Judges 11:18

18 "Then they went through the desert, by-passing Edom and Moab. They camped east of Moab--east of the Arnon River. They did not cross the Arnon River because it was Moab's border.

Judges 11:18 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 11:18

Then they went along the wilderness
The wilderness of Paran, which lay along the borders of Edom; they went, according to Jarchi, from the west to the east on the south border of Edom and Moab:

and compassed the land of Edom, and the land of Moab;
all the south of the land of Edom, and all the south of the land of Moab; towards the sunrising, as in ( Numbers 21:11 )

and pitched on the other side of Arnon;
the river Arnon, which, according to Jarchi, was at the east end of the land of Moab, where began the country of Sihon and Og:

but came not within the border of Moab;
so far were they from attempting to take away any part of that land from the king of it, though ill treated by him:

for Arnon was the border of Moab;
which divided between Moab and the Amorites, ( Numbers 21:13 ) .

Judges 11:18 In-Context

16 When the people of Israel left Egypt, they went through the desert to the Red Sea and came to Kadesh.

17 The people of Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom. They said, 'Please let us go through your country.' But the king of Edom wouldn't listen to them. They also sent messengers to the king of Moab. But he wouldn't allow it, either. So the people of Israel remained at Kadesh.

18 "Then they went through the desert, by-passing Edom and Moab. They camped east of Moab--east of the Arnon River. They did not cross the Arnon River because it was Moab's border.

19 "Then the people of Israel sent messengers to King Sihon of the Amorites. Sihon ruled from Heshbon. The people of Israel said to him, 'Please let us go through your land to our own.'

20 But Sihon did not trust the Israelites enough to let them go through his territory. Sihon assembled all his troops. He camped at Jahaz and attacked Israel.