(Deuteronomy 2:1) “Then we turned and took our journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red Sea, as the LORD spoke to me, and we circled Mount Seir for many days."
In the last chapter and post, Moses addressed the children of Israel in their fortieth year after their exodus from Egypt. He spoke to a new generation of Israelites about to enter their promised land. It was a historical review of the events that led to their having to wander in the wilderness for so many years. The end of chapter 1 left them in Kadesh after the Lord had told them they would not be able to enter their promised land because of their unbelief. Deuteronomy 1:40 related the words of the Lord telling the people to turn back toward the Red Sea and journey into the wilderness.
Here in the second chapter of Deuteronomy, Moses continued his historical account. The people indeed turned back toward the Red Sea as the Lord had told them to do, and they went around Mount Seir for many days. Most of the commentaries I study interpreted this to mean they wandered around the entire mountainous country of Edom for many, many days, as in thirty-eight years. The original word "rab" translated as "many" means "abundant" and is a shortened form of the word "rabab" which means "increase", even "multiply by the myriad" and "ten thousands". The word that was translated as "days", that is "yom", Strong's defines as "literally (days), or figuratively (a space of time defined by an associated term)", which in this case is a myriad or thousands of days.
(2) “And the LORD spoke to me, saying, (3) ‘You have circled this mountain long enough; turn northward.'"
Moses told the people it was at that point that the Lord spoke to him saying they had been around that mountain long enough and that it was time to turn northward. The following map shared by www.gantshillurc.co.uk, specifically in this blog post, shows Mount Seir's proximity to the Red Sea. It was time to move northward toward Canaan.
(4) "‘And command the people, saying, “You will pass through the coast of your brethren the children of Esau, which dwell in Seir, and they shall be afraid of you; therefore take good heed to yourselves."'"
Moses related to the people that the Lord then told him to charge the people to be very careful as they were to be passing through the border of the Edomites, the descendants of Esau, who dwelt in Seir. The Edomites would be afraid of the Israelites and might feel threatened. Numbers 20:21 said that Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border. Some of the commentaries I study believe that although they could not cross into Edom, they went along the border. The 1599 Geneva Bible Translation Notes referred to this as the second time they were to cross the border of Edom.
(5) "'“Do not meddle with them, for I will not give you any of their land, no, not so much as one footstep, because I have given Mount Seir to Esau for a possession."'"
Moses continued telling the people of the Lord's command to them regarding Edom. They were not to meddle with the Edomites. The Lord had given Mount Seir to Esau to possess; "Thus Esau dwelt in Mount Seir; Esau is Edom" (Genesis 36:8). He would not allow Israel to possess so much as a footstep of the Edomites' land.
(6) "'"You shall buy food from them with money, that you may eat; and you shall also buy water from them with money, that you may drink."'"
The Lord allowed the Israelites to trade fairly with the Edomites. Although the people had daily manna, it appears the Lord did not forbid them to trade with their neighbors when they had the opportunity. I do believe the sense of this verse is that they must trade fairly. They were not to take advantage of the Edomites in any way.
(7) "'"For the LORD your God has blessed you in all the work of your hand; He knows your walking through this great wilderness; these forty years the LORD your God has been with you; you have lacked nothing."'"
Because the Lord had so blessed the children of Israel in all they did so that they had lacked nothing in their forty years of wandering, they had no reason to take anything from the Edomites without fair payment.
(8) “And when we passed beyond our brethren the children of Esau, who dwelt in Seir, through the way of the plain from Elath and from Ezion Geber, we turned and passed by way of the wilderness of Moab."
Moses continued to relate to the Israelites about when they had passed beyond the border of the Edomites in Seir by way of the plain from Elath and Ezion Geber, and turned and passed by way of the wilderness of Moab. This map from Free Bible Images offers a good idea of what was meant. In Numbers the Israelites had requested passage through Edom along the King's Highway, but were refused. If they instead traveled along the border of Edom from Elath and Ezion Geber on the Red Sea, they would have been in the plain west of Edom until they turned back eastward to the wilderness which was "before Moab" (as described in Numbers 21:11).
(9) "And the LORD said to me, 'Do not distress the Moabites, neither contend with them in battle; for I will not give you any of their land for a possession, because I have given Ar to the children of Lot for a possession.'"
Like with the Edomites, the Lord had told Moses not to harass the Moabites, at least not at this time, because He had given Ar, the metropolis of Moab, to the descendants of Lot. Genesis 19:37 told about Lot's firstborn daughter bearing a son named Moab, and he was the father of the Moabites.
(10) The Emim had dwelt there in times past, a people as great and numerous and tall as the Anakim. (11) Which also were accounted giants, as the Anakims; but the Moabites call them Emims.
