Deuteronomy 2:16-23

6. PASSING THROUGH AMMON (Deuteronomy 2:16-23)

16 So it came to pass, when all the men of war were consumed and dead from among the people, 17 that Jehovah spake unto me, saying, 18 Thou art this day to pass over Ar, the border of Moab; 19 and when thou comest nigh over against the children of Ammon, vex them not, nor contend with them; for I will not give thee of the land of the children of Ammon for a possession; because I have given it unto the children of Lot for a possession. 20 (That also is accounted a land of Rephaim: Rephaim dwelt therein aforetime; but the Ammonites call them Zamzummim, 21 a people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakim; but Jehovah destroyed them before them; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead; 22 as he did for the children of Esau, that dwell in Seir, when he destroyed the Horites from before them; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead even unto this day: 23 and the Avvim, that dwelt in villages as far as Gaza, the Caphtorim, that came forth out of Caphtor, destroyed them, and dwelt in their stead,)

THOUGHT QUESTIONS 2:16-23

45.

Whence came the Ammonites?

46.

Locate and identify the Zamzummim, the Avvim, the Cophtorim.

AMPLIFIED TRANSLATION 2:16-23

16 So when all the men of war had died from among the people.
17 The Lord spoke to me [Moses], saying,
18 You are this day to pass through Ar, the border of Moab.
19 But when you come near the territory of the sons of Ammon, do not trouble or assault them, or provoke or stir them up, for I will not give you any of the land of the Ammonites for a possession, because I have given it to the sons of Lot for a possession.
20 (That also is known as the land of Rephaim [of giant stature]; Rephaim dwelt there formerly, but the Ammonites call them Zamzummim,
21 A people great and many, and tall as the Anakim; but the Lord destroyed them before [Israel]; and they dispossessed them and settled in their stead;
22 As He did for the sons of Esau, who dwell in Seir, when He destroyed the Horites from before them, and they dispossessed them, and settled in their stead even to this day.
23 As for the Avvim, who dwelt in villages as far as Gaza, the Caphtorim, who came from Caphtor, destroyed them, and dwelt in their stead.)

COMMENT 2:16-23

VEX THEM NOT (Deuteronomy 2:19)See under Deuteronomy 2:9.

AND THE AVVIM, THAT DWELT IN VILLAGES AS FAR AS GAZA, THE CAPHTORIM, THAT CAME FORTH OUT OF CAPHTOR, DESTROYED THEM, AND DWELT IN THEIR STEAD (Deuteronomy 2:23)Concluding the explanatory historical note that began with Deuteronomy 2:20 and that is similar to Deuteronomy 2:10-12. The historian is explaining how various original inhabitants were dispossessed by other peoplesor how it happened that certain older tribes were still in evidence as the children of Israel advanced through the east-side countries. The Edomites had taken over the Horites, the Moabites and Ammonites, children of Lot, from the Rephaimknown locally as the Emim or Zamzummim, respectively; and the Caphtorim from the Avvim.

The Awim were the early inhabitants of the southwestern extremity of Canaan afterward occupied by the Philistines (John 13:3-4). Hurlbut states: South of the Canaanites, on the Maritime Plain, were the Philistines. -Emigrants-' is the meaning of the word, supporting the view that they came from Caphtor, or Crete, which was the capital of an empire embracing the isles and surroundings of the Aegean Sea prior to 2000 B.C. They were related to the Egyptians, and hence were of Hamitic stock [See Genesis 10:13-14; 1 Chronicles 1:11-12]. They came to the land before the time of Abraham, drove out and subdued the earlier Avim (Deuteronomy 2:23), or Avites, and had frequent dealings with Abraham and Isaac.[20] See also Jeremiah 47:4, Amos 9:7.

[20] Bible Atlas, p. 23.