Deuteronomy 2:20-30

20 (It is also regarded as the land of the 1Rephaim, for Rephaim formerly lived in it, but the Ammonites call them Zamzummin,
21 a people as great, numerous, and tall as the Anakim, but the LORD destroyed them before them. And they dispossessed them and settled in their place,
22 just as He did for the sons of Esau, who 2live in Seir, when He destroyed 3the Horites from before them; they dispossessed them and settled in their place even to this day.
23 And the 4Avvim, who lived in villages as far as Gaza, the 5Caphtorim who came from 6Caphtor, destroyed them and lived in their place.)
24 'Arise, set out, and pass through the 7valley of Arnon. Look! I have given Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land into your hand; begin to take possession and contend with him in battle.
25 'This day I will begin to put 8the dread and fear of you upon the peoples everywhere under the heavens, who, when they hear the report of you, 9will tremble and be in anguish because * of you.'
26 "10So I sent messengers from the wilderness of Kedemoth to Sihon king of Heshbon with words of peace, saying,
27 'Let me pass through your land, I will travel only on the highway; I will not turn aside to the right or to the left.
28 'You will sell me food for money so that I may eat, and give me water for money so that I may drink, 11only let me pass through on foot,
29 just as the sons of Esau who live in Seir and the Moabites who live in 12Ar did for me, until * I cross over the Jordan into the land which the LORD our God is giving to us.'
30 "But 13Sihon king of Heshbon was not willing for us to pass through his land; for the 14LORD your God hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate, in order to deliver him into your hand, as he is today.

Deuteronomy 2:20-30 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 14

  • 1. Deuteronomy 2:11
  • 2. Genesis 36:8; Deuteronomy 2:5
  • 3. Deuteronomy 2:12
  • 4. Joshua 13:3
  • 5. Genesis 10:14; 1 Chronicles 1:12
  • 6. Jeremiah 47:4; Amos 9:7
  • 7. Numbers 21:13, 14; Judges 11:18
  • 8. Exodus 23:27; Deuteronomy 11:25; Joshua 2:9
  • 9. Exodus 15:14-16
  • 10. Numbers 21:21-32; Deuteronomy 1:4; Judges 11:19-21
  • 11. Numbers 20:19
  • 12. Deuteronomy 2:9
  • 13. Numbers 21:23
  • 14. Exodus 4:21; Joshua 11:20

Footnotes 8

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, California.  All rights reserved.