These two verses, as well as the next verse, were sort of parenthetical statements. Most translations even put them in parentheses. They don't appear to be part of Moses's statements, but were either placed by him as a parenthetical, or perhaps by a later scribe. The land of the Moabites that at that time had been given to descendants of Lot, had once belonged to the Emim, a people great and many and as tall as the Anakim, who were considered giants. In Genesis 14, we were told about the Emim, who were destroyed by King Chedorlaomer. Then Lot possessed their country after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.
(12) The Horims also dwelt in Seir formerly, but the children of Esau succeeded them, when they had destroyed them from before them, and dwelt in their place, just as Israel did to the land of their possession which the LORD gave them.
The Horim, or Horites, were also mentioned in Genesis 14 as dwelling in Seir, till Esau and his sons drove them out, as explained in a later verse here in Deuteronomy. "Just as Israel did..." could have been added by a later hand after Israel had indeed driven out the inhabitants to take possession of the land promised them by their Lord, or it could have been a prophetic statement by Moses. Either way, I believe an underlying theme is that the Lord determined who would possess what, driving out the inhabitants for their sins, and giving the land to whomever He pleased. It should have been an encouragement to the Israelites that they would surely succeed in dispossessing the Canaanites and settling in their land, just as dispossessions of this kind had already been made, even the removing of giants!
(13) "'Now rise up', said I, 'and cross over the brook Zered.' And we went over the brook Zered."
After the parenthetical verses, we return to the words of Moses. The children of Israel had passed by the way of the wilderness of Moab (v. 8) and at this time Moses instructed them to cross the valley of Zered, as it was more commonly known, the original word "nachlah" meaning either a brook or a valley. They indeed crossed the valley of Zered.
(14) “And the time we took to come from Kadesh Barnea until we crossed over the brook Zered was thirty-eight years, until all the generation of the men of war was consumed from the midst of the camp, just as the LORD had sworn to them. (15) For indeed the hand of the LORD was against them, to destroy them from the midst of the camp until they were consumed."
The space of time from the time that the spies were sent from Kadesh Barnea, until the passage of the Israelites over Zered, was thirty eight years, until the entire generation of men who had believed the bad report of God's good promised land, were dead and gone from the camp. The Lord had indeed told them at the time of the bad report that none of them would enter the promised land, except for Caleb and Joshua who had trusted God's report over that of the spies.
(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.'"
After 38 years when all the former generation were dead and gone, the Lord told Moses it was time for the people to cross over the river Arnon, by the city Ar of Moab, which was situated by it; and they were to pass along by the border only of Moab, because they had been told by the Lord not to distress the Moabites (v. 9).
(19) "'And when you come near the children of Ammon, do not distress them or meddle with them, for I will not give you any of the land of the people of Ammon as a possession, because I have given it to the children of Lot for a possession.'"
As with the Moabites who descended from Lot's firstborn daughter's son, the children of Ammon were also Lot's descendants through his younger daughter (Genesis 19:38). The Lord had told the children of Israel not to harass the children of Ammon, either, because He had also given them their land, and would not allow it to be given to Israel.
(20) (That also was counted a land of giants; giants dwelt there in old time; and the Ammonites call them Zamzummims; (21) A people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims; but the LORD destroyed them before them; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead.
Again we have a parenthetical statement; even the KJV put these verses within parentheses. Just like the Emim who had dwelt in Moab, so the people who had formerly dwelt in the land of Ammon, were considered giants. The Ammonites called them Zamzummims, which is thought to be the same as the Zuzims mentioned in Genesis 14:5, who were also destroyed by Chedorlaomer at the same time as the Emim. It is said that it was the Lord who destroyed them, and the Ammonites, descendants of Lot, then dwelt in their place.
(22) As He did for the children of Esau, who dwelt in Seir, when He destroyed the Horims from before them; they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead even to this day. (23) And the Avim, who dwelt in villages as far as Gaza, the Caphtorim, who came from Caphtor, destroyed them and dwelt in their place.)
Continuing parenthetical statements in explanation of the history of the Ammonites as to why the children of Israel were not to harass them, it is said the Lord did the same for the Ammonites as He had done for the children of Esau when He destroyed the Horites and the children of Esau dwelt in their place (v. 12). So was the case of the Avim or Avites, who dwelt in villages as far as Gaza; they were destroyed by the Caphtorim, who came from Caphtor, and they dwelt in their place.
(24) “‘Rise up, take your journey, 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.'"
After the parenthetical statements, Moses continued speaking the words of the Lord he had begun in verse 17 and 18. The Lord had told the children of Israel to rise up from where they were, take their journey over the river Arnon, and seize the country of Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon. The Lord said He had already given it to them; they just had to go in and possess it, by battling Sihon.
(25) "‘This day I will begin to put the dread and fear of you upon the nations under the whole heaven, who shall hear the report of you, and shall tremble and be in anguish because of you.’"
