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2:1 Profectique inde, venimus in solitudinem, quae ducit ad mare Rubrum, sicut mihi dixerat Dominus : et circuivimus montem Seir longo tempore.
*H And departing from thence we came into the wilderness that leadeth to the Red Sea, as the Lord had spoken to me: and we compassed mount Seir a long time.


Ver. 1. Sea, encamping again at Mosera. When they were at Asiongaber, they were ordered to go to the north, by the mountains of Idumea or of Seir. Being arrived at Cades, they attempted to penetrate into Chanaan, by the road of the spies, but were repulsed. Upon which they asked leave of the Idumeans to pass through their country, lying south of the Dead Sea, but could not obtain permission, and God would not suffer them to force a passage, but ordered them to go round their territories. Num. xx. and xxi. C.

2:2 Dixitque Dominus ad me :
And the Lord said to me:
2:3 Sufficit vobis circuire montem istum : ite contra aquilonem :
You have compassed this mountain long enough: go toward the north:
2:4 et populo praecipe, dicens : Transibitis per terminos fratrum vestrorum filiorum Esau, qui habitant in Seir, et timebunt vos.
And command thou the people, saying: You shall pass by the borders of your brethren the children of Esau, who dwell in Seir, and they will be afraid of you.
2:5 Videte ergo diligenter ne moveamini contra eos. Neque enim dabo vobis de terra eorum quantum potest unius pedis calcare vestigium, quia in possessionem Esau dedi montem Seir.
*H Take ye then good heed that you stir not against them. For I will not give you of their land so much as the step of one foot can tread upon, because I have given mount Seir to Esau, for a possession.


Ver. 5. Stir. Heb. gur, meddle not, wage not war, do not molest, &c. The Idumeans near Mount Hor, afterwards refused the Hebrews a passage, and the necessaries of life, though their brethren in Mount Seir had granted them the latter, while they passed quietly along their borders, v. 28. See Num. xx. 21. H.

2:6 Cibos emetis ab eis pecunia, et comedetis : aquam emptam haurietis, et bibetis.
*H You shall buy meats of them for money and shall eat: you shall draw waters for money, and shall drink.


Ver. 6. Meats, if they wanted any other sort, besides manna. M.

2:7 Dominus Deus tuus benedixit tibi in omni opere manuum tuarum : novit iter tuum, quomodo transieris solitudinem hanc magnam, per quadraginta annos habitans tecum Dominus Deus tuus, et nihil tibi defuit.
*H The Lord thy God hath blessed thee in every work of thy hands: the Lord thy God dwelling with thee, knoweth thy journey, how thou hast passed through this great wilderness, for forty years, and thou hast wanted nothing.


Ver. 7. Knoweth, or approveth, directing by his loving providence. Ps. i. 6. and xxxvi. 18.

2:8 Cumque transissemus fratres nostros filios Esau, qui habitabant in Seir, per viam campestrem de Elath, et de Asiongaber, venimus ad iter quod ducit in desertum Moab.
And when we had passed by our brethren the children of Esau, that dwelt in Seir, by the way of the plain from Elath and from Asiongaber, we came to the way that leadeth to the desert of Moab.
2:9 Dixitque Dominus ad me : Non pugnes contra Moabitas, nec ineas adversus eos praelium : non enim dabo tibi quidquam de terra eorum, quia filiis Loth tradidi Ar in possessionem.
*H And the Lord said to me: Fight not against the Moabites, neither go to battle against them: for I will not give thee any of their land, because I have given Ar to the children of Lot in possession.


Ver. 9. Moabites. They allowed the Hebrews to pass, as the Idumeans had done; (v. 29,) but they treated them with no particular marks of affection, (C. xxiii. 3,) nor would they suffer them to go across their country. Judg. xi. 17. — Ar, is sometimes called Rabbah Moab, "the great city of the Moabites," (Jos. xiii. 25,) and Areopolis. Euseb.

