Numbers 20:21

Translations

Modern

So Edom refused to allow Israel to pass through their territory, and Israel turned away from them.

Traditional

Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border: wherefore Israel turned away from him.

Literal

And Edom refused to give Israel passage through his territory, and Israel turned away from him.

Latin

…nec voluit acquiescere deprecanti, ut concederet transitum per fines suos. Quam ob rem divertit ab eo Israël.

Original

Hebrew

English

So Edom refused to allow Israel to pass through their territory, and Israel turned away from them.

Notes

Numbers 20:18–21

You may not travel through our land: Just as their ancestor Esau did not trust Jacob, the Edomites now did not trust Jacob’s descendants (Genesis 27:36). Therefore, Israel had to turn around and find another way to approach Canaan (compare Deuteronomy 2:4–6).

Numbers 20:14–21

Israel tried to make peace with Edom, but they did not succeed. The two nations had not had contact since the time when Esau (also called Edom) and Jacob (also called Israel) buried their father Isaac(Genesis 35:29; 36:6–8; see also Genesis 32:28).

Moses sent a formal message to the king of Edom. His request followed the style of official letters used in that time. While Israel often fought with the Canaanites and other groups, they spoke politely to Edom because the two peoples were related (see also Deuteronomy 2:4; 23:7).

Even so, family ties were not strong enough to remove the old tension between Jacob and Esau (Genesis 27:41).

Numbers 20:14–21:35

The Israelites started their journey to the promised land here. They moved from Kadesh, leaving the Sinai peninsula. They entered the area east of the Jordan River, known as Transjordan. They approached the promised land from the east, taking a less direct route (see 14:25; compare Deuteronomy 2:2–6).

Theme notes and profiles

Moses

Related verses

Judges 11:18
Then Israel traveled through the wilderness and bypassed the lands of Edom and Moab. They came to the east side of the land of Moab and camped on the other side of the Arnon. But they did not enter the territory of Moab, since the Arnon was its border.
Deuteronomy 2:29
…just as the descendants of Esau who live in Seir and the Moabites who live in Ar did for us, until we cross the Jordan into the land that the LORD our God is giving us.”
Judges 11:24
Do you not possess whatever your god Chemosh grants you? So also, we possess whatever the LORD our God has granted us.
Deuteronomy 2:27
“Let us pass through your land; we will stay on the main road. We will not turn to the right or to the left.
Deuteronomy 2:4–8
…and command the people: ‘You will pass through the territory of your brothers, the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir. They will be afraid of you, so you must be very careful.
Deuteronomy 23:7
Do not despise an Edomite, for he is your brother. Do not despise an Egyptian, because you lived as a foreigner in his land.

People

Israel: Patriarch, son of Isaac, father of twelve tribes

Places

Edom: Descendants of Esau; enemy nation southeast of Israel

Glossary

Ammon, Ammonites Deuteronomy, Book of Edom, Edomites Kadesh, Kadesh-Barnea Massah and Meribah Meribah Mount Hor Nations Numbers, Book of Wilderness Wanderings

Topics

Edomites: Refuse to the Israelites Passage Through Their Country Inhospitableness: Edom Israel: are Refused Passage Through the Country of: Edom Journey of Israel Through The Desert: Obstructed by the Surrounding Nations Journey of Israel Through The Desert: To Kadesh in the Wilderness of Zin: The King of Edom Refuses a Passage The Edomites: Refused Israel a Passage

Numbers 20:21

Translations?

Original?

Notes?

Related verses?