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:
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.
- BSB 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.
- 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 20:14–21And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh unto the king of Edom, Thus saith thy brother Israel, Thou knowest all the travail that hath befallen us:
- Deut 23:7Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite; for he is thy brother: thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian; because thou wast a stranger in his land.
- Exod 15:15Then the dukes of Edom shall be amazed; the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take hold upon them; all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away.
- Eph 5:15See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
- Col 4:5Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.
- Phil 2:15That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
- Matt 5:16Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
- Num 22:3–4And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.
- Luke 12:15And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
- Obad 1:10–13For thy violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off for ever.
- Num 24:14–18And now, behold, I go unto my people: come therefore, and I will advertise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.
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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
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