1Obrátili jsme se a vydali se na cestu pouští k Rákosovému moři, jak mi přikázal Hospodin. Po mnoho dní jsme obcházeli pohoří Seír. 2Hospodin mi řekl: 3‚Dosti dlouho obcházíte toto pohoří. Obraťte se na sever. 4Přikaž lidu: Procházíte územím svých bratrů, Ezauových potomků, kteří sídlí v Seíru. Budou se vás bát, ale mějte se na pozoru. 5Nedávejte se s nimi do boje, neboť z jejich země vám nedám ani píď. Pohoří Seír jsem totiž dal do vlastnictví Ezauovi. 6Za peníze si od nich koupíte jídlo, abyste se najedli. Za peníze od nich získáte vodu, abyste se napili. 7Hospodin, tvůj Bůh, ti požehnal v každém tvém díle. Věděl, jak jsi po čtyřicet let procházel touto velkou pouští. Hospodin, tvůj Bůh, byl s tebou, nic jsi nepostrádal.’ 8Prošli jsme tedy okolo svých bratrů, Ezauových potomků, sídlících v Seíru, mimo cestu pustinou od Elatu a Esjon-Geberu. Obrátili jsme se a vydali se cestou k moabské poušti. 9Hospodin mi řekl: ‚Nechovej se nepřátelsky k Moabovi a nedávej se s ním do boje, neboť z jeho země ti nedám do vlastnictví nic. Ar jsem totiž dal do vlastnictví Lotovým potomkům.’ 10Dříve v něm sídlili Emité, lidé velcí a početní, vysocí jako Anakité. 11Podobně jako Anakité byli pokládáni za Refajity, Moabité je však nazývali Emité. 12Seíru dříve sídlili Chorité, ale Ezauovi potomci je přemohli, vyhladili je před sebou a usadili se na jejich místě – jak to udělal Izrael se zemí, která byla jeho vlastnictvím a kterou jim daroval Hospodin. 13Nyní tedy vstaňte a přejděte potok Zered.’ Přešli jsme tedy potok Zered. 14Doba, po kterou jsme putovali z Kadeš-Barneje, až jsme přešli potok Zered, trvala třicet osm let, než z tábora zcela vyhynulo pokolení válečníků, jak jim přísahal Hospodin. 15Právě Hospodinova ruka byla proti nim a ničila je, až z tábora úplně vyhynuli. 16Když pak z lidu vymřeli všichni válečníci, 17řekl mi Hospodin: 18‚Dnes překročíš hraniční území Moabu u Aru 19a přiblížíš se k Ammonitům. Nechovej se k nim nepřátelsky a nevyvolávej spor. Ze země Ammonitů ti nedám do vlastnictví nic, neboť jsem ji dal do vlastnictví Lotovým potomkům.’ 20Je pokládána za zemi Refajitů; dříve v ní sídlili Refajité. Ammonité je nazývali Zamzumité. 21Byli to lidé velcí a početní, vysocí jako Anakité. Hospodin je však před nimi vyhladil, takže šije podmanili a usadili se na jejich místě. 22Podobně to učinil s Ezauovými potomky, sídlícími v Seíru. Vyhladil před nimi Chority, takže si je podmanili a usadili se na jejich místě, jak je tomu dodnes. 23Avity sídlící ve vesnicích až ke Gaze vyhladili Kaftorité, kteří vytáhli z Kaftoru a usadili se na jejich místě. 24Povstaňte, vytáhněte a přejděte potok Arnon. Hleď, vydal jsem ti do rukou chešbonského krále, Amoritu Sichona, i jeho zemi. Začni ji obsazovat a dej se s nim do boje. 25Od tohoto dne začnu vyvolávat strach a bázeň před tebou v národech pod celým nebem. Až o tobě uslyší zprávu, vyděsí se a zachvějí před tebou.’ 26Z pouště Kedemot jsem poslal vyslance k chešbonskěmu králi Sichonovi s přáním pokoje: 27‚Chci projít tvou zemí. Půjdu pouze po této cestě a neodbočím napravo ani nalevo. 28Jídlo mi prodáš za peníze, abych se najedl, a vodu mi dáš za peníze, abych se napil. Chci jen pěšky projít. 29Tak to pro mne učinili Ezauovi potomci, sídlící v Seíru, i Moabité, sídlící v Aru. Chci překročit Jordán do země, kterou nám dává Hospodin, náš Bůh.’ 30Chešbonský král Sichon však nesouhlasil, abychom jí prošli, neboť Hospodin, tvůj Bůh, mu otupil ducha a zatvrdil srdce, aby ti ho vydal do rukou toho dne. 31Hospodin mi tedy řekl: ‚Hleď, začal jsem ti vydávat Sichona a jeho zemi. Začni jeho zemi obsazovat.’ 32Sichon a všechen jeho lid vytáhl, aby se s námi utkal v bitvě u Jahsy. 33Ale Hospodin, náš Bůh, nám ho vydal. Porazili jsme ho, jeho syny i všechen jeho lid. 34Tehdy jsme se zmocnili všech jeho měst, vyhladili jsme ve všech městech muže, ženy i děti, nikoho jsme nenechali naživu. 35Nechali jsme si jen dobytek a kořist z měst, kterých jsme se zmocnili. 36Od Aroeru, který je na břehu potoka Arnon, a od města, které je v údolí, až po Gilead nebylo města, které by nám bylo nedostupné. Všechno nám vydal Hospodin, náš Bůh. 37Nepřiblížil ses jen k zemi Ammonových potomků, k celému údolí Jaboku a k městům na horách, tedy ke všemu, co ti zakázal Hospodin, náš Bůh.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 THE STORY IS CONTINUED. (Deu. 2:1-37)
