Deut. 2 Their march from Kadesh-barnea, Deut. 2:1–3. A charge that they trouble not the Edomites, Deut. 2:4–5; nor the Moabites, Deut. 2:9; nor the Ammonites, Deut. 2:19. But are encouraged to fight the Amorites: they put them to flight, and take possession of their lands, Deut. 2:24–37.

The mountainous country of Seir or Edom. Many days, or, many years, even for thirty-eight years.

Towards the land of the Amorites and Canaanites.

Through the coast, or, by or near the coast or border; for they did not pass through their borders, as it is said, Num. 20:21. And the particle beth doth oft signify by or near, as Gen. 37:13, Josh. 5:13, Judg. 8:5, Jer. 32:7.

Meddle not with them, to wit, in battle at this time.

Buy meat of them; for though the manna did yet rain upon them, they were not forbidden to buy other meats when they had opportunity, but only were forbidden greedily to hunger after them when they could not obtain them.

By God’s blessing thou art able to buy thy conveniences, and therefore thy theft and rapine will be inexcusable, because without any pretence of necessity. He knoweth, Heb. he hath known, i.e. observed, or regarded with care and kindness, which that word oft notes, as Ps. 1:6, Ps.

Ezion-gaber; of which see Num. 33:35, which may be either that place upon the Red Sea, 1 Kings 9:26, or another of the same name. We turned, to wit, from our direct road which lay through Edom’s land.

Ar, the chief city of the Moabites, Num. 21:15, Num. 21:28, here put for the whole country, which depended upon it. The children of Lot; so called to signify that this preservation was not for their sakes, for they were a wicked people; but for Lot’s sake, whose memory God yet honours.

Emims; men terrible for stature and strength, as their very name imports; see Gen. 14:5; whose expulsion by the Moabites is here noted as a great encouragement to the Israelites, for whose sake he would much more drive out the wicked and accursed Canaanites.

Object. God had not yet given it unto them. Answ. 1. The past tense is here put for the future, will give, after the manner of the prophets. 2. Things are oft said to be done when they are only resolved, or decreed, or attempted to be done, in which sense Reuben is said to deliver Joseph, Gen.

Or, to pass by the border of Moab, by Ar.

Which signifies men most wicked and abominable, or most presumptuous, or most crafty.

The Lord therefore will certainly do as much for his own people.

Caphtorims, a people akin to the Philistines, Gen. 10:14, and confederate with them in this enterprise, and so dwelling together, and by degrees were probably united together by marriages or other ways, and became one people, the Caphtorims being at last swallowed up in the Philistines. See Jer.

Under the whole heaven; which is a synecdoche and an hyperbole, but is explained by the following words, which restrain the sentence to those nations that heard of them.

Kedemoth; so called from a city of that name, Josh. 13:18; and called Jeshimon, Num. 21:20. With words of peace; with offers of peace, which they refusing, their destruction was highly just and reasonable.

In my direct road to Canaan, from which I will not turn aside into thy fields, or vineyards, or houses;

Or, with my foot-men, or with my company which are on foot; which is added significantly, because if their army had consisted as much of horsemen as many other armies did, their passage through his land might have been more mischievous and dangerous; but they were generally on foot.

Object. The king of Edom, i.e. of the children of Esau, did not grant them passage, Num. 20:0. Answ. They did permit them to pass quietly by the borders, though not through the heart of their land; and in their passage the people sold them meat and drink, being, it seems, more kind to them than…

By him, i.e. by his borders. Obstinate; unmovable and inexorable to our desires.

By God’s command, these being a part of those people who were devoted by the Lord of life and death to utter destruction for their abominable wickedness. See Deut. 7:2, Deut. 20:16.

Aroer was in the border of Moab, but now in the hands of the Amorites. By the river, Heb. in the river, wherewith it was encompassed, Num. 21:15, Num. 21:28, Josh. 12:2, Josh. 13:9. He speaks exclusively, for this was Ar, which now was in the Moabites’ jurisdiction, above, Deut. 2:9.

Of the river Jabbok, i.e. beyond Jabbok; for that was the border of the Ammonites, Josh. 12:2. Object. Half the land of the Ammonites is said to be given to the tribe of Gad, Josh. 13:25. Answ.