וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃

After a long time had passed, the Lord said to me, saying:

רַב־לָכֶ֕ם סֹ֖ב אֶת־הָהָ֣ר הַזֶּ֑ה פְּנ֥וּ לָכֶ֖ם צָפֹֽנָה׃

Enough for you circling this mountain, Mount Se’ir, and staying in the same region all the time. After all this aimless wandering, turn you to a specific direction, to the north.

וְאֶת־הָעָם֮ צַ֣ו לֵאמֹר֒ אַתֶּ֣ם עֹֽבְרִ֗ים בִּגְבוּל֙ אֲחֵיכֶ֣ם בְּנֵי־עֵשָׂ֔ו הַיֹּשְׁבִ֖ים בְּשֵׂעִ֑יר וְיִֽירְא֣וּ מִכֶּ֔ם וְנִשְׁמַרְתֶּ֖ם מְאֹֽד׃

Command the people, saying: You are passing through the border of your brethren the children of Esau, who live in Se’ir; they will be afraid of you, because you are a great nation, and even so, you shall be very careful.

אַל־תִּתְגָּר֣וּ בָ֔ם כִּ֠י לֹֽא־אֶתֵּ֤ן לָכֶם֙ מֵֽאַרְצָ֔ם עַ֖ד מִדְרַ֣ךְ כַּף־רָ֑גֶל כִּֽי־יְרֻשָּׁ֣ה לְעֵשָׂ֔ו נָתַ֖תִּי אֶת־הַ֥ר שֵׂעִֽיר׃

Do not provoke them, for I will not give you even the tread of the sole of a foot from their land, because I have given Mount Se’ir to be an inheritance to Esau. Esau was granted Mount Se’ir as his portion of God’s promise to Abraham and his family. In the future, this territory will revert to its true permanent owner, the nation of Israel. However, for the moment it will remain in the possession of the descendants of Esau, and Israel was prohibited from taking any part of it.

אֹ֣כֶל תִּשְׁבְּר֧וּ מֵֽאִתָּ֛ם בַּכֶּ֖סֶף וַאֲכַלְתֶּ֑ם וְגַם־מַ֜יִם תִּכְר֧וּ מֵאִתָּ֛ם בַּכֶּ֖סֶף וּשְׁתִיתֶֽם׃

Consequently, in order to eat, you shall purchase from them food with silver, and eat; and also water you shall purchase from them with silver, and drink.

כִּי֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ בֵּֽרַכְךָ֗ בְּכֹל֙ מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה יָדֶ֔ךָ