Then we turned, and took our journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red Sea--After their unsuccessful attack upon the Canaanites, the Israelites broke up their encampment at Kadesh, and journeying southward over the west desert of Tih as well as through the great valley of the Ghor and Arabah, they extended their removals as far as the gulf of Akaba.
we compassed mount Seir many days--In these few words Moses comprised the whole of that wandering nomadic life through which they passed during thirty-eight years, shifting from place to place, and regulating their stations by the prospect of pasturage and water. Within the interval they went northward a second time to Kadesh, but being refused a passage through Edom and opposed by the Canaanites and Amalekites, they again had no alternative but to traverse once more the great Arabah southwards to the Red Sea, where turning to the left and crossing the long, lofty mountain chain to the eastward of Ezion-geber (
Num 21:4-
Num 21:5), they issued into the great and elevated plains, which are still traversed by the Syrian pilgrims in their way to Mecca. They appear to have followed northward nearly the same route, which is now taken by the Syrian hadji, along the western skirts of this great desert, near the mountains of Edom [ROBINSON]. It was on entering these plains they received the command, "Ye have compassed this mountain (this hilly tract, now Jebel Shera) long enough, turn ye northward" [
Deut 2:3].
4 the children of Esau, which dwell in Seir . . . shall be afraid of you--The same people who had haughtily repelled the approach of the Israelites from the western frontier were alarmed now that they had come round upon the weak side of their country.
5 Meddle not with them--that is, "which dwell in Seir" (
Deut 2:4) --for there was another branch of Esau's posterity, namely, the Amalekites, who were to be fought against and destroyed (
Gen 36:12;
Exod 17:14;
Deut 25:17). But the people of Edom were not to be injured, either in their persons or property. And although the approach of so vast a nomadic horde as the Israelites naturally created apprehension, they were to take no advantage of the prevailing terror to compel the Edomites to accept whatever terms they imposed. They were merely to pass "through" or along their border, and to buy meat and water of them for money (
Deut 2:6). The people, kinder than their king, did sell them bread, meat, fruits, and water in their passage along their border (
Deut 2:29), in the same manner as the Syrian caravan of Mecca is now supplied by the people of the same mountains, who meet the pilgrims as at a fair or market on the hadji route [ROBINSON]. Although the Israelites still enjoyed a daily supply of the manna, there was no prohibition against their eating other food when opportunity afforded. Only they were not to cherish an inordinate desire for it. Water is a scarce commodity and is often paid for by travellers in those parts. It was the more incumbent on the Israelites to do so, as, by the blessing of God, they possessed plenty of means to purchase, and the long-continued experience of the extraordinary goodness of God to them, should inspire such confidence in Him as would suppress the smallest thought of resorting to fraud or violence in supplying their wants.
8 we passed . . . through the way of the plain--the Arabah or great valley, from Elath ("trees") (the Ailah of the Greeks and Romans). The site of it is marked by extensive mounds of rubbish.
