סִיחוֹן, H5511
Sihon — the Amorite king of Heshbon defeated by Israel, whose territory became the first conquest in Canaan
Sichon is the proper name of the Amorite king who ruled from Heshbon in Transjordan and whose defeat became Israel's paradigmatic first military victory before entering the Promised Land. When Moses requested peaceful passage, Sihon refused and marched out to fight at Jahaz, where Israel struck him down and took possession of his entire territory from the Arnon to the Jabbok (Num 21:21-32). This victory, alongside the defeat of Og king of Bashan, became a fixed pair in Israel's liturgical memory — rehearsed in Deuteronomy's historical reviews (1:4; 2:24-36; 3:2; 4:46; 29:7; 31:4), celebrated in the Psalms as evidence of God's covenant faithfulness (Ps 135:11; 136:19), and invoked by Nehemiah in prayer (9:22). Jeremiah's oracle against Moab quotes an ancient victory song originally composed about Sihon's own conquests (Jer 48:45, cf. Num 21:27-30).
Senses
1. Sihon (personal name) — The proper masculine name Sichon/Sihon, designating the Amorite king of Heshbon whose defeat by Israel in Transjordan (Num 21:21-32) became a foundational event in Israel's conquest narrative. All 37 occurrences refer to this single figure. The name appears in three literary contexts: (a) the original battle account in Numbers and Deuteronomy, (b) historical retrospectives citing Sihon alongside Og as proof of divine aid (Josh 2:10; 9:10; Judg 11:19-21; 1 Kgs 4:19), and (c) liturgical celebration (Ps 135:11; 136:19; Neh 9:22). Greek Seon, Spanish 'Sihon/Sijon,' German 'Sihon' reflect consistent transliteration. 37×
AR["سيحونَ", "سِيحُونَ", "سِيحُونُ"]·ben["সীহোন", "সীহোনের"]·DE["Sichon", "Sihon"]·EN["Sichon", "Sihon"]·FR["Sichon", "Sihon"]·heb["סיחון", "סיחן"]·HI["सीहोन", "सीहोन-का", "सीहोन-के", "सीहोन-ने"]·ID["Sihon"]·IT["Sihon"]·jav["Sihon"]·KO["시호네", "시호네-이", "시혼", "시혼의", "시혼이"]·PT["Sichon", "Sihon", "Siom", "¶ Sichon"]·RU["Сихон", "Сихона", "Сихону"]·ES["Sihón", "Sijón"]·SW["Sihoni", "wa-Sihoni"]·TR["Sihon", "Sihon'a", "Sihon'un", "Sihonun"]·urd["سیحون", "سیحون-نے", "سیحون-کی", "سیحون-کے"]
Related Senses
G3588 1. definite article (18298×)H0853 1. definite direct object marker (10915×)G2532 1. (8312×)H3068 1. YHWH (the divine name) (6522×)H0834a 1. relative pronoun (who/which/that) (4839×)H3588a 1. causal: because, for (3498×)G1161 1. and (2806×)H3478 1. Israel (proper name and nation) (2507×)G4771 1. you (plural address) (1853×)H1931 1. personal pronoun he/she/it (1431×)G3739 1. relative pronoun who/which/that (1149×)H1732 1. David (proper name) (1075×)H2088 1. this, this one (demonstrative) (1059×)G1063 1. (1047×)G3778 1. this thing, these things (1003×)H???? 2. (1002×)G2424 1. (924×)G3754 1. that (content clause) (881×)H2009 1. presentative particle: behold, look (881×)H0589 1. I (first person singular pronoun) (874×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
סִיחוֹן, סִיחֹן n.pr.m. Sihon (on format. cf. LagBN 198);—סִיחוֹן Nu 21:27 + 18 times, סִיחֹן v 21 + 17 times;—king of Amorites, Nu 21:21 + 7 times Nu 21 (JE), 32:33 (R) Dt 1:4 + 10 times Dt, Ju 2:10 + 4 times Ju (D) + 13:21(×2), 27 (P), 11:19, 20(×2), 21 Je 48:45 1 K 4:19 Ne 9:22 ψ 135:11; 136:19. 𝔊 Σηων, 𝔊L Σιων.