seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Numbers 20:14 Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, saying:
“This is what your brother Israel says: You know about all the hardships that have come on us. 15 Our ancestors went down into Egypt, and we lived there many years. The Egyptians mistreated us and our ancestors, 16 but when we cried out to the Lord, he heard our cry and sent an angel and brought us out of Egypt.
“Now we are here at Kadesh, a town on the edge of your territory. 17 Please let us pass through your country. We will not go through any field or vineyard, or drink water from any well. We will travel along the King’s Highway and not turn to the right or to the left until we have passed through your territory.”
18 But Edom answered:
“You may not pass through here; if you try, we will march out and attack you with the sword.”
19 The Israelites replied:
“We will go along the main road, and if we or our livestock drink any of your water, we will pay for it. We only want to pass through on foot—nothing else.”
20 Again they answered:
“You may not pass through.”
Then Edom came out against them with a large and powerful army. 21 Since Edom refused to let them go through their territory, Israel turned away from them.
“This is what your brother Israel says: You know about all the hardships that have come on us. 15 Our ancestors went down into Egypt, and we lived there many years. The Egyptians mistreated us and our ancestors, 16 but when we cried out to the Lord, he heard our cry and sent an angel and brought us out of Egypt.
“Now we are here at Kadesh, a town on the edge of your territory. 17 Please let us pass through your country. We will not go through any field or vineyard, or drink water from any well. We will travel along the King’s Highway and not turn to the right or to the left until we have passed through your territory.”
18 But Edom answered:
“You may not pass through here; if you try, we will march out and attack you with the sword.”
19 The Israelites replied:
“We will go along the main road, and if we or our livestock drink any of your water, we will pay for it. We only want to pass through on foot—nothing else.”
20 Again they answered:
“You may not pass through.”
Then Edom came out against them with a large and powerful army. 21 Since Edom refused to let them go through their territory, Israel turned away from them.
Oh wow! It's time for reading those boring family trees to pay off! Remember Esau?
Esau was Isaac's son. Rebecca was pregnant with twins that were constantly fighting inside her. She was told that they were warring nations. Anyway, Esau was born first and Jacob was hanging on by a heel. Jacob bought Esau's birthright for a bowl of stew. Isaac blessed Jacob instead of Esau. I remember all that.... Yay!
So here's the commentary on these verses from the easy English site. Remember, Esau and Jacob were never reconciled and now Jacob's family wants to walk down the King's Highway right through the land run by Esau's family. Dysfunction gone national!
The Israelites were travelling north to the country called Moab (Numbers 33:48). In Moab, Moses would prepare the people to enter the Promised Land. The road through Edom was the easiest way to Moab. It was called ‘the king’s highway’. It was the main route for trade, so many people used it.
The people in Edom were the descendants of Esau (Genesis chapter 36). The Israelites were the descendants of Jacob, Esau’s brother. So they shared the same ancestors.
Moses asked the king to allow the Israelites to travel through Edom. It was a typical official letter to a ruler. Moses had been a prince in the country called Egypt. So he would have known how to write official letters to other rulers.
Moses reminded the king that the Israelites were his relatives. He wanted the king not to consider the Israelites as enemies. Moses wanted the king to realise that the Israelites did not intend to defeat Edom. They wanted only to pass through it on their way to Moab. Also, Moses reminded the king that God had rescued the Israelites from the Egyptians. This showed that God was helping the Israelites. So the king of Edom should help them, too. He would not want to oppose God!
Moses promised that the Israelites would stay on the king’s highway. They would not take any of the crops or water. But the king refused to let the Israelites pass through Edom. So Moses asked him again. Moses promised to pay for any water that the Israelites and their animals drank. But still the king refused Moses’ request. He sent a large army to stop the Israelites. The Israelites could have fought this army. God had helped them to defeat their enemies before. But this was not part of God’s plan. So Moses decided not to fight them. Instead, the Israelites went another way.
Many centuries later, the people from Edom helped the Jews’ enemies. Those enemies attacked Jerusalem. Jerusalem was the Jews’ most important city. When the Jews tried to escape from Jerusalem, the people from Edom stopped them (Book of Obadiah; Psalm 137:7). But God punished the people from Edom. He allowed their enemies to defeat them completely. They had to leave their country.
The people in Edom were the descendants of Esau (Genesis chapter 36). The Israelites were the descendants of Jacob, Esau’s brother. So they shared the same ancestors.
Moses asked the king to allow the Israelites to travel through Edom. It was a typical official letter to a ruler. Moses had been a prince in the country called Egypt. So he would have known how to write official letters to other rulers.
Moses reminded the king that the Israelites were his relatives. He wanted the king not to consider the Israelites as enemies. Moses wanted the king to realise that the Israelites did not intend to defeat Edom. They wanted only to pass through it on their way to Moab. Also, Moses reminded the king that God had rescued the Israelites from the Egyptians. This showed that God was helping the Israelites. So the king of Edom should help them, too. He would not want to oppose God!
Moses promised that the Israelites would stay on the king’s highway. They would not take any of the crops or water. But the king refused to let the Israelites pass through Edom. So Moses asked him again. Moses promised to pay for any water that the Israelites and their animals drank. But still the king refused Moses’ request. He sent a large army to stop the Israelites. The Israelites could have fought this army. God had helped them to defeat their enemies before. But this was not part of God’s plan. So Moses decided not to fight them. Instead, the Israelites went another way.
Many centuries later, the people from Edom helped the Jews’ enemies. Those enemies attacked Jerusalem. Jerusalem was the Jews’ most important city. When the Jews tried to escape from Jerusalem, the people from Edom stopped them (Book of Obadiah; Psalm 137:7). But God punished the people from Edom. He allowed their enemies to defeat them completely. They had to leave their country.
God waited a while to punish the Edomites.... and they aligned wrong.... there's a lesson here, Right? Now because I certainly believe this battle continues today, I'm going linking to an article about Ishmael, Edom and Israel. I'm also planting a map here so I can remember the region and how it was laid out.
