Heshbon

Hesh´bon

A city of northern Moab captured by the Amorite king Sihon, who made it his capital (Num 21:26-30). The Israelites defeated Sihon in their first battle in the Transjordan (Num 21:21-24; Josh 12:2) and distributed his territory to Reuben and Gad, assigning Heshbon to Reuben (Num 32:37). Later, Heshbon was considered Gad’s inheritance (Josh 13:27) and allotted to the Levites (Josh 21:39). Prophetic oracles against Moab mention Heshbon (probably restored by Mesha, ca. 830 BCE) falling before unnamed enemies. Heshbon reappears (as Esbus) in documents of the Hellenistic and Roman periods, but it is not mentioned in the NT.