The ancient Israelites did something similar with manna, that miraculous food from heaven. As the story goes, they sang a song not to the manna, but to the well that accompanied them on their journey. Why? Because, as the text tells us, they'd grumbled about the manna more than once. So, God, in a way only God can, said, "I don't want you faulting the manna, and I don't want you praising it now either!" He wouldn't let them sing its praises.
It's a fascinating little detail, isn't it? A reminder that gratitude shouldn't be an afterthought.
But the miracles didn’t stop there. Oh no. Think of the crushing of those hidden in the caves of the mountain at Arnon as just the opening act. The real drama unfolded at Arnon, too, with the clash between Israel and Sihon, King of the Amorites.
Now, Sihon wasn't just any king. And this wasn’t just any battle. This was personal.
See, barely a month had passed since Aaron's death when Sihon and his people came charging at Israel. But who was Sihon? The text says he, along with Og, King of Bashan, were sons of Ahiah, whose father was none other than Shemhazai – one of the fallen angels! We find this connection in Ginzberg's Legends of the Jews, painting a picture of beings touched by the celestial.
Sihon, true to his semi-divine, semi-corrupted origins, was a giant. We’re not talking metaphorical giant. We're talking a physical behemoth, a being that dwarfed everything around him. No one, apparently, could stand against him. According to the text, Sihon was taller than any tower in the world! His thigh-bone alone measured eighteen cubits – and we're talking about the BIG cubit of that time! It's almost comical, this image of a king whose body was so outsized.
But don't think he was just a big lug. Sihon was fast, too. That's actually why he was called Sihon, which means "foal." It signified his incredible speed. His true name, though, was Arad.
So, picture this: A massive, towering giant, the son of a descendant of fallen angels, charging across the battlefield with surprising speed. Is it any wonder the Israelites might have felt a little intimidated?
What does this all mean? Is it just a cool story about giants and angels? Or is there something deeper here? Maybe it's about facing our fears, those seemingly insurmountable obstacles that loom large in our lives. Maybe it's about remembering that even the mightiest giants have their weaknesses. Or perhaps it's a reminder that sometimes, the battles we face are far older, and far more complex, than we realize.