Chukas 21:26 · unit 2 — from his hand means from his authority

Parashas Chukas · Passuk 21:26

The Complete Passuk

כִּ֣י חֶשְׁבּ֔וֹן עִ֗יר סִיחֹ֛ן מֶ֥לֶךְ הָאֱמֹרִ֖י הִ֑וא וְה֣וּא נִלְחַ֗ם בְּמֶ֤לֶךְ מוֹאָב֙ הָֽרִאשׁ֔וֹן וַיִּקַּ֥ח אֶת־כָּל־אַרְצ֖וֹ מִיָּדֽוֹ׃

For Cheshbon is the city of Sichon, king of the Emori, and he had fought against the first king of Moav and taken all his land from his hand.

Torah Temimah: Yerushalmi Gittin 8:1

Core Text

תָּנָא רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל, וַיִּקַּח אֶת כָּל אַרְצוֹ מִיָּדוֹ… מַהוּ מִיָּדוֹ – מֵרְשׁוּתוֹ.

English: R. Yishmael taught: “and he took all his land from his hand”… what is “from his hand”? From his authority.

Reading “yad” as jurisdiction.

Taking “from his hand” means removing Moav’s territorial control.