Confident of success, the king came forth with an immense army upon the open plain, while shouts of defiance were heard from the tableland above, where might be seen the spears of thousands, eager for the fray. When the Hebrews looked upon the lofty form of that giant of giants towering above the soldiers of his army; when they saw the hosts that surrounded him, and beheld the seemingly impregnable fortress, behind which unseen thousands were entrenched, the hearts of many in Israel quaked with fear. But Moses was calm and firm; the Lord had said concerning the king of Bashan, "Fear him not: for I will deliver him, and all his people, and his land, into thy hand; and thou shalt do unto him as thou didst unto Sihon king of the Amorites, which dwelt at Heshbon."

Kongen drog sejrsstolt ud på den åbne slette med en stor hær, mens der lød hånende tilråb fra højsletten ovenfor, hvor man kunne skimte tusinder af spyd, parat til kamp. Da hebræerne fik øje på kongens kæmpeskikkelse, der ragede op mellem hans soldater, og da de så den vældige hær, der omgav ham, og den tilsyneladende uindtagelige fæstning, bag hvilken usete tusinder var gået i stilling, skælvede mangen israelits hjerte af frygt. Moses, derimod, var rolig og beslutsom. Herren havde sagt om kongen af Basan: "Frygt ikke for Ham, thi jeg giver ham i din hånd tillige med hele hans folk og land, og du skal gøre ved ham, som du gjorde ved Sihon, amoritterkongen i Hesjbon."