Numeri 20:14

14 Und Mose sandte Boten aus Kades an den König von Edom: So spricht dein Bruder Israel: Du kennst all das Ungemach, das uns betroffen hat:

Numeri 20:14 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 20:14

And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh unto the king of Edom,
&c.] This country was sometimes governed by kings, and sometimes by "dukes", see ( Genesis 36:14-43 ) . At the time of the passage of the Israelites through the Red sea, we read of the dukes of Edom, ( Exodus 15:15 ) , and here, thirty nine years after, of a king of Edom, but who he was is not certain. Bishop Usher takes him to be the same with Hadar, the last of the race of kings mentioned in ( Genesis 36:39 ) , to him Moses sent messengers with a request, which follows after a preamble to it; who were the messengers is not said; the place from whence they were sent is Kadesh, a city on the borders of the land of Edom; but not Kadeshbarnea, Aben Ezra says, though some are of opinion it is the same, see ( Numbers 20:1 ) :

thus saith thy brother Israel;
the Israelites and Edomites springing from two men, Jacob and Esau, who were twin brothers, and is observed to ingratiate themselves to the Edomites, and gain their request, pleading relation to them:

thou knowest all the travail that hath befallen us;
what an uncomfortable condition they had been in for many years, which was well known to Edom, a neighbouring country, as is reasonable to suppose; since the fame of the children of Israel coming out of Egypt, passing through the Red sea, and being so long in the wilderness, was spread everywhere; this was said to move their pity.

Numeri 20:14 In-Context

12 Da sprach Jehova zu Mose und zu Aaron: Weil ihr mir nicht geglaubt habt, mich vor den Augen der Kinder Israel zu heiligen, deswegen sollt ihr diese Versammlung nicht in das Land bringen, das ich ihnen gegeben habe.

13 Das ist das Wasser von Meriba, wo die Kinder Israel mit Jehova haderten, und er sich an ihnen heiligte.

14 Und Mose sandte Boten aus Kades an den König von Edom: So spricht dein Bruder Israel: Du kennst all das Ungemach, das uns betroffen hat:

15 Unsere Väter zogen nach Ägypten hinab, und wir haben eine lange Zeit in Ägypten gewohnt; und die Ägypter behandelten uns und unsere Väter übel.

16 Da schrieen wir zu Jehova, und er hat unsere Stimme gehört und einen Engel gesandt und uns aus Ägypten herausgeführt; und siehe, wir sind zu Kades, einer Stadt am Äußersten deines Gebiets.