heshbon and its surrounding areas. The political landscape of this region operated much like a family hierarchy. A major capital city acted as a mother, while the smaller villages, unwalled towns, and rural settlements that depended on it functioned as its daughters [אבן עזרא, ביאור יש״ר, נתינה לגר]. This dynamic extended to all the other cities that the Amorite king had previously conquered, as they too had been brought under the direct control and influence of his capital [ספורנו].