Numbers 20:19

19 And the childern of Israel sayed vnto him: we will goo by the beeten waye: and yf ether we or oure catell drynke of thi water we will paye for it we wyll doo nomoare but passe thorow by fote only.

Numbers 20:19 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 20:19

And the children of Israel said unto him
The messengers sent by the children of Israel made answer to the king of Edom:

we will go by the highway;
we desire no other favour but that of the public road; we propose not to go through any part of the country that is enclosed and cultivated, to do any damage to it:

if I and my cattle drink of thy water, then I will pay for it;
as it was usual, and still is, to buy water in those countries near the Red sea, where it is scarce. We are told ^F4, that at Suess, a city on the extremity of the Red sea, there is no water nearer than six or seven hours journey towards the north east, which is brought from thence on camels; and a small vessel of it is sold for three or four medinas, and a larger vessel for eight or ten, according to the demand for it; a medina is an Egyptian piece of money, worth about three halfpence of our English money:

I will only (without doing anything else) go through on my feet;
as fast as I can, without saying anything to the inhabitants to terrify and distress them, and without doing them any injury. Some render it, I will only go "with my footmen" ^F5; foot soldiers, an army on foot, as Israel were.

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FOOTNOTES:

F4 See a Journal from Cairo to Mount Sinai, p. 10, 11. Ed. 2.
F5 (ylgrb) "cum meo exercitu pedestri"; so some in Fagius & Vatablus.

Numbers 20:19 In-Context

17 of thi contre let us goo a good felowshipe thorow thi contre we wyll not goo thorow the feldes nor thorow the vyneyardes nether will we drynke of the water of the fountaynes: but we will goo by the hye waye and nether turne vnto ye ryghte hande nor to ye lefte vntill we be past thi contre.

18 And Edom answered him: Se thou come not by me lest I come out agest the with the swerde

19 And the childern of Israel sayed vnto him: we will goo by the beeten waye: and yf ether we or oure catell drynke of thi water we will paye for it we wyll doo nomoare but passe thorow by fote only.

20 And he sayed: ye shall not goo thorow. And Edom came out agenst him with moch people and with a myghtie power.

21 And thus Edom denyed to geue Israel passage thorow his contre. And Israel turned a waye from him.