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Edom Refuses Passage

14 From Kadesh Moses then sent messengers to (A)the king of Edom: “Thus your brother Israel has said, ‘You (B)know all the hardship that has befallen us, 15 that our fathers went down to Egypt, and we stayed in Egypt a long time, and the Egyptians treated us and our fathers badly. 16 So (C)we cried out to Yahweh, and He heard our voice and sent (D)an angel and brought us out from Egypt; now behold, we are at Kadesh, a town on the edge of your territory. 17 Please (E)let us pass through your land. We will not pass through field or through vineyard; we will not even drink water from a well. We will go along the king’s highway; we will not turn to the right or to the left until we pass through your territory.’”

18 (F)Edom, however, said to him, “You shall not pass through [a]us, lest I come out to meet you with the sword.” 19 Again, the sons of Israel said to him, “We will go up by the highway, and if I and (G)my livestock do drink any of your water, (H)then I will [b]pay its price. Let me only pass through on my feet, [c]nothing else.” 20 But he said, “(I)You shall not pass through.” And Edom came out to meet him with a heavy [d]force and with a strong hand. 21 (J)Thus Edom refused to allow Israel to pass through his territory; (K)so Israel turned away from him.

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 20:18 Lit me
  2. Numbers 20:19 Lit give
  3. Numbers 20:19 Or no great thing
  4. Numbers 20:20 Lit people

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)

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