Deuteronomy Chapter 2

At a Glance

  • DEUTERONOMY CHAPTER 2.
  • Deuteronomy 2 continues Moses’ retrospective exhortation as Israel travels through the wilderness.
  • Historical & Literary Context.
  • Placed in the Deuteronomic roll of Moses’ orations, Deuteronomy 2 continues the pattern of recounting the wilderness so that the current generation can live faithfully.
  • - Divine Guidance and Boundaries: God directs paths and forbids needless conflict with neighbors.

DEUTERONOMY CHAPTER 2

Chapter Overview

Deuteronomy 2 continues Moses’ retrospective exhortation as Israel travels through the wilderness. The chapter recounts the journey around Mount Seir, passing by the lands of Esau and avoiding conflict with Moab. God’s instruction is explicit: do not contend with Moab, for He has given Ar to the descendants of Lot. The narrative emphasizes the themes of divine protection, restraint, and the shaping of Israel’s identity as a people who depend on God’s guidance rather than force. The passage also highlights the progress of the journey, with the people moving through place after place, maintaining moral and ethical boundaries. The portion ends as they cross the brook Zered, marking a new leg in the journey toward the Promised Land. The chapter emphasizes humility before nations and the moral economy of neighboring peoples, showing that God’s purposes often require restraint and discernment when dealing with others.

Historical & Literary Context

Placed in the Deuteronomic roll of Moses’ orations, Deuteronomy 2 continues the pattern of recounting the wilderness so that the current generation can live faithfully. The chapter’s focus on the Moabite and Edomite neighbors reveals a broader concern for how Israel relates to surrounding nations, a recurring Deuteronomic theme: neighborly relations, boundaries, and ethical conduct in light of God’s covenant. The genre remains exhortative and legal-ethical, shaping memory into normative conduct for a community preparing to settle in the land.

Key Themes

- Divine Guidance and Boundaries: God directs paths and forbids needless conflict with neighbors.

- Humility Before Neighbors: Israel’s respect for Edom and Moab demonstrates restraint and covenant faithfulness.

- Progress and Preparation: The journey continues with careful navigation toward the land.

- God’s Provision and Protection: The terrain and nations are navigated under God’s sovereign care.

Modern Application

This chapter speaks to contemporary readers about discernment in foreign policy, neighborly relations, and the ethics of restraint. It highlights the value of choosing non-confrontation when it’s not God’s will to advance violence, emphasizing trust in God’s provision rather than raw power. It also reflects how communities learn to live among diverse peoples with humility and respect for boundaries. The idea of moving forward deliberately, respecting the right of others to inhabit their own lands, offers a model for today’s discussions about land, borders, and intercultural engagement. Finally, it reinforces the idea that obedience to God’s guidance—rather than force—shapes successful, just living in a complex world.

- Genesis 12-13 (blessings to Abraham’s descendants and boundaries)

- Numbers 20-21 (journeying through wilderness and encounters with neighbors)

- Deuteronomy 3 (Eastern lands and the conquest)

- Joshua 1-2 (entering the land and approach to neighbors)

Recommended Personas

- Moses: leadership and strategic discernment

- Jesus: nonviolence and neighbor-love

- Paul: mission-minded strategy in a plural world

- Deborah: wise negotiation and restraint

- Joshua: disciplined passage through borders

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Chapter Text

1

Then we turned, and took our journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea, as the LORD spake unto me: and we compassed mount Seir many days.

2

And the LORD spake unto me, saying,

3

Ye have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you northward.

4

And command thou the people, saying, Ye are to pass through the coast of your brethren the children of Esau, which dwell in Seir; and they shall be afraid of you: take ye good heed unto yourselves therefore:

5

Meddle not with them; for I will not give you of their land, no, not so much as a foot breadth; because I have given mount Seir unto Esau for a possession.

6

Ye shall buy meat of them for money, that ye may eat; and ye shall also buy water of them for money, that ye may drink.

7

For the LORD thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand: he knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness: these forty years the LORD thy God hath been with thee; thou hast lacked nothing.

8

And when we passed by from our brethren the children of Esau, which dwelt in Seir, through the way of the plain from Elath, and from Eziongaber, we turned and passed by the way of the wilderness of Moab.

9

And the LORD said unto me, Distress not the Moabites, neither contend with them in battle: for I will not give thee of their land for a possession; because I have given Ar unto the children of Lot for a possession.

10

The Emims dwelt therein in times past, a people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims;

11

Which also were accounted giants, as the Anakims; but the Moabites call them Emims.

12

The Horims also dwelt in Seir beforetime; but the children of Esau succeeded them, when they had destroyed them from before them, and dwelt in their stead; as Israel did unto the land of his possession, which the LORD gave unto them.

13

Now rise up, said I, and get you over the brook Zered. And we went over the brook Zered.

14

And the space in which we came from Kadeshbarnea, until we were come over the brook Zered, was thirty and eight years; until all the generation of the men of war were wasted out from among the host, as the LORD sware unto them.

15

For indeed the hand of the LORD was against them, to destroy them from among the host, until they were consumed.

16

So it came to pass, when all the men of war were consumed and dead from among the people,

17

That the LORD spake unto me, saying,

18

Thou art to pass over through Ar, the coast of Moab, this day:

19

And when thou comest nigh over against the children of Ammon, distress them not, nor meddle with them: for I will not give thee of the land of the children of Ammon any possession; because I have given it unto the children of Lot for a possession.

20

(That also was accounted a land of giants: giants dwelt therein in old time; and the Ammonites call them Zamzummims;

21

A people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims; but the LORD destroyed them before them; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead:

22

As he did to the children of Esau, which dwelt in Seir, when he destroyed the Horims from before them; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead even unto this day:

23

And the Avims which dwelt in Hazerim, even unto Azzah, the Caphtorims, which came forth out of Caphtor, destroyed them, and dwelt in their stead.)

24

Rise ye up, take your journey, and pass over the river Arnon: behold, I have given into thine hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land: begin to possess it, and contend with him in battle.

25

This day will I begin to put the dread of thee and the fear of thee upon the nations that are under the whole heaven, who shall hear report of thee, and shall tremble, and be in anguish because of thee.

26

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

27

Let me pass through thy land: I will go along by the high way, I will neither turn unto the right hand nor to the left.

28

Thou shalt sell me meat for money, that I may eat; and give me water for money, that I may drink: only I will pass through on my feet;

29

(As the children of Esau which dwell in Seir, and the Moabites which dwell in Ar, did unto me;) until I shall pass over Jordan into the land which the LORD our God giveth us.

30

But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him: for the LORD thy God hardened his spirit, and made his heart obstinate, that he might deliver him into thy hand, as appeareth this day.

31

And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have begun to give Sihon and his land before thee: begin to possess, that thou mayest inherit his land.

32

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

33

And the LORD our God delivered him before us; and we smote him, and his sons, and all his people.

34

And we took all his cities at that time, and utterly destroyed the men, and the women, and the little ones, of every city, we left none to remain:

35

Only the cattle we took for a prey unto ourselves, and the spoil of the cities which we took.

36

From Aroer, which is by the brink of the river of Arnon, and from the city that is by the river, even unto Gilead, there was not one city too strong for us: the LORD our God delivered all unto us:

37

Only unto the land of the children of Ammon thou camest not, nor unto any place of the river Jabbok, nor unto the cities in the mountains, nor unto whatsoever the LORD our God forbad us.

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