Deuteronomy 2:5-9

5 Do not provoke them to war, for I will not give you any of their land, not even enough to put your foot on. I have given Esau the hill country of Seir as his own.
6 You are to pay them in silver for the food you eat and the water you drink.’ ”
7 The LORD your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He has watched over your journey through this vast wilderness. These forty years the LORD your God has been with you, and you have not lacked anything.
8 So we went on past our relatives the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir. We turned from the Arabah road, which comes up from Elath and Ezion Geber, and traveled along the desert road of Moab.
9 Then the LORD said to me, “Do not harass the Moabites or provoke them to war, for I will not give you any part of their land. I have given Ar to the descendants of Lot as a possession.”

Deuteronomy 2:5-9 Meaning and Commentary

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, De 2:1-3, and were directed not to meddle with the Edomites, or take anything from them, but pay them for what they should have of them, since they lacked not, De 2:4-8, nor to distress the Moabites, of whose country, as formerly inhabited, and also of Edom, some account is given, De 2:9-12, when they were bid to go over the brook Zered, to which from their coming from Kadeshbarnea was the space of thirty eight years, in which time the former generation was consumed, De 2:13-16 and now passing along the borders of Moab, they were ordered not to meddle with nor distress the children of Ammon, of whose land also, and the former inhabitants of it, an account is given, De 2:17-23, then passing over the river Arnon, they are bid to fight with Sihon king of the Amorites, and possess his land, De 2:24,25 to whom they sent messengers, desiring leave to pass through his land, and to furnish them with provisions for their money, as the Edomites and Moabites had done, De 2:26-29 but he refusing, this gave them an opportunity to attack him, in which they succeeded, slew him and his people, and took possession of his country, De 2:30-37.

Cross References 11

  • 1. Genesis 36:8; Joshua 24:4
  • 2. Deuteronomy 8:2-4
  • 3. S Exodus 13:21; S Deuteronomy 1:19
  • 4. ver 14; S Numbers 14:33; Numbers 32:13; Joshua 5:6
  • 5. Nehemiah 9:21; Amos 2:10
  • 6. S Numbers 20:21
  • 7. S Deuteronomy 1:1
  • 8. Numbers 33:35; 1 Kings 9:26
  • 9. S Numbers 21:4; Judges 11:18
  • 10. S Numbers 21:15
  • 11. Genesis 19:38; Psalms 83:8; Genesis 19:36-38
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