Moses continued with the words of the Lord saying that as the children of Israel went in to possess the land of Sihon, when they fought, He would be there putting dread and fear of them upon all nations. Those nations would hear about the children of Israel, all the things they, or more properly, what the Lord had done before them--in Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, miracles in the wilderness, and now what would be done to Sihon and Og. The world would know Israel's reputation and would tremble in fear at the thought of them.
(26) “And I sent messengers out of the wilderness of Kedemoth to Sihon king of Heshbon with words of peace, saying, (27) ‘Let me pass through your land; I will go along by the highway, I will neither turn to the right nor to the left.'"
After reminding the people of the words of the Lord, Moses continued talking to them, telling them of his actions at that time. He sent messengers to Sihon king of Heshbon with words of peace, asking that the Israelites be able to pass through their land, promising to stay on the king's highway, not veering off it.
(28) "‘You shall sell me food for money, that I may eat, and give me water for money, that I may drink; only let me pass through on foot, (29) as the descendants of Esau who dwell in Seir and the Moabites who dwell in Ar did for me, until I cross over Jordan into the land which the LORD our God gives us.'"
Moses continued with his message to Sihon. He proposed that his people also be allowed to buy food and water, paying fair money for the use, just as they had done with the Edomites in Seir and the Moabites in Ar, until they all passed by on foot across the Jordan into the land their Lord had given them.
(30) “But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him, for the LORD your God hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate, that He might deliver him into your hand, as it is this day."
However, Sihon king of Heshbon refused the Israelites passage through his land, because the Lord had hardened Sihon's heart against them. Just as the Lord had hardened Pharaoh's heart in Egypt for His purposes at that time, so He at this time hardened Sihon's heart for the purpose of having him destroyed at this time. Just as with Pharaoh, the Lord did not force a good person to turn bad just so He could punish him for no reason. Both of these were wicked leaders that were allowed to go on with their wicked ways until such time the Lord sought to deal with them. When that time came, he hardened the heart of the enemy so that he would not listen to the words of Moses, but act with the same pride and haughtiness of spirit that he had always had that made him despise Israel. It was not out of character for Sihon at this time, just as it wasn't out of Pharaoh's character. I think the sense could be that the Lord didn't allow their hearts to be softened at the gentle reasonable requests of Moses, but made them stay as hard as they ever were. At any rate, Sihon did refuse to let the Israelites pass, and the Lord made sure of that so that He might deliver Sihon into the Israelites' hands.
(31) “And the LORD said to me, ‘Behold, I have begun to give Sihon and his land before you; begin to possess it, that you may inherit his land.’"
When Sihon refused to let the Israelites pass, the Lord said to Moses that this was part of His plan to begin to give Sihon and his land over to Israel to possess it. Therefore, had said the Lord, they were to go forth and take possession of Sihon's land as part of their promised inheritance.
(32) "Then Sihon came out against us, he and all his people, to fight at Jahaz."
Indeed Sihon came out against the children of Israel to fight them at a place called Jahaz.
(33) “And the LORD our God delivered him before us; and we smote him, and his sons, and all his people."
Moses reflected that the Lord had indeed delivered Sihon into their hands. They were able to defeat him, his sons, and all his people.
(34) "And we took all his cities at that time, and utterly destroyed the men, and the women, and the little ones, of every city, we left none to remain."
The Israelites took all of the cities of Sihon and utterly destroyed them and killed all the people so that none remained. It was the time that the Amorites' iniquity was full, as was prophesied in Genesis 15:16 to Abraham, that after four generations his descendants would return to the land of the Amorites, but at that time of Abraham, "the iniquity of the Amorites was not yet full."
(35) "Only the cattle we took for a prey to ourselves, and the spoil of the cities which we took."
The Israelites had destroyed all the cities and all the people, but did not kill the cattle. They kept them for their own use, as well as plunder of anything of value or usefulness that was left in the cities after the destruction of all the people.
(36) "From Aroer, which is on the bank of the River Arnon, and from the city that is by the river, even to Gilead, there was not one city too strong for us; the LORD our God delivered all to us."
It appears that the two phrases "which is on the bank of the River Arnon" and "the city that is by the river" both refer to Aroer. Aroer stood on the north bank of the river, but also extended through the midst of the river via a viaduct. From Aroer to Gilead, there wasn't a city they couldn't overtake because the Lord delivered the cities to them.
(37) "Only to the land of the children of Ammon you did not come, nor to any place of the river Jabbok, nor to the cities in the mountains, nor to wherever the LORD our God forbade us."
However, Moses reminded them, the children of Israel had not gone near the land of the children of Ammon, nor any town or city situated on the Jabbok River which was the border of the children of Ammon, certainly not into their cities in the mountains, nor any place the Lord had forbidden them to go.
The earth is the Lord's and He gives it to whom He pleases. God had told His people which lands were to be overtaken, and only those were to be destroyed and plundered. The Moabites and Ammonites were spared at this time, but later fought against the Israelites and committed the most shocking cruelties; the Lord would deal with them later.
