במדבר, פרק כ״א, פסוק ל״ב

After the great victory over Sihon, king of the Amorites, the Israelites set out to secure their hold on the lands east of the Jordan River. Their next target was Jazer, a city located within Sihon's territory that had previously belonged to the Ammonites [רש ר הירש]. A targeted military operation became necessary because the local inhabitants posed a constant threat, actively harassing the nearby Israelite camps [העמק דבר].

Moses decided to send scouts to the area. However, choosing to send spies at this specific stage, after the mighty Amorite king had already fallen, raises an interesting question. Some explain that the goal was to conduct the campaign through natural means and standard military tactics. By acting like a conventional army, the Israelites aimed to strike fear into the hearts of the thirty-one Canaanite kings waiting for them further along their journey, effectively breaking their spirit before future battles even began [שפתי כהן]. Another perspective views this mission as a profound spiritual correction. Sending scouts offered a chance to fix the historical failure of the original spies who had doubted the promise of God years earlier [משכיל לדוד].

These new scouts proved themselves entirely, acting in stark contrast to their predecessors. Rather than returning with fearful reports, they took the initiative. They actively fought and captured the small towns and villages surrounding the main city of Jazer [ביאור שטיינזלץ, בכור שור]. The scouts themselves initiated the battle and conquered these outlying settlements, highlighting their immense dedication [ספורנו, שפתי חכמים, גור אריה]. Refusing to repeat the mistakes of the past, they went into combat with total commitment, relying with absolute confidence on the power of Moses' prayers to secure their victory [רש״י, שפתי כהן, משכיל לדוד].

The final stage of the campaign involved driving out the enemy and fully taking over the region [ביאור יש״ר, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Once the scouts successfully cleared the surrounding villages, Moses himself stepped in to complete the mission, personally driving the Amorites out of the main city [ספורנו, גור אריה]. Yet, the actual conquest required very little combat. The traditional recording of these events reveals an additional layer to the victory: the Israelites barely had to fight to expel the inhabitants. Struck by overwhelming fear, the Amorites lost their resolve and simply fled on their own as the Israelites approached [הטור הארוך, קיצור בעל הטורים].