Deuteronomy 2

Journey Through Edom, Moab, and Ammon

¹Then we turned, and took our journey into the wilderness by the way to the Red Sea, as the LORD spoke to me; and we encircled Mount Seir many days.

²The LORD spoke to me, saying,

³“You have encircled this mountain long enough. Turn northward.

⁴Command the people, saying, ‘You are to pass through the border of your brothers, the children of Esau, who dwell in Seir; and they will be afraid of you. Therefore be careful.

⁵Don’t contend with them; for I will not give you any of their land, no, not so much as for the sole of the foot to tread on, because I have given Mount Seir to Esau for a possession.

⁶You shall purchase food from them for money, that you may eat. You shall also buy water from them for money, that you may drink.’”

⁷For the LORD your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He has known your walking through this great wilderness. These forty years, the LORD your God has been with you. You have lacked nothing.

⁸So we passed by from our brothers, the children of Esau, who dwell in Seir, from the way of the Arabah from Elath and from Ezion Geber. We turned and passed by the way of the wilderness of Moab.

⁹The LORD said to me, “Don’t bother Moab, neither contend with them in battle; for I will not give you any of his land for a possession, because I have given Ar to the children of Lot for a possession.”

¹⁰(The Emim lived there before, a great and numerous people, and tall as the Anakim.

¹¹These also are considered to be Rephaim, as the Anakim; but the Moabites call them Emim.

¹²The Horites also lived in Seir in the past, but the children of Esau succeeded them. They destroyed them from before them, and lived in their place, as Israel did to the land of his possession, which the LORD gave to them.)

¹³“Now rise up and cross over the brook Zered.” We went over the brook Zered.

¹⁴The days in which we came from Kadesh Barnea until we had come over the brook Zered were thirty-eight years, until all the generation of the men of war were consumed from the middle of the camp, as the LORD swore to them.

¹⁵Moreover the LORD’s hand was against them, to destroy them from the middle of the camp, until they were consumed.

¹⁶So, when all the men of war were consumed and dead from among the people,

¹⁷the LORD spoke to me, saying,

¹⁸“You are to pass over Ar, the border of Moab, today.

¹⁹When you come near the border of the children of Ammon, don’t bother them, nor contend with them; for I will not give you any of the land of the children of Ammon for a possession, because I have given it to the children of Lot for a possession.”

²⁰(That also is considered a land of Rephaim. Rephaim lived there in the past, but the Ammonites call them Zamzummim,

²¹a great people, many, and tall, as the Anakim; but the LORD destroyed them from before Israel, and they succeeded them, and lived in their place,

²²as he did for the children of Esau who dwell in Seir, when he destroyed the Horites from before them; and they succeeded them, and lived in their place even to this day.

²³Then the Avvim, who lived in villages as far as Gaza: the Caphtorim, who came out of Caphtor, destroyed them and lived in their place.)

Defeat of Sihon King of Heshbon

²⁴“Rise up, take your journey, and pass over the valley of the Arnon. Behold, I have given into your hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land; begin to possess it, and contend with him in battle.

²⁵Today I will begin to put the dread of you and the fear of you on the peoples who are under the whole sky, who shall hear the report of you, and shall tremble and be in anguish because of you.”

²⁶I sent messengers out of the wilderness of Kedemoth to Sihon king of Heshbon with words of peace, saying,

²⁷“Let me pass through your land. I will go along by the highway. I will turn neither to the right hand nor to the left.

²⁸You shall sell me food for money, that I may eat; and give me water for money, that I may drink. Just let me pass through on my feet,

²⁹as the children of Esau who dwell in Seir, and the Moabites who dwell in Ar, did to me, until I pass over the Jordan into the land which the LORD our God gives us.”

³⁰But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him, for the LORD your God hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate, that he might deliver him into your hand, as it is today.

³¹The LORD said to me, “Behold, I have begun to deliver up Sihon and his land before you. Begin to possess, that you may inherit his land.”

³²Then Sihon came out against us, he and all his people, to battle at Jahaz.

³³The LORD our God delivered him up before us; and we struck him, his sons, and all his people.

³⁴We took all his cities at that time, and utterly destroyed every inhabited city, with the women and the little ones. We left no one remaining.

³⁵Only the livestock we took for plunder for ourselves, with the plunder of the cities which we had taken.

³⁶From Aroer, which is on the edge of the valley of the Arnon, and the city that is in the valley, even to Gilead, there was not a city too high for us. The LORD our God delivered up all before us.

³⁷Only to the land of the children of Ammon you didn’t come near: all the banks of the river Jabbok, and the cities of the hill country, and wherever the LORD our God forbade us.

Previous Deuteronomy 1

Next Deuteronomy 3

Moses recounts Israel's journey through the territories of Edom, Moab, and Ammon, emphasizing God's command not to attack these nations since He had given them their lands as possessions. The chapter marks a pivotal transition as the wilderness generation dies out over thirty-eight years, and Israel finally defeats King Sihon of Heshbon, claiming their first territorial victory. This narrative demonstrates God's sovereignty over all nations while highlighting His faithfulness in providing for Israel and fulfilling His promises of conquest.

Context

This chapter continues Moses' historical review from chapter 1 and sets up the conquest narratives that follow, marking the transition from wilderness wandering to active conquest.

Key Themes

Outline

1-8
Journey Through Edom God commands Israel to pass peacefully through Esau's territory, purchasing provisions rather than taking by force.
9-12
Passage Through Moab Israel receives similar instructions regarding Moab's territory, with historical notes about previous inhabitants.
13-16
End of the Wilderness Generation The crossing of brook Zered marks the completion of thirty-eight years and the death of the rebellious generation.
17-25
Passage Through Ammon God extends the same protection to Ammon while beginning to instill fear of Israel in surrounding nations.
26-37
Defeat of King Sihon Israel's first major military victory results in the complete conquest of Sihon's kingdom east of the Jordan.

Journey Through Edom, Moab, and Ammon

2:1–2:23

narrative narration contemplative

Moses describes Israel's forty-year journey through the wilderness, including God's instructions to avoid conflict with Edom and Moab. God provided for Israel throughout their wandering, showing His faithfulness despite their earlier disobedience.

person_contrast

Moses emphasizes God's sovereign land grants to Esau, Lot's descendants, and the Ammonites using the same Hebrew verb "nathan" (gave) that describes Israel's promised inheritance, revealing divine territorial justice beyond the covenant community.

Defeat of Sihon King of Heshbon

2:24–2:37

narrative narration triumphant

Moses recounts the defeat of Sihon, king of Heshbon, after he refused Israel passage through his territory. God hardened Sihon's heart and delivered him into Israel's hands, giving them their first major military victory east of the Jordan.

person_contrast

Moses transforms from lawgiver to military commander as God's hardening of Sihon's heart (v.30) mirrors Pharaoh's hardened heart, establishing Israel's conquest pattern through divine sovereignty rather than human negotiation.