Ezion-geber--now Akaba, both were within the territory of Edom; and after making a circuit of its southeastern boundary, the Israelites reached the border of Moab on the southeast of the Salt Sea. They had been forbidden by divine command to molest the Moabites in any way; and this special honor was conferred on that people not on their own account, for they were very wicked, but in virtue of their descent from Lot. (See on
Deut 23:3). Their territory comprised the fine country on the south, and partly on the north of the Arnon. They had won it by their arms from the original inhabitants, the Emims, a race, terrible, as their name imports, for physical power and stature (
Gen 14:5), in like manner as the Edomites had obtained their settlement by the overthrow of the original occupiers of Seir, the Horims (
Gen 14:6), who were troglodytes, or dwellers in caves. Moses alluded to these circumstances to encourage his countrymen to believe that God would much more enable them to expel the wicked and accursed Canaanites. At that time, however, the Moabites, having lost the greater part of their possessions through the usurpations of Sihon, were reduced to the small but fertile region between the Zered and the Arnon.
13 Now rise up, and get you over the brook Zered--The southern border of Moab, Zered ("woody"), now Wady Ahsy, separates the modern district of Kerak from Jebal, and, indeed, forms a natural division of the country between the north and south. Ar, called in later times Rabbah, was the capital of Moab and situated twenty-five miles south of the Arnon on the banks of a small but shady stream, the Beni Hamed. It is here mentioned as representative of the country dependent on it, a rich and well-cultivated country, as appears from the numerous ruins of cities, as well as from the traces of tillage still visible on the fields.
16 all the men of war were consumed and dead from among the people--The outbreak at Kadesh on the false report of the spies had been the occasion of the fatal decree by which God doomed the whole grown-up population to die in the wilderness [
Num 14:29]; but that outbreak only filled up the measure of their iniquities. For that generation, though not universally abandoned to heathenish and idolatrous practices, yet had all along displayed a fearful amount of ungodliness in the desert, which this history only hints at obscurely, but which is expressly asserted elsewhere (
Ezek 20:25-
Ezek 20:26;
Amos 5:25,
Amos 5:27;
Acts 7:42-
Acts 7:43).
19 when thou comest nigh over against the children of Ammon, distress them not, nor meddle with them--The Ammonites, being kindred to the Moabites, were, from regard to the memory of their common ancestor, to remain undisturbed by the Israelites. The territory of this people had been directly north from that of Moab. It extended as far as the Jabbok, having been taken by them from a number of small Canaanitish tribes, namely, the Zamzummins, a bullying, presumptuous band of giants, as their name indicates; and the Avims, the aborigines of the district extending from Hazerim or Hazeroth (El Hudhera) even unto Azzah (Gaza), but of which they had been dispossessed by the Caphtorim (Philistines), who came out of Caphtor (Lower Egypt) and settled in the western coast of Palestine. The limits of the Ammonites were now compressed; but they still possessed the mountainous region beyond the Jabbok (
Josh 11:2). What a strange insight does this parenthesis of four verses give into the early history of Palestine! How many successive wars of conquest had swept over its early state--what changes of dynasty among the Canaanitish tribes had taken place long prior to the transactions recorded in this history!
24 Rise ye up . . . and pass over the river Arnon--At its mouth, this stream is eighty-two feet wide and four deep. It flows in a channel banked by perpendicular cliffs of sandstone. At the date of the Israelitish migration to the east of the Jordan, the whole of the fine country lying between the Arnon and the Jabbok including the mountainous tract of Gilead, had been seized by the Amorites, who, being one of the nations doomed to destruction (see
Deut 7:2;
Deut 20:16), were utterly exterminated. Their country fell by right of conquest into the hands of the Israelites. Moses, however, considering this doom as referring solely to the Amorite possessions west of Jordan, sent a pacific message to Sihon, requesting permission to go through his territories, which lay on the east of that river. It is always customary to send messengers before to prepare the way; but the rejection of Moses' request by Sihon and his opposition to the advance of the Israelites (
Num 21:23;
Judg 11:26) drew down on himself and his Amorite subjects the predicted doom on the first pitched battlefield with the Canaanites. It secured to Israel not only the possession of a fine and pastoral country, but, what was of more importance to them, a free access to the Jordan on the east.