and command the people: ‘You will pass through the territory of your brothers, the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir. They will be afraid of you, so you must be very careful.
Parallel translations
- WEB Command the people, saying, ‘You are to pass through the border of your brothers the children of Esau, who dwell in Seir; and they will be afraid of you. Therefore be careful.
- KJV And 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:
- NKJV And command the people, saying, “You are about to pass through the territory of your brethren, the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir; and they will be afraid of you. Therefore watch yourselves carefully.
- NASB and command the people, saying, “You are going to pass through the territory of your brothers the sons of Esau, who live in Seir; and they will be afraid of you. So be very careful;
- NLT Give these orders to the people: “You will pass through the country belonging to your relatives the Edomites, the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir. The Edomites will feel threatened, so be careful.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God told Israel they would pass through Edom, the land of Esau's descendants, who would fear them, so they must be careful. Restraint was commanded toward their kinsmen.
Overview
As Israel approached Edom, God commanded caution toward the 'children of Esau,' Israel's relatives through Jacob's brother. Though Edom would fear them, Israel was not to provoke conflict. This reveals God's concern for right conduct even toward those outside the covenant promise, honoring kinship and divine allotment. It models a restraint that respects God's sovereign assignments and anticipates the peace-seeking wisdom commended in the New Testament.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Num 20:14–21From Kadesh, Moses sent messengers to tell the king of Edom, “This is what your brother Israel says: You know all the hardship that has befallen us,
- Deut 23:7Do not despise an Edomite, for he is your brother. Do not despise an Egyptian, because you lived as a foreigner in his land.
- Exod 15:15Then the chiefs of Edom will be dismayed; trembling will seize the leaders of Moab; those who dwell in Canaan will melt away,
- Eph 5:15Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,
- Col 4:5Act wisely toward outsiders, redeeming the time.
- Phil 2:15so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world
- Matt 5:16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
- Num 22:3–4and Moab was terrified of the people because they were numerous. Indeed, Moab dreaded the Israelites.
- Luke 12:15And He said to them, “Watch out! Guard yourselves against every form of greed, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
- Obad 1:10–13Because of the violence against your brother Jacob, you will be covered with shame and cut off forever.
- Num 24:14–18Now I am going back to my people, but come, let me warn you what this people will do to your people in the days to come.”
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Christ at the center
Moses promised a Prophet like himself to whom Israel must listen (18:15); Jesus is that Prophet, the one who keeps the covenant we broke and becomes the curse for us by hanging on a tree (Gal 3:13).
How Deuteronomy 2:4 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.