Números 20:17

17 Te rogamos que pasemos por tu tierra; no pasaremos por labranza, ni por viña, ni beberemos agua de pozos; por el camino real iremos, sin apartarnos a diestra ni a siniestra, hasta que hayamos pasado tu término

Números 20:17 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 20:17

Let us pass, I pray thee, through thy country
That being the nearest and shortest way to the land of Canaan, from the place where they now were:

we will not pass through the fields, or through the vineyards;
to harm them, and injure any man in his private property, by gathering the fruit of them, if the season of the year for it, or by trampling them down:

neither will we drink of the water of the wells;
which private persons had dug, for the watering of their fields and vineyards, and for other uses, at least without paying for it; or only of the waters of the rivers, common to all passengers; from hence it appears, that the country of Edom was not then such a barren country as in later times, and as travellers ^F3 now report it is; (See Gill on Malachi 1:3)

we will go by the king's highway;
not the way in which the king used to walk, or which he should order them to walk in, as Aben Ezra; but the public roads, common to all his subjects, and travellers to walk in by his allowance; and such roads are now called by us the king's highway:

we will not turn to the right hand, or to the left;
to do any injury to any person's property, but go straight forward:

until we have passed thy borders;
from one to another, and got quite through the country.

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FOOTNOTES:

F3 See Shaw's Travels, 4. 438. Ed. 2.

Números 20:17 In-Context

15 cómo nuestros padres descendieron a Egipto, y estuvimos en Egipto largo tiempo, y los egipcios nos maltrataron, y a nuestros padres

16 y clamamos al SEÑOR, el cual oyó nuestra voz, y envió un ángel, y nos sacó de Egipto; y he aquí estamos en Cades, ciudad al extremo de tu término

17 Te rogamos que pasemos por tu tierra; no pasaremos por labranza, ni por viña, ni beberemos agua de pozos; por el camino real iremos, sin apartarnos a diestra ni a siniestra, hasta que hayamos pasado tu término

18 Y Edom le respondió: No pasarás por mi país, de otra manera, saldré contra ti armado

19 Y los hijos de Israel dijeron: Por el camino seguido iremos; y si bebiéremos tus aguas yo y mis ganados, daré el precio de ellas; ciertamente sin hacer otra cosa, pasaré de seguida