Deuteronomy 2)
1: Then we faced about (cp. 1:7), and took our journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea, according as the Lord said to me: (Yahaveh spoke at 9 "sundry times" and in 3 "divers manners":–
1. To me [Moses], 2:1,2,7; 9:13; 32:48.
2. To you, 4:12,12; 10:14.
3. To all your assembly, 5:22.: and we compassed mount Seir many days (these are distinguished from those mentioned in 1:46. Those were resting in disobedience, these were journeying obedience).
2: And the Lord spoke to me, saying,
3: ‘You all have compassed this mountain long enough: face about northward.
f L¹ k¹ 2:4. Passage through Edom.
l¹ 2:5-9. Command as to Edom and Moab.
m¹ 2:10-12. Former inhabitants and Moab.
L² k² 2:13-18. Passage over Zared.
l² 2:19. Command as to Ammon.
m² 2:20-23. Former inhabitants and Ammon.
L³ k³ 2:24-. Passage over Annon.
l³ 2:-24-29. Command as to Ammorites.
m³ 2:30-3:28. Former inhabitants and Israel.
4: And command you the People, saying, ‘You all are to cross the border (cp. Num. 20:4; 14-17. Judg. 11:17) of your brethren the sons of Esau, which dwell in Seir; and they shall be afraid of you: take you all good heed unto yourselves therefore:
5: Meddle not with them; for I will not give you of their land, no, not so much as a foot breadth; because (cp. Gen. 3:3; 33:6-8; 36:8. Josh. 24:4) I have given mount Seir to Esau for a possession (Heb. yarash [because given]. Also in vv.9,12 and 3:19,20 &c; in Deut. not ’ahaz [because seized], as in other books; though ’ahaz is used in 32:49).
6: You all shall buy meat (= all kinds of food) of them for money, that you all may eat; and you all shall also buy water of them for money, that you all may drink.
7: For the Lord you God (= the triune God) has blessed you in all the works of your hands: He knows your walking through this great wilderness: these forty years (cp. Neh. 9:21) the Lord your God has been with you; you have lacked nothing.’ ’ (Heb. "not a word": i.e. of what Yahaveh had promised, cp. 8:2-4)
8: And when we passed by from our brethren the sons of Esau (cp. Num. 20:21; 21:11-13. 2 Chron. 20:10), which dwelt in Seir, through the way of the plain from Elath, and from Ezion-gaber (= Gulf of Akabah. Cp. Num.33:35 and 1 Kings 9:26), we turned and passed by the way of the wilderness of Moab (see the route, Judg. 11:16-18).
9: And the Lord said to me (occ. 13 times in Deut: 2:9,31; 3:2,26; 4:10; 5:28; 9:12; 10:1,11; 31:2,14,16; 34:4), ‘Distress not the Moabites (God judged both [2 Chron. 20:1-25. Amos 1:13-15]), neither contend with them in battle: for I will not give you of their land for a possession; because I have given Ar to the sons of Lot for a possession.’
10: The Emims (= terrible ones. Gen. 14:5. A race of the offspring of the Nephilim, see Gen.6:3) dwelt therein in times past, a people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims (see 1:28 & Gen. 6:3);
11: Which also were accounted giants (Heb. Rephaim, another name for an offspring of the Nephilim, from one Rapha. Connected with healing, and with Egypt [Gen. 50:2]), as the Anakims; but the Moabites call them Emims.
12: The Horims (another race or name of the offspring of the Nephilim, see v.10. Cp. Gen.14:6) also dwelt in Seir before time; but the sons of Esau succeeded them, when they had destroyed (= exterminated them, Heb. shâmad) them from before them, and dwelt in their stead (= room. These are the Canaanites with whom Satan had preoccupied the land to thwart God's purpose in Abraham. Cp. Gen. 12:6; 13:7. All these had to be destroyed, as the offspring of the Nephilim in Noah's days were destroyed by the Flood. Cp. Gen.6:4, which tells of a latter irruption. See Gen. 14:5); according as Israel did unto the land of his possession, which the Lord gave to them (see 3:20, and note on v.5).
13: ‘Now therefore rise up’, said I, ‘and get you over the brook Zered’ (which flows into the Arnon, the frontier between Moab and Ammon. Num. 21:13) And we went over the brook Zered (= exuberant in growth, osier brook).
14: And the space in which we came from Kadesh-barnea, until we were come over the brook Zered, was thirty and eight years (cp. the anti type of Israel in the flesh, John 5:5); until all the generation of the men of war were wasted out from among the host, as the Lord swore to them.
15: For indeed the hand of the Lord was against them, to destroy them from among the host (= to shake, Heb. hanan), until they were consumed.
16: So it came to pass, when all the men of war were consumed and dead from among the People,
17: That the Lord spoke to me, saying,
18: ‘You are to pass over through Ar, the coast of Moab, this day:
19: And when you come near over against the sons of Ammon (see Gen. 19:36-38, and cp. Judg.11:15), distress them not, nor meddle with them: for I will not give you of the land of the sons of Ammon any possession; because I have given it to the sons of Lot for a possession.
20: {That also was accounted a land of giants: giants dwelt therein in old time; and the Ammonites call them Zamzummims (a name given them by the Amorites = noisy ones. See vv.10-12);
21: A people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims (see 1:28); but the Lord exterminated them before them; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead:
22: As He did to the children of Esau, which dwelt in Seir, when He exterminated the Horims from before them; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead even unto this day:
23: And the Avims which dwelt in Hazerim (another name for the offspring of the Nephilim. Josh. 13:3), even unto Azzah (= Gaza. Gen. 10:19. 1 Sam. 6:17. Cp. 1 Kings 4:24. Jer. 25:20. Acts 8:26), the Caphtorims (another name, for those that came out of Caphtor. Gen.10:14. Amos 9:7. Jer. 47:4. Sometimes identified with Crete, or the Delt), which came forth out of Caphtor (= crown), exterminated them, and dwelt in their stead.}
24: ‘Rise up you all, take your journey (cp. Num. 21:13), and pass over the river Arnon: behold, I have given into your hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land:
begin to possess it, and contend with him in battle.
25: This day will I begin to put the dread of you and the fear of you upon the nations that are under the whole heaven (fulfillment of Ex. 15:14,15. Cp. Josh. 2:9,10), who shall hear report of you, and shall tremble, and be in anguish because of you.’
26: And I sent messengers (Num. 21:21,22. Judg. 11:19) out of the wilderness of Kedemoth (cp. Num. 21:21-24. Afterward a Levitical city [Josh. 13:18; 21:37. 1 Chron. 6:64,79]) unto Sihon king of Heshbon with words of peace, saying,
27: ‘Let me pass through thy land: I will go along by the high way, I will neither turn unto the right hand nor to the left.
28: You shall sell me food for money (Edom refused to let Israel pass through, but dill sell, as here stated. Cp. Num. 20:17-21. Moab, too, "sold", but did not meet as a friend [23:4] were karan mean to offer unasked [cp. Isa. 21:17]), that I may eat; and give me water for money, that I may drink: only I will pass through on my feet;
29: {According as the sons of Esau which dwell in Seir, and the Moabites which dwell in Ar, did unto me;} until I shall pass over Jordan into the land which the Lord our God gives us.’
m³ M¹ 2:30-37. Conquest of Sihon.
M² 3:1-29. Conquest of Og.