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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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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 20:15 Or “fathers”
  2. Numbers 20:15 Literally “many days”
  3. Numbers 20:15 Or “fathers”
  4. Numbers 20:18 Hebrew “me”
  5. Numbers 20:18 Hebrew “I will go out”
  6. Numbers 20:19 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  7. Numbers 20:19 Hebrew “I”
  8. Numbers 20:19 Hebrew “my livestock”
  9. Numbers 20:19 Hebrew “I will give their worth”
  10. Numbers 20:19 Hebrew “I will go through on my feet”
  11. Numbers 20:20 Hebrew “him”

Passage through Edom Refused

14 Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, “Thus says your brother Israel: You know all the adversity that has befallen us,(A) 15 how our ancestors went down to Egypt, and we lived in Egypt a long time, and the Egyptians oppressed us and our ancestors,(B) 16 and when we cried to the Lord, he heard our voice and sent an angel and brought us out of Egypt, and here we are in Kadesh, a town on the edge of your territory.(C) 17 Now let us pass through your land. We will not pass through field or vineyard or drink water from any well; we will go along the King’s Highway, not turning 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, or we will come out with the sword against you.” 19 The Israelites said to him, “We will stay on the highway, and if we drink of your water, we and our livestock, then we will pay for it. It is only a small matter; just let us pass through on foot.”(D) 20 But he said, “You shall not pass through.” And Edom came out against them with a large force, heavily armed. 21 Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through their territory, so Israel turned away from them.(E)

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