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Numbers 20:14-21
Evangelical Heritage Version
Numbers 20:14-21
Evangelical Heritage Version
Edom Denies Israel Passage
14 Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom to say, “This is what your brother Israel says: You know all the hardship that has come upon us. 15 Our ancestors went down to Egypt, and we lived in Egypt for a long time. The Egyptians mistreated us and our ancestors. 16 When we cried to the Lord, he heard our voice, sent an angel, and brought us out of Egypt. So look, here we are in Kadesh, a city on the edge of your territory. 17 Please let us pass through your land. We will not pass through any field or vineyard. We will not drink water from any well. We will go on the King’s Highway. We will not turn to the right or to the left until we have passed through your territory.”
18 Edom said to him, “You must not pass through our territory, or we will go out to meet you with the sword.”
19 The Israelites said to them, “We will go up on the main road. If we drink your water, we and our herds of livestock, then we will pay for it. Just let us pass through on foot, nothing else.”
20 Edom said, “You will not pass through.” Edom went out to meet them with a large force of many people. 21 Edom refused to give Israel passage through their territory, so Israel turned away from them.
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Numbers 20:14-21
Lexham English Bible
Numbers 20:14-21
Lexham English Bible
14 From Kadesh Moses sent messengers to the king of Edom: “Thus your brother Israel has said, ‘You know all the hardship that has found us; 15 our ancestors[a] went down to Egypt, and we lived in Egypt a long time,[b] and the Egyptians mistreated us and our ancestors.[c] 16 Then we cried to Yahweh, and he heard our voice; he sent an angel and brought us out from Egypt. And look, we are in Kadesh, a city on the edge of your territory. 17 Please let us go through your land. We will not go through a field or vineyard, and we will not drink water from a well. We will go along the road of the king; we will not turn aside right or left until we have gone through your territory.’”
18 Then Edom said to him, “You will not pass through us[d] lest we will go out[e] to meet you with the sword.” 19 The Israelites[f] said to him, “We will go up on the main road, and if we[g] and our livestock[h] drink your water, we will pay for it.[i] It is only a small matter; let us pass through on our feet.”[j] 20 But he said, “You will not go through.” And Edom went out to meet them[k] with a large army and a strong hand. 21 So Edom refused to give Israel passage through his territory, and Israel turned aside from him.
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- Numbers 20:15 Or “fathers”
- Numbers 20:15 Literally “many days”
- Numbers 20:15 Or “fathers”
- Numbers 20:18 Hebrew “me”
- Numbers 20:18 Hebrew “I will go out”
- Numbers 20:19 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
- Numbers 20:19 Hebrew “I”
- Numbers 20:19 Hebrew “my livestock”
- Numbers 20:19 Hebrew “I will give their worth”
- Numbers 20:19 Hebrew “I will go through on my feet”
- Numbers 20:20 Hebrew “him”
Numbers 20:14-21
New International Version
Numbers 20:14-21
New International Version
Edom Denies Israel Passage
14 Moses sent messengers from Kadesh(A) to the king of Edom,(B) saying:
“This is what your brother Israel says: You know(C) about all the hardships(D) that have come on us. 15 Our ancestors went down into Egypt,(E) and we lived there many years.(F) The Egyptians mistreated(G) us and our ancestors, 16 but when we cried out to the Lord, he heard our cry(H) and sent an angel(I) and brought us out of Egypt.(J)
“Now we are here at Kadesh, a town on the edge of your territory.(K) 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.(L)”
18 But Edom(M) answered:
“You may not pass through here; if you try, we will march out and attack you with the sword.(N)”
19 The Israelites replied:
“We will go along the main road, and if we or our livestock(O) drink any of your water, we will pay for it.(P) We only want to pass through on foot—nothing else.”
20 Again they answered:
“You may not pass through.(Q)”
Then Edom(R) came out against them with a large and powerful army. 21 Since Edom refused to let them go through their territory,(S) Israel turned away from them.(T)
Evangelical Heritage Version (EHV)
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.
Lexham English Bible (LEB)
2012 by Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.