We will not … drink water from any well: Edom was a very dry land. Food and water were limited, and there was not enough to support such a large group of Hebrew travelers.
We will stay on the King’s Highway: This road is mentioned several times in the Old Testament, but its exact path is not fully known (also 21:22). It was an official road used for government business, trade, and the movement of armies.
Along this road, travelers could find towns, food, and water between the Red Sea and Damascus. The road remained important during Roman times and even later. It was different from another route farther east called the Desert Highway, which was much harder and less welcoming for travelers.