Deuteronomy 2:1-6

The Wilderness Years

1 "Then we turned and journeyed into the wilderness in the direction of the Red Sea, 1as the LORD told me. And for many days we traveled around Mount Seir.
2 Then the LORD said to me,
3 'You have been traveling around this mountain country 2long enough. Turn northward
4 and command the people, "You are about to pass through the territory of 3your brothers, the people of Esau, 4who live in Seir; and 5they will be afraid of you. So be very careful.
5 Do not contend with them, for I will not give you any of their land, no, not so much as for the sole of the foot to tread on, because 6I have given Mount Seir to Esau as a possession.
6 7You shall purchase food from them for money, that you may eat, and you shall also buy water of them for money, that you may drink.

Deuteronomy 2:1-6 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 7

  • 1. Deuteronomy 1:40; Numbers 14:25
  • 2. Deuteronomy 1:6
  • 3. Deuteronomy 23:7; Amos 1:11; Obad. 10, 12
  • 4. See Genesis 32:3
  • 5. See Numbers 20:18-21
  • 6. [See ver. 4 above]
  • 7. ver. 28
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.