Deuteronomy 2

King James Version

Full text for Deuteronomy Chapter 2

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.

2And the LORD spake unto me, saying,

3Ye have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you northward.

4And 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:

5Meddle 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.

6Ye 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.

7For 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.

9And 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.

10The Emims dwelt therein in times past, a people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims;

11Which also were accounted giants, as the Anakims; but the Moabites call them Emims.

12The 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.

13Now rise up, [said I], and get you over the brook Zered. And we went over the brook Zered.

14And 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.

15For indeed the hand of the LORD was against them, to destroy them from among the host, until they were consumed.

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

17That the LORD spake unto me, saying,

18Thou art to pass over through Ar, the coast of Moab, this day:

19And [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;

21A 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:

22As 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:

23And 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.

25This 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.

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

27Let 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.

28Thou 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.

30But 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.

31And 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.

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

33And the LORD our God delivered him before us; and we smote him, and his sons, and all his people.

34And 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:

35Only the cattle we took for a prey unto ourselves, and the spoil of the cities which we took.

36From 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:

37Only 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.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

The Israelites, after circling Mount Seir, are commanded by God to turn northward. God instructs them not to attack the Edomites, Moabites, or Ammonites, as these lands were given to Esau and Lot's descendants. After the generation of men of war had perished, God commanded Israel to conquer Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, whom they utterly defeated and dispossessed.

Medium Summary

Moses recounts Israel's journey after leaving Mount Seir, where God directed them to turn northward. God explicitly forbade them from engaging in conflict with the Edomites, Moabites, and Ammonites, as these nations' territories were divinely appointed possessions for the descendants of Esau and Lot. During this period, the entire generation of men of war, who had rebelled at Kadesh-barnea, perished over thirty-eight years, fulfilling God's judgment. Once this generation was consumed, God commanded Israel to cross the Arnon River and engage Sihon, king of Heshbon. Although Moses first sent a peaceful request for passage, Sihon's heart was hardened by God, leading him to confront Israel in battle. The LORD delivered Sihon and his people into Israel's hand, allowing them to conquer all his cities and utterly destroy the inhabitants, taking only the spoil. This conquest established Israel's possession of the land east of Jordan, while respecting the boundaries of the Edomites, Moabites, and Ammonites as forbidden by God.

Long Summary

Moses begins by recounting Israel's prolonged journey around Mount Seir, until the LORD commanded them to turn northward. God specifically instructed them not to contend with the children of Esau, the Edomites, as Mount Seir was their divinely given possession, and Israel was to purchase any necessary provisions from them. The LORD affirmed His provision for Israel during their forty years in the wilderness, assuring them they had lacked nothing. Subsequently, Israel passed by the Edomites and entered the wilderness of Moab. Here, God again commanded them not to distress the Moabites, for Ar was given to the children of Lot, noting that the Emims, a people of giants, formerly inhabited the land before the Moabites dispossessed them. This period also marked the fulfillment of God's judgment, as the entire generation of men of war, who had come out of Egypt but rebelled at Kadesh-barnea, perished over thirty-eight years until none remained. After this consumption of the rebellious generation, the LORD directed Israel to pass through the coast of Moab and approach the Ammonites. Again, God forbade any conflict or possession of Ammonite land, as it too was given to the children of Lot, mentioning the Zamzummims, another race of giants, whom the LORD had destroyed before the Ammonites. Finally, God commanded Israel to cross the Arnon River, declaring that He had delivered Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land into their hand, instructing them to begin the conquest. Moses first sent messengers of peace to Sihon, requesting passage through his land, offering to pay for food and water, similar to the arrangements made with Edom and Moab. However, Sihon refused passage, for the LORD had hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate, so that He might deliver him into Israel's hand. Sihon came out to fight at Jahaz, but the LORD God delivered him and his people to Israel. Israel smote Sihon, his sons, and all his people, taking all his cities and utterly destroying every man, woman, and child, reserving only the cattle and spoil. From Aroer to Gilead, no city was too strong, as the LORD delivered all to Israel, yet they strictly avoided the land of the Ammonites and any other areas forbidden by God.

Core Concepts

  • Divine BoundariesGod explicitly sets boundaries for Israel's conquest, forbidding them from attacking the Edomites, Moabites, and Ammonites because these lands were already divinely appointed possessions for the descendants of Esau and Lot.
  • God's ProvisionThroughout the forty years in the wilderness, the LORD provided for Israel, ensuring they lacked nothing, demonstrating His faithfulness and care for His people.
  • Judgment on the Rebellious GenerationThe chapter highlights the fulfillment of God's judgment, as the entire generation of men of war who rebelled at Kadesh-barnea perished over thirty-eight years, before Israel was permitted to enter the promised land.
  • Conquest of SihonGod commands Israel to conquer Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, after Sihon's heart is hardened by the LORD, leading to his defeat and the utter destruction of his cities and people.
  • Pre-Israelite Inhabitants (Giants)The text mentions various groups of 'giants' (Emims, Zamzummims, Anakims) who previously inhabited the lands of Moab and Ammon, and were dispossessed by the current inhabitants, illustrating God's power to clear the land for its appointed people.
  • Peace Overtures Before WarMoses sends messengers of peace to Sihon, requesting peaceful passage and offering to buy provisions, demonstrating an attempt at diplomacy before engaging in battle, even when God had already purposed Sihon's defeat.
  • God's Hand in Hardening HeartsThe LORD is explicitly stated to have hardened Sihon's spirit and made his heart obstinate, ensuring his confrontation with Israel and subsequent delivery into their hand, fulfilling God's divine plan.