Deuteronomy 2:4

4 And command thou to the people, and say, Ye shall pass by the terms of your brethren, the sons of Esau, that dwell in Seir, and they shall dread you. Therefore see ye diligently, (And command thou to the people, and say, Ye shall pass by the borders, or the territory, of your brothers, the sons of Esau, who live in Seir, and they shall fear you. And so see ye diligently,)

Deuteronomy 2:4 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 2:4

And command thou the people
Give them a strict charge:

saying, ye are to pass through the coast of your brethren the children
or Esau:
not through the midst of their country, for that the king of Edom would not admit of, but by or on the border of it:

and they shall be afraid of you;
lest such a numerous body of people as Israel were should seize upon their country, and dispossess them of it, they having been so long, wanderers in a wilderness near them:

take ye good heed unto yourselves therefore;
that they did not take any advantage of their fears, and fall upon them, and do them mischief, or that they did not provoke them to battle and overcome them.

Deuteronomy 2:4 In-Context

2 And (then) the Lord said to me,

3 It sufficeth to you to compass this hill; go ye against the north. (It sufficeth for you to have gone around these hills long enough; now go ye to the north.)

4 And command thou to the people, and say, Ye shall pass by the terms of your brethren, the sons of Esau, that dwell in Seir, and they shall dread you. Therefore see ye diligently, (And command thou to the people, and say, Ye shall pass by the borders, or the territory, of your brothers, the sons of Esau, who live in Seir, and they shall fear you. And so see ye diligently,)

5 that ye be not moved against them; for I shall not give to you of their land as much as the step of one foot may tread, for I have given the hill of Seir into the possession of Esau. (that ye go not against them; for I shall not give you any of their land, not as much as the step of one foot can tread, for I have given the hill country of Seir to the sons of Esau for a possession.)

6 Ye shall buy of them meats for money, and ye shall eat; and ye shall draw, and drink water bought. (Ye shall buy food from them with your money, and then ye shall eat; and ye shall buy some water, and drink it.)