* Footnote * Numbers 21 : 13 Which they left and encamped over against Arnon, which is in the desert and standeth out on the borders of the Amorrhite. For Arnon is the border of Moab, dividing the Moabites and the Amorrhites.
2:10 Emim primi fuerunt habitatores ejus, populus magnus, et validus, et tam excelsus ut de Enacim stirpe,
*H The Emims first were the inhabitants thereof, a people great, and strong, and so tall, that like the race of the Enacims,


Ver. 10. Emim, signifies "the terrible," or "men of cubits or length." See Num. xiii. 33. They had been probably ruined in the war of Chodorlahomor, (Gen. xiv. 5,) a little before the birth of Moab. C. — But those few who remained, were sufficient to strike the beholders with terror, as they were not inferior to the other giants who were known, since the deluge, of the race of Enac, or of Rapha. H.

2:11 quasi gigantes crederentur, et essent similes filiorum Enacim. Denique Moabitae appellant eos Emim.
*H They were esteemed as giants, and were like the sons of the Enacims. But the Moabites call them Emims.


Ver. 11. Giants. Heb. Raphaim, which Grotius thinks is a word retained from the primitive language. It sometimes denotes giants, and those who groan in hell, on account of the great iniquity of the Raphaim. Job. xxvi. 5. Og was one of their descendants, and inhabited the same country, which they had occupied in the days of Abraham. C. iii. 2. C. — They lost much of their power in the war of Sodom. Some of them fled into the land of the Philistines, and established themselves there, 1 K. xxi. 16. As these gigantic nations had been overthrown, as well as the Horrhites, when God formerly gave their territories to Moad and to Esau, (H.) so the Hebrews may be assured, that nothing will be able to resist their power, while He is with them. M.

2:12 In Seir autem prius habitaverunt Horrhaei : quibus expulsis atque deletis, habitaverunt filii Esau, sicut fecit Israel in terra possessionis suae, quam dedit illi Dominus.
*H The Horrhites also formerly dwelt in Seir: who being driven out and destroyed, the children of Esau dwelt there, as Israel did in the land of his possession, which the Lord gave him.


Ver. 12. Gave him, on the east side of the Jordan. They had not yet taken possession of Chanaan. But Moses foresees that they shortly will; and in this sense we may translate, "Esau dwelt there, as Israel will in the land," &c. v. 29. The neighbouring nations could not rationally object to their coming, as they themselves had dispossessed the former owners of the land, v. 20. 23. C.

2:13 Surgentes ergo ut transiremus torrentem Zared, venimus ad eum.
Then rising up to pass the torrent Zared, we came to it.
2:14 Tempus autem, quo ambulavimus de Cadesbarne usque ad transitum torrentis Zared, triginta et octo annorum fuit : donec consumeretur omnis generatio hominum bellatorum de castris, sicut juraverat Dominus :
*H And the time that we journeyed from Cadesbarne till we passed over the torrent Zared, was thirty-eight years: until all the generation of the men that were fit for war was consumed out of the camp, as the Lord had sworn:


Ver. 14. Years. They had continued another year at Sinai, and some months at least at Cades-barne; so that the few remaining months of the 40 years' sojournment, were spent in conquering the kingdoms east of the Jordan. H.

2:15 cujus manus fuit adversum eos, ut interirent de castrorum medio.
For his hand was against them, that they should perish from the midst of the camp.
2:16 Postquam autem universi ceciderunt pugnatores,
And after all the fighting men were dead,
2:17 locutus est Dominus ad me, dicens :
The Lord spoke to me, saying:
2:18 Tu transibis hodie terminos Moab, urbem nomine Ar :
Thou shalt pass this day the borders of Moab, the city named Ar:
A.M. 2553, A.C. 1451.
2:19 et accedens in vicina filiorum Ammon, cave ne pugnes contra eos, nec movearis ad praelium : non enim dabo tibi de terra filiorum Ammon, quia filiis Loth dedi eam in possessionem.
And when thou comest nigh the frontiers of the children of Ammon, take heed thou fight not against them, nor once move to battle: for I will not give thee of the land of the children of Ammon, because I have given it to the children of Lot for a possession.
2:20 Terra gigantum reputata est : et in ipsa olim habitaverunt gigantes, quos Ammonitae vocant Zomzommim,
*H It was accounted a land of giants: and giants formerly dwelt in it, whom the Ammonites call Zomzommims,


Ver. 20. Zomzommim, means "wicked wretches," famous for their stature, &c. M. — They are probably the same nation as the Zuzim. Gen. xiv. 5.

