Midrash
Midrash Tanchuma (Buber), Chukat 53 מדרש תנחומא (בובר), חקת נ״ג
Part of: Siman 53
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ויקח ישראל את כל הערים האלה (שם שם כה). זש"ה כי אני ה' אוהב משפט שונא גזל בעולה (ישעיה סא ח), אמר הקב"ה למשה, אל תצר את מואב (דברים שם ט), וחשבון של מואב היתה, שנאמר כי חשבון עיר סיחון מלך האמורי היא והוא נלחם במלך מואב הראשון (במדבר כא כו), באו ישראל נטלו חשבון מיד סיחון וכל מה שנטל ממלך מואב שאילו נטלוה ממנו היתה בידם גזל, אלא נטל סיחון מן מואב, ונטלו ישראל מן סיחון, שהיו פטורין מן הגזל, לכך כתיב כי חשבון עיר סיחון וגו'.
(Numb. 21:25:) ISRAEL TOOK ALL THESE TOWNS. This text is related (to Is. 61:8): BECAUSE I THE LORD LOVE JUSTICE, I HATE ROBBERY WITH A BURNT OFFERING.207Tanh., Numb. 6:24; Numb. R. 19:30. The Holy One said to Moses (in Deut. 2:9): DO NOT TROUBLE MOAB. Now Heshbon had been part of Moab, since it is stated (in Numb. 21:26): FOR HESHBON WAS A CITY OF KING SIHON OF THE AMORITES, BUT HE HAD FOUGHT AGAINST THE FORMER KING OF MOAB <AND TAKEN ALL HIS LAND AWAY FROM HIM AS FAR AS THE ARNON>. When Israel came, they took Heshbon away from Sihon and whatever he had taken from the king of Moab; for if they had taken it from him <directly>, they would have had a robbery on their hands. Instead Sihon took it from Moab, and Israel took it from Sihon. Thus they were acquitted from <the charge of> robbery.
(Numb. 21:25:) ISRAEL TOOK ALL THESE TOWNS. This text is related (to Is. 61:8): BECAUSE I THE LORD LOVE JUSTICE, I HATE ROBBERY WITH A BURNT OFFERING.207Tanh., Numb. 6:24; Numb. R. 19:30. The Holy One said to Moses (in Deut. 2:9): DO NOT TROUBLE MOAB. Now Heshbon had been part of Moab, since it is stated (in Numb. 21:26): FOR HESHBON WAS A CITY OF KING SIHON OF THE AMORITES, BUT HE HAD FOUGHT AGAINST THE FORMER KING OF MOAB <AND TAKEN ALL HIS LAND AWAY FROM HIM AS FAR AS THE ARNON>. When Israel came, they took Heshbon away from Sihon and whatever he had taken from the king of Moab; for if they had taken it from him <directly>, they would have had a robbery on their hands. Instead Sihon took it from Moab, and Israel took it from Sihon. Thus they were acquitted from <the charge of> robbery.