Numbers 20:14-21

English Standard Version

Edom Refuses Passage

^14 (A)Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to ^(B)the king of Edom: “Thus says ^(C)your brother Israel: You know all the hardship that we have met: ^15 (D)how our fathers went down to Egypt, ^(E)and we lived in Egypt a long time. ^(F)And the Egyptians dealt harshly with us and our fathers. ¹⁶ And ^(G)when we cried to the Lord, he heard our voice and ^(H)sent an angel and brought us out of Egypt. And here we are in Kadesh, a city on the edge of your territory. ^17 (I)Please let us pass through your land. We will not pass through field or vineyard, ^(J)or drink water from a well. We will go along the King's Highway. We will not turn aside to the right hand or to the left until we have passed through your territory.” ¹⁸ But Edom said to him, “You shall not pass through, lest I come out with the sword against you.” ¹⁹ And the people of Israel said to him, “We will go up by the highway, ^(K)and if we drink of your water, I and my livestock, ^(L)then I will pay for it. Let me only pass through on foot, nothing more.” ²⁰ But he said, ^(M)“You shall not pass through.” And Edom came out against them with a large army and with a strong force. ²¹ Thus Edom ^(N)refused to give Israel passage through his territory, so Israel ^(O)turned away from him.