1The story is continued, setting forth that they were not to meddle with the Edomites, 9nor with the Moabites, 16nor with the Ammonites: 24but Sihon the Amorite was given up to be subdued by them.
1THEN we turned, and took our journey into the wilderness 1by the way of the Red sea, as the LORD spake unto me: and we compassed mount 2Seir many days.
1 That is, back again toward the Red Sea, which they had passed over when they came out of Egypt.
2 Some maps do place besides Mount Seir or the Mount of the Edomites, in which they properly dwelled and was situated along the southern borders of Canaan, yet another mountain extending from the Red Sea to the mount that was properly the Mount of Edom, and called likewise Mount Seir and of the Amorites, because they went along the same unto the Edomites and the Amorites, by which the Israelites, going back again toward the Red Sea, made a long journey until God commanded them to turn northward, along by the land of the Edomites, and so on toward the land of the Moabites. The reader may be pleased to compare verses 3, 4, 8.
2And the LORD spake unto me, saying,
33Ye have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you 4northward.
3 Hebr. It hath been much or sufficient for you to go about.
4 From the Red Sea, which was situated in the south, back again toward the land of Edom and Moab, to pass by both of them.
4And command thou the people, saying, Ye are to pass through the coast of your brethren the 5children of Esau, which dwell in Seir; and they shall be 6afraid of you: take ye good heed unto yourselves therefore:
5 The Amalekites were also indeed Edomites, or descended from Esau, Gen. 36:12, but were excluded of God by a special ordinance. See Exod. 17:14; Deut. 25:17.
6 Remembering the wrong that their forefather Esau previously did unto his brother Jacob or Israel, your forefather. Or, they shall be afraid of your power and the help of God that is with you. See Num. 22:3.
57Meddle not with them; for I will not give you of their land, no, not so much 8as a foot breadth; because I have 9given mount Seir unto Esauafor a possession.
7 Namely, in battle, that you would go to war with them; as verse 9, 24. That now afterward has appeared the contrary, the Edomites, Ammonites and Moabites were the cause of it by their enmity and hatred against the Israelites. See 1 Sam. 14:47; 2 Sam. 8:14; 1 Kings 11:15, 16; 2 Kings 8:21; 2 Chron. 20:2, 10, 11; Psalm 83:6, 7, 8, etc. Compare 2 Sam. 8 on verse 2.
8 That is, so much as the sole of a foot may tread on, that is, much as a foot breadth.
9 See Gen. 36:8.
a Gen. 36:8.
6Ye shall buy 10meat of them for money, that ye may eat; and ye shall also buy water of them for money, that ye may drink.
10 Which ye may desire besides the heavenly Manna.
7For the LORD thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand: he 11knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness: these forty years the LORD thy God hath been 12with thee; thou hast lacked nothing.
11 That is, He hath taken care for thee in all your journeying and marching that nothing might be wanting unto thee. See the meaning of the word knoweth, Psalm 1:6; 31:7; Nahum 1:7 and elsewhere.
12 See Gen. 21 on verse 22.
8And when we passed by from our brethren the children of Esau, which dwelt in Seir, through the way of the plain from 13Elath, and from Ezion-gaber, we turned and passed by the way of the wilderness of Moab.
13 Elath and Ezion-gaber are both placed, by some, close by the Sea of rushes, commonly called the Red Sea.
9And the LORD said unto me, Distress not the Moabites, neither contend with them in battle: for I will not give thee of their land for a possession; because I have given 14Ar unto the children of Lot for a possession.
14 The capital city of the Moabites. See Num. 21:28.
10The 15Emims dwelt therein in times past, a people great, and many, and tall, as the 16Anakims;
15 See Gen. 14 on verse 5, called as such (as is perceived) because they were dreadful and terrible.
16 See Num. 13:22; Deut. 1:28.
11Which also were accounted 17giants, as the Anakims; but the Moabites call them Emims.
17 Hebr. Rephiam. See Gen. 14 on verse 5.
12The 18Horims also dwelt in Seir beforetime; but the children of Esau succeeded them, when they had destroyed them from before them, and dwelt in their stead; as Israel did unto the 19land of his possession, which the LORD gave unto them.
18 See Gen. 14 on verse 6; Gen. 36:20.
19 Understand here the lands of Sihon and Og, which were already taken by the children of Israel when Moses spoke or wrote this.
13Now rise up, said I, and get you over the brook 20Zered. And we went over the brook Zered.
20 See Num. 21:12.
14And the space in which we came from Kadesh-barnea, until we were come over the brook Zered, was thirty and eight years; until all the generation of the 21men of war were wasted out from among the host, 22as the LORD sware unto them.
21 Who were numbered by God’s appointment, being twenty years old and upward. See Num. 1:3.
22 See Num. 14:21, etc.; Deut. 1:35.
15For indeed the hand of the LORD was against them, to destroy them from among the host, until they were consumed.
