Then they went through the wilderness, and went around the land of Edom, and the land of Moab, and came by the east side of the land of Moab, and they encamped on the other side of the Arnon; but they didn't come within the border of Moab, for the Arnon was the border of Moab.
This mistake could have been inadvertent or intentional and designed to denigrate the Ammonites. [Note: See Lindsey, p. 401, for three other possible interpretations.] King Balak of Moab had never fought with Israel (Numbers 22-24). This powerful king realized that opposing Israel in battle would be futile in view of the power of Israel’s God.