Numbers 20:14-21

C. PASSAGE REFUSED THROUGH EDOM vv. 14-21
TEXT

Numbers 20:14. And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh unto the king of Edom, Thus saith thy brother Israel, Thou knowest all the travail that hath befallen us: 15. How our fathers went down into Egypt, and we have dwelt in Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians vexed us, and our fathers: 16. And when we cried unto the Lord, he heard our voice, and sent an angel, and hath brought us forth out of Egypt: and, behold, we are in Kadesh, a city in the uttermost of thy border. 17. Let us pass, I pray thee, through thy country: we will not pass through the fields, or through the vineyards, neither will we drink of the water of the wells: we will go by the king's high way, we will not turn to the right hand nor to the left, until we have passed thy borders. 18. And Edom said unto him, Thou shalt not pass by me, lest I come out against thee with the sword. 19. And the children of Israel said unto him, We will go by the high way: and if I and my cattle drink of thy water, then I will pay for it: I will only, without doing any thing else, go through on my feet. 20. And he said, Thou shalt not go through. And Edom came out against him with much people, and with a strong hand. 21. Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border: wherefore Israel turned away from him.

PARAPHRASE

Numbers 20:14. Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, Thus says your brother Israel, -You know all the difficulty which has come upon us: 15. how our fathers went down into Egypt, and we lived in Egypt a long time. Egypt treated us badly, as well as our fathers. 16. When we cried to the Lord, He heard our voice, sent an angel, and brought us out of Egypt; and, lo, we are in Kadesh, a city on the edge of your territory. 17. Let us pass through your country, I pray you. We will not pass through the fields nor through the vineyards, nor will we drink of the water of your wells. We will go by the King's Highway; we will not turn to the right or to the left until we have passed through your country.-' 18. But Edom replied to him, You shall not pass through me lest I come out with the sword against you. 19. And the children of Israel said to him, We will go by the highway. And if I or my cattle drink any of your water, I will pay for it. I will do no damage; just let me pass through on foot only. 20. But he said, You shall not pass through. And Edom came out against him with many people and a strong force. 21. In this way Edom refused to allow Israel passage through his border; so Israel turned him away.

COMMENTARY

When the Israelites refused to enter the land of Canaan the first time they came to the region of Kadesh, they were turned away from Kadesh by the warring Amalekites and Canaanites (Numbers 14:45). This may be the reason they now choose not to enter Canaan from the souththe direct routechoosing instead the long march around the south of the Dead Sea and an approach from east of the Jordan. Because Moses does not consult the Lord in the decision, it is safe to assume that he had already been informed that the march would follow such a route.

Even without the detour required around the borders of Edom, going from Kadesh to Jericho via the southern route involved prolonging the trip extensively, through much more formidable territory. But it was a wiser choice than a confrontation with their previous enemies. Such a route required the permission of the king of Edom, through whose territory the large troupe must pass. The Edomites knew of the general circumstances (Numbers 20:14), since news of their origin and travels must certainly have spread throughout all adjacent lands. When Moses recites the history briefly, it is a polite prelude to a fair proposal. He asks permission for his people to pass through Edom without imposing hardship of any kind upon the residents. The population of Edom was never large, and the country had little tillable land. The Israelites might have consumed their resources in a relatively short time. Reassurance that the people would take nothing from field, vineyard, or even the wells should have allayed any fears. It was a strong promise, and perhaps the Edomite king thought enforcement of the pledge, however sincerely given, was impossible.

Not wishing to incur the wrath of the king, nor to engage his forces in battle, Moses is compelled to agree to a detour. Even the pledge to stay on the trade route, and to reimburse the Edomites for any items consumed, even for any water, is fruitless. The adamant stand of the king might well account in part for later feelings of antipathy between the two peoples. The march turns again, and an additional 200 miles is imposed upon them.

QUESTIONS AND RESEARCH ITEMS

357.

What reasons possibly explain why the Israelites did not move directly north from Kadesh into the land of Canaan?

358.

Consult a good map, and estimate the additional distance the tribes were required to travel when they were refused permission to pass through Edom.

359.

How might the Edomites have heard the story of the history of Israel's servitude and delivery from Egypt?

360.

Why was the proposed trip through Edom a potentially disastrous event for the Edomites? What safeguards did Moses offer?

361.

Of what was the king of Edom actually afraid?

362.

Trace the genealogical lines of the Israelites and the Edomites to find their relationship.