(Devarim 1:4) "after he had smitten Sichon, king of the Emori": An analogy: A king and his army have sortied into the desert. The king to his soldiers: When we come to an (inhabited) land, I will give you amnonoth (types of delicacies): His soldiers: "Give us amnonoth here." And he gave them. "Give us hot gluskaoth." And he gave them. The commander: "Because the king is wealthy and merciful, you belabor him? In the beginning I said nothing to you, so that you would not say that the king is unable to supply your needs, but now I tell you — Why do you have no faith in him!"
Thus Moses said: If I rebuke Israel first, they will say: Because he has no strength he rebukes us! But after they entered the land of Sichon and Og and he defeated them, he rebuked them. Thus, ”after he had smitten Sichon, etc."
"Sichon, king of the Emori, who dwelt in Cheshbon": (Even) if Sichon were not formidable, but he lived in Cheshbon, it would be difficult (to defeat them), the (inhabitants of the) land being formidable. And (even) if the land were not formidable, but Sichon dwelt therein, it would be difficult, the king being formidable. How much more so, when both the king and the land are formidable!
"and Og the king of Bashan, who dwelt in Ashteroth": (Even) if Og were not formidable, but he lived in Ashteroth, it would be difficult (to defeat them), the (inhabitants of the) land being formidable. And (even) if the land were not formidable, but Og dwelt therein, it would be difficult, the king being formidable. How much more so when both the king and the land are formidable!
(דברים א ד) אַחֲרֵי הַכֹּתוֹ אֵת סִיחֹן, מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁיָּצָא הוּא וְחֵילוֹתָיו לַמִּדְבָּר. אָמְרוּ לוֹ חֵילוֹתָיו: תֵּן לָנוּ גְלוּסְקָאוֹת חַמּוֹת! אָמַר לָהֶם: אֲנִי נוֹתֵן! שׁוּב אָמְרוּ לוֹ חֵילוֹתָיו: תֵּן לָנוּ גְלוּסְקָאוֹת חַמּוֹת! אָמַר לָהֶם הַפְּרָכוֹס שֶׁלּוֹ: בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁהַמֶּלֶךְ כָּשֵׁר, מֵאַיִן לוֹ רֵחַיִם, מֵאַיִן לוֹ תַּנּוּרִים בַּמִּדְבָּר?
(Devarim 1:4) "after he had smitten Sichon, king of the Emori": An analogy: A king and his army have sortied into the desert. The king to his soldiers: When we come to an (inhabited) land, I will give you amnonoth (types of delicacies): His soldiers: "Give us amnonoth here." And he gave them. "Give us hot gluskaoth." And he gave them. The commander: "Because the king is wealthy and merciful, you belabor him? In the beginning I said nothing to you, so that you would not say that the king is unable to supply your needs, but now I tell you — Why do you have no faith in him!"
כָּךְ אָמַר מֹשֶׁה: אִם מוֹכִיחַ אֲנִי אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל תְּחִלָּה, עַכְשָׁיו יֹאמְרוּ עָלַי: בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ כֹּחַ לְהַכְנִיסֵנוּ לָאָרֶץ וּלְהַפִּיל סִיחוֹן וְעוֹג לְפָנֵינוּ הוּא מוֹכִיחֵנוּ. הוּא לֹא עָשָׂה כֵן, אֶלָּא לְאַחַר שֶׁהִכְנִיסָם לָאָרֶץ וְהִפִּיל סִיחוֹן וְעוֹג לִפְנֵיהֶם – אַחַר כָּךְ הוֹכִיחָם. לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר: אַחֲרֵי הַכֹּתוֹ אֶת סִיחֹן מֶלֶךְ הָאֱמֹרִי.
Thus Moses said: If I rebuke Israel first, they will say: Because he has no strength he rebukes us! But after they entered the land of Sichon and Og and he defeated them, he rebuked them. Thus, ”after he had smitten Sichon, etc."
אֲשֶׁר יוֹשֵׁב בְּחֶשְׁבּוֹן, אִלּוּ לֹא הָיָה סִיחוֹן קָשֶׁה, וְשָׁרוּי בְּחֶשְׁבּוֹן – קָשֶׁה הָיָה, שֶׁהַמְּדִינָה קָשָׁה. וְאִלּוּ לֹא הָיְתָה מְדִינָה קָשָׁה, וְסִיחוֹן שָׁרוּי בְּתוֹכָהּ – קָשֶׁה הָיָה, שֶׁהַמֶּלֶךְ קָשֶׁה. עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה, שֶׁהַמֶּלֶךְ קָשֶׁה וְהַמְּדִינָה קָשָׁה!
"Sichon, king of the Emori, who dwelt in Cheshbon": (Even) if Sichon were not formidable, but he lived in Cheshbon, it would be difficult (to defeat them), the (inhabitants of the) land being formidable. And (even) if the land were not formidable, but Sichon dwelt therein, it would be difficult, the king being formidable. How much more so, when both the king and the land are formidable!
וְאֵת עוֹג מֶלֶךְ הַבָּשָׁן, אִלּוּ לֹא הָיָה עוֹג קָשֶׁה, וְשָׁרוּי בְּעַשְׁתָּרֹת – קָשֶׁה הָיָה, וְאִלּוּ לֹא הָיְתָה מְדִינָה קָשָׁה, וְעוֹג שָׁרוּי בָּהּ – קָשָׁה הָיְתָה, שֶׁהַמֶּלֶךְ קָשֶׁה, עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה, שֶׁהַמֶּלֶךְ קָשֶׁה וְהַמְּדִינָה קָשָׁה!
"and Og the king of Bashan, who dwelt in Ashteroth": (Even) if Og were not formidable, but he lived in Ashteroth, it would be difficult (to defeat them), the (inhabitants of the) land being formidable. And (even) if the land were not formidable, but Og dwelt therein, it would be difficult, the king being formidable. How much more so when both the king and the land are formidable!
בְּעַשְׁתָּרֹת – שֶׁהָיָה קָשֶׁה כְּעַשְׁתָּרוֹת. בְּאֶדְרֶעִי – זֶה מְקוֹם מַלְכוּת.
"Ashteroth": hard as horns (karnayim), (its full name being Ashteroth Karnayim.) "in Edrei": the site of the war.