Deuteronomy 2:23-33

23 And the 1Avvim, who lived in villages as far as Gaza, the 2Caphtorim who came from 3Caphtor, destroyed them and lived in their place.)
24 'Arise, set out, and pass through the 4valley 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 5the dread and fear of you upon the peoples everywhere under the heavens, who, when they hear the report of you, 6will tremble and be in anguish because * of you.'
26 "7So 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, 8only let me pass through on foot,
29 just as the sons of Esau who live in Seir and the Moabites who live in 9Ar did for me, until * I cross over the Jordan into the land which the LORD our God is giving to us.'
30 "But 10Sihon king of Heshbon was not willing for us to pass through his land; for the 11LORD your God hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate, in order to deliver him into your hand, as he is today.
31 "The LORD said to me, 'See, I have begun to deliver Sihon and his land over to you. Begin to occupy, that you may possess his land.'
32 "Then Sihon with all his people came out to meet us in battle at Jahaz.
33 "12The LORD our God delivered him over to us, and we 13defeated him with his sons and all his people.

Deuteronomy 2:23-33 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 13

  • 1. Joshua 13:3
  • 2. Genesis 10:14; 1 Chronicles 1:12
  • 3. Jeremiah 47:4; Amos 9:7
  • 4. Numbers 21:13, 14; Judges 11:18
  • 5. Exodus 23:27; Deuteronomy 11:25; Joshua 2:9
  • 6. Exodus 15:14-16
  • 7. Numbers 21:21-32; Deuteronomy 1:4; Judges 11:19-21
  • 8. Numbers 20:19
  • 9. Deuteronomy 2:9
  • 10. Numbers 21:23
  • 11. Exodus 4:21; Joshua 11:20
  • 12. Exodus 23:31; Deuteronomy 7:2
  • 13. Deuteronomy 29:7

Footnotes 13

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