And they journeyed from Mount Hor
After the battle with the king of Arad, and the defeat of him:
by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of
Edom;
which lay by it, and from whence it had the name of the Red sea,
Edom signifying red; and by the way of that the Israelites must
needs go, to go round that country:
and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of
the way;
because it was going back instead of going forward to Canaan's
land, and because of the length of the way; it was a round about
way they were going; when, could they have been admitted to have
passed through the country of Edom, the way would have been
short; or had they pursued their victory over the Canaanite, they
would have gone directly into the land; and this perhaps was what
fretted, vexed, and discouraged them, that they were obliged to
go back, and take such a circuit, when they had such an
opportunity of entering; and they might be distressed also with
the badness and the roughness of the way, the borders of Edom
being rocky and craggy: it is in the original text, "their soul
or breath was short" F16; they fetched their breath short,
being weary and faint with travelling, or through anger, as angry
persons do, when in a great passion: so the people of God
travelling through the wilderness of this world are often
discouraged, because of the difficulties, trials, and troubles
they meet with in the way, from sin, Satan, and the world, and
are fretful and impatient; but though they are led about and walk
in a round about way, and in a rough way, yet in a right way to
the city of their habitation, ( Psalms 107:7
) .