2:21 populus magnus, et multus, et procerae longitudinis, sicut Enacim, quos delevit Dominus a facie eorum : et fecit illos habitare pro eis,
*H A people great and many, and of tall stature, like the Enacims whom the Lord destroyed before their face: and he made them to dwell in their stead,


Ver. 21. Enacims. See on this race of giants what has been said, Num. xiii. 23. They made place for the Zomzommim, as the latter did for the Ammonites. H.

2:22 sicut fecerat filiis Esau, qui habitant in Seir, delens Horrhaeos, et terram eorum illis tradens, quam possident usque in praesens.
*H As he had done in favour of the children of Esau, that dwell in Seir, destroying the Horrhites, and delivering their land to them, which they possess to this day.


Ver. 22. Horrhites, so called because they dwelt in caverns. S. Jerom.

2:23 Hevaeos quoque, qui habitabant in Haserim usque Gazan, Cappadoces expulerunt : qui egressi de Cappadocia deleverunt eos, et habitaverunt pro illis.
*H The Hevites also, that dwelt in Haserim as far as Gaza, were expelled by the Cappadocians: who came out of Cappadocia, and destroyed them and dwelt in their stead.


Ver. 23. Haserim, the same as Haseroth. Num. xxxiii. 17. — Gaza belonged to the Philistines. The intermediate country, or the south part of Chanaan, occupied by the Hevites was seized by invaders from the isle of Cyprus, (Heb. Caphtorum. C. Gen. x. 14,) or from Egypt, which the Nile intersects, forming many islands, in the Delta. Jer. xlvii. 4. The Cappadocians, who dwelt in Asia Minor, on the Euxine sea, were a different nation, and sprung from Japhet. T.

2:24 Surgite, et transite torrentem Arnon : ecce tradidi in manu tua Sehon regem Hesebon Amorrhaeum, et terram ejus incipe possidere, et committe adversus eum praelium.
*H Arise ye, and pass the torrent Arnon: Behold I have delivered into thy hand Sehon king of Hesebon the Amorrhite, and begin thou to possess his land and make war against him.


Ver. 24. Arise. God did not forbid Moses to ask for leave to pass through the land quietly, as the latter did; (v. 26.) but he gives him to understand that his demand will be rejected with disdain, and he is at liberty to attack this insolent king, and thus to commence his conquests.

A.M. 2553.
2:25 Hodie incipiam mittere terrorem atque formidinem tuam in populos, qui habitant sub omni caelo : ut audito nomine tuo paveant, et in morem parturientium contremiscant, et dolore teneantur.
*H This day will I begin to send the dread and fear of thee upon the nations that dwell under the whole heaven: that when they hear thy name they may fear and tremble, and be in pain like women in travail.


Ver. 25. Heaven. All who hear of thy exploits, will have cause to fear. H.

2:26 Misi ergo nuntios de solitudine Cademoth ad Sehon regem Hesebon verbis pacificis, dicens :
*H So I sent messengers from the wilderness of Cademoth to Sehon the king of Hesebon with peaceable words, saying:


Ver. 26. Cademoth, "to the east," of the Arnon. There was a city of the same name on the other side of its banks, which belonged to Sehon, and was given afterwards to the Levites, 1 Par. vi. 79. C.

* Footnote * Numbers 21 : 21 And Israel sent messengers to Sehon king of the Amorrhites, saying:
2:27 Transibimus per terram tuam : publica gradiemur via ; non declinabimus neque ad dexteram, neque ad sinistram.
We will pass through thy land, we will go along by the highway: we will not turn aside neither to the right hand nor to the left.
2:28 Alimenta pretio vende nobis, ut vescamur : aquam pecunia tribue, et sic bibemus. Tantum est ut nobis concedas transitum,
Sell us meat for money, that we may eat: give us water for money and so we will drink. We only ask that thou wilt let us pass through,
2:29 sicut fecerunt filii Esau, qui habitant in Seir, et Moabitae, qui morantur in Ar : donec veniamus ad Jordanem, et transeamus ad terram, quam Dominus Deus noster daturus est nobis.
*H As the children of Esau have done, that dwell in Seir, and the Moabites, that abide in Ar: until we come to the Jordan, and pass to the land which the Lord our God will give us.


