INTRODUCTION TO Deuteronomy 2 In this chapter Moses goes on with his account of the affairs of the people of Israel, and what befell them, how they turned into the wilderness again; but passes over in silence their travels there, till they came to Mount Self, where having been some time they were bid to depart, Deuteronomy 2:1, and were directed...
Then we turned,.... From Kadesh, where they had been many days, and so also their backs on the land of Canaan, on the borders of which they had been: and took our journey into the wilderness, by the way of the Red sea, as the Lord spake unto me; Deuteronomy 1:40 and we compassed Mount Seir many days; many think by Mount Seir is meant the whole...
Moses, in this chapter, proceeds in the rehearsal of God's providences concerning Israel in their way to Canaan, yet preserves not the record of any thing that happened during their tedious march back to the Red Sea, in which they wore out almost thirty-eight years, but passes that over in silence as a dark time, and makes his narrative to begin...
Ye have compassed this mountain long enough,.... It was time to be gone from thence, as from Horeb, Deuteronomy 1:6, turn you northward; from the southern border of Edom towards the land of Canaan, which lay north. It was from Eziongeber in the land of Edom, from whence the Israelites came to Kadesh, where they sent messengers to the king of Edom,...
And command thou the people,.... Give them a strict charge: saying, ye are to pass through the coast of your brethren the children or Esau: not through the midst of their country, for that the king of Edom would not admit of, but by or on the border of it: and they shall be afraid of you; lest such a numerous body of people as Israel were should...
Ver. 5 Meddle not with them,.... Contend not with them in battle, nor provoke them to it: for I will not give you of their land, no not so much as a foot breadth; or as the sole of a man's foot can tread on, signifying that they should not have the least part of it, not any at all. Jarchi makes mention of an exposition of theirs, that he would...
Ver. 6 Ye shall buy meat of them for money, that ye may eat,.... That is, if they would, as Aben Ezra observes; for though they had manna daily, yet if they would they might buy other food when they had an opportunity, as they would now have of Edom; but then they were not to take it by force or stealth, but pay for it, which they were able to do....
For the Lord thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thine hands,.... Had increased their cattle and substance, even though in a wilderness: he knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness; every step they took, and he owned them and prospered them in all things in which they were concerned: these forty years the Lord thy God hath been...
And when we passed by from our brethren the children of Esau, which dwelt in Self,.... Along their coasts, by the borders of their country: through the way of the plain; the wilderness of Zin, where Kadesh was: from Elath and Eziongeber; the two ports on the shore of the Red sea in the land of Edom; it was from the latter they came to Kadesh; see...
And the Lord said unto me,.... When upon the borders of Moab: distress not the Moabites, neither contend with than in battle; besiege not any of their cities, nor draw them into a battle, or provoke them to fight: for I will not give thee of their land for a possession; at least not as yet, the measure of their sins not being fully up, and the...
The Emims dwelt there in time past,.... We read of them as early as the times of Chedorlaomer, Genesis 14:5 when their dwelling was in Kirjathaim, a city which Sihon king of the Amorites took from the Moabites, and which being taken from him, was with others given to the tribe of Reuben, Numbers 32:37. These are by some thought to be the same with...
Which also were accounted giants, as the Anakims,.... Because of their bulky size and tall stature; or, "the Rephaim were they accounted, even they as the Anakims;'' they were reckoned Rephaim, a name for giants in early times, even as the Anakims were; see Genesis 14:5 but the Moabites called them Emims; to distinguish them from the Rephaim; so...
The Horims also dwelt in Seir before time,.... Which is the name of a mount, and so of the country, from it; so called from Seir the Horite, who dwelt in it before it was possessed by Esau and his sons; but who the Horim or Horites were, from whence they had their name, is difficult to say; they were as early as the times of Chedorlaomer, Genesis...
Now rise up, said I, and get you over the brook Zered,.... It is called the valley of Zered, Numbers 21:12, the word used signifying both a valley and a brook; and it is very probable there were both a valley and a brook of the same name; it must be near Dibongad, since in one place it is said the Israelites came from Ijim and pitched in Zered;...
And the space in which we came from Kadeshbarnea,.... The space of time; or, "the days" (b); the number of them: until we were come over the brook Zered, was thirty and eight years; that is, from the time that the spies were sent and searched the land, and brought a report of it; for they were sent from Kadeshbarnea, Numbers 32:8 unto the passage...
For indeed the hand of the Lord was against them,.... His power was exerted in a way of wrath and vengeance on them, for their murmurings at the report of the spies; and therefore, it is no wonder they were consumed, for strong is his hand, and high is his right hand; and when lifted up it falls heavy, and there is no standing up under it, or...
So it came to pass, when all the men of war were consumed,.... By wasting diseases and judgments of one kind or another: and dead from among the people; the rising and surviving generation.
Thou art to pass over through Ar,.... That is, over the river Arnon, by the city Ar of Moab, which was situated by it; see Deuteronomy 2:9 and so Moses and the people of Israel were to pass along by that, and by the coast of Moab; for they were not admitted to enter the land and pass through it; only to travel on the borders of it, and that they...