16¶So it came to pass, when all the men of war were consumed and dead from among the people,
17That the LORD spake unto me, saying,
18Thou art to pass over through 23Ar, the coast of Moab, this day:
23 See verse 9.
19And when thou comest nigh over against the children of Ammon, distress them not, nor 24meddle with them: for I will not give thee of the land of the children of Ammon any possession; because I have given it unto the children of Lot for a possession.
24 See on verse 5.
20(That also was accounted a land of giants: giants dwelt therein in old time; and the Ammonites call them 25Zamzummims;
25 That is, abominable varlets, rogues, thieves, robbers, of whom everyone was afraid.
21A people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims; but the LORD destroyed them before them; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead:
22As 26he did to the children of Esau, which dwelt in Seir, when he destroyed the Horims from before them; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead even unto this day:
26 Namely, the LORD.
23And the 27Avims which dwelt in Hazerim, even unto 28Azzah, the 29Caphtorims, which came forth out of Caphtor, destroyed them, and dwelt in their stead.)
27 Who dwelt in times past in the land of the Philistines. See Joshua 13:3; 2 Kings 17:24, 31.
28 Or, Gaza. See Gen. 10 on verse 19.
29 See Gen. 10 on verse 14.
24¶Rise ye up, take your journey, and pass over the river Arnon: behold, I have given into thine hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land: 30begin to possess it, and contend with him in battle.
30 Hebr. begin, inherit.
25This day will I begin to put the 31dread of thee and the fear of thee upon the nations that are under the whole heaven, who shall hear report of thee, and shall tremble, and be in anguish because of thee.
31 That is, wherewith they shall dread and be afraid of thee, also Deut. 11:25.
26¶Andb I sent messengers out of the wilderness of Kedemoth unto Sihon king of Heshbon with 32words of peace, saying,
b Num. 21:21; Judges 11:19.
32 That is, offering him terms of peace, which were refused and became the cause of their own destruction. See Deut. 20:10.
27Letc me pass through thy land: I will go 33along by the high way, I will neither turn unto the right hand nor to the left.
c Num. 21:21, 22.
33 Or, pass along steadily, straight on without turning on either side, as the following words declare. Hebr. in the way, in the way.
28Thou shalt sell me meat for money, that I may eat; and give me water for money, that I may drink: only I will pass through on my 34feet;
34 That is, on foot, as we commonly say. See the same phrase, Num. 20:19; Judges 4:15, 17; 2 Sam. 15:17, etc.
29(As the 35children of Esau which dwell in Seir, and the 36Moabites which dwell in Ar, did unto me;) until I shall pass over Jordan into the land which the LORD our God giveth us.
35 This must be understood of the selling of bread and water, that is, meat and drink; for, they denied Israel passage through their land, Num. 20:18; Judges 11:17.
36 They did not indeed meet Israel with bread and water (see Deut. 23:4), but yet possibly have sold the same unto them, at least might not have driven them away from their borders.
30But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass 37by him: for the LORD thy God 38hardened his spirit, and made his heart obstinate, that he might deliver him into thy hand, as appeareth this day.
37 Or, through his land.
38 See Exod. 4 on verse 21.
31And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have begun to give Sihon and his land 39before thee: begin to possess, that thou mayest inherit his land.
39 See Deut. 1 on verse 8.
32Thend Sihon came out against us, he and all his people, to fight at Jahaz.
d Num. 21:23.
33And thee LORD our God delivered him before us; and we smote him, and his sons, and all his people.
e Deut. 29:7.
34And we took all his cities at that time, and utterly 40destroyed the men, and the women, and the little ones, of every city, we left none to remain:
40 That is, we destroyed and rooted them out at once. This word is also taken in Deut. 3:6; 7:2, and elsewhere. This utter destruction was to be done to all who continued obstinate in enmity and idolatry. Compare Deuteronomy 20 and Joshua 6:17, 18, 21; 9:18, 19; 1 Kings 20:42, etc.
35Only the cattle we took for a prey unto ourselves, and the spoil of the cities which we took.
36From Aroer, which is by the 41brink of the river of Arnon, and from the city that is by the river, even unto Gilead, there was not one city too 42strong for us: the LORD our God delivered all unto us:
41 Hebr. lip.
42 Or, no city that could defend itself against us.
37Only unto the land of the children of Ammon thou camest not, nor unto 43any place of the river Jabbok, nor unto the cities in the mountains, nor unto whatsoever the LORD our God 44forbad us.
43 Hebr. the entire side of the brook Jabbok, and the cities, etc.
44 Hebr. commanded, that is, forbidden. See of this use of the word to command Lev. 4 on verse 2; Deut. 4 on verse 23. Although these words might be likewise here thus translated, whereof the LORD had commanded us, namely, that we should not come nigh them.