Ver. 29. As, &c. These nations had only permitted them to pass along their borders, and furnished them, through fear, (v. 4,) with the necessaries of life. Sehon will not even grant so much.

2:30 Noluitque Sehon rex Hesebon dare nobis transitum : quia induraverat Dominus Deus tuus spiritum ejus, et obfirmaverat cor illius, ut traderetur in manus tuas, sicut nunc vides.
*H And Sehon the king of Hesebon would not let us pass: because the Lord thy God had hardened his spirit, and fixed his heart, that he might be delivered into thy hands, as now thou seest.


Ver. 30. Hardened, &c. That is, in punishment of his past sins, he left him to his own stubborn and perverse disposition, which drew him to his ruin. See the note on Exod. vii. 3. Ch. — God did not soften his heart, (M.) nor make him see the danger to which he was exposing his dominions, by provoking such an army. H.

2:31 Dixitque Dominus ad me : Ecce coepi tibi tradere Sehon, et terram ejus : incipe possidere eam.
And the Lord said to me: Behold I have begun to deliver unto thee Sehon and his land, begin to possess it.
* Footnote * Amos 2 : 9 Yet I cast out the Amorrhite before their face: whose height was like the height of cedars, and who was strong as an oak: and I destroyed his fruit from above, and his roots beneath.
2:32 Egressusque est Sehon obviam nobis cum omni populo suo ad praelium in Jasa.
And Sehon came out to meet us with all his people to fight at Jasa.
2:33 Et tradidit eum Dominus Deus noster nobis : percussimusque eum cum filiis suis et omni populo suo.
And the Lord our God delivered him to us: and we slew him with his sons and all his people.
2:34 Cunctasque urbes in tempore illo cepimus, interfectis habitatoribus earum, viris ac mulieribus et parvulis : non reliquimus in eis quidquam,
*H And we took all his cities at that time, killing the inhabitants of them, men and women and children. We left nothing of them:


Ver. 34. Killing, according to God's express command. C. xx. 16. M.

2:35 absque jumentis, quae in partem venere praedantium : et spoliis urbium, quas cepimus
Except the cattle which came to the share of them that took them: and the spoils of the cities, which we took:
2:36 ab Aroer, quae est super ripam torrentis Arnon, oppido quod in valle situm est, usque Galaad. Non fuit vicus et civitas, quae nostras effugeret manus : omnes tradidit Dominus Deus noster nobis,
From Aroer, which is upon the bank of the torrent Arnon, a town that is situate in a valley, as far as Galaad. There was not a village or city, that escaped our hands: the Lord our God delivered all unto us:
2:37 absque terra filiorum Ammon, ad quam non accessimus : et cunctis quae adjacent torrenti Jeboc, et urbibus montanis, universisque locis, a quibus nos prohibuit Dominus Deus noster.
*H Except the land of the children of Ammon, to which we approached not: and all that border upon the torrent Jeboc, and the cities in the mountains, and all the places which the Lord our God forbade us.


Ver. 37. Jeboc, towards its source; for both sides of the torrent were taken by the Hebrews from the kings Sehon and Og, who had already driven the Ammonites farther into the mountains, on the east. H. — When these demanded the conquered country to be restored to them, Jephte shewed that their claim was inadmissible. Jud. xi. 13. C. — They had lost possession when the Hebrews came; and, as God had authorized the latter to take the land from those kings, without enquiring who were the former proprietors, the Ammonites, who had themselves expelled the Zomzommim, came with a very bad grace to assert their title, after a lapse of near 300 years. God only forbids the Hebrews to molest the actual dominions of the sons of Ammon, Moab, and Esau, in consideration of their fathers, to whom they were so nearly related. H.

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