Deuteronomy 2:12

Ver. 12. As Israel did unto the land of his possession— Some would render this, as Israel shall do unto the land of his possession; but there seems to be no necessity for this alteration, as the sacred writer seems manifestly to refer to the conquest already made by the Israelites. The meaning plainly is, that the two last-named people possessed each his country, by expelling thence the ancient inhabitants, as the Israelites lately rooted out the two Amoritish princes, Sihon and Og, who had taken their countries from the Moabites. Houbigant is of opinion, that Moses inserts these words, not as a speaker, but as an historian. In the former character, they might be rendered, as Israel now doth, &c. but the 10th, 11th, and 12th verses, as well as from the 20th to the 23rd following, seem rather a remark of the historian, than a part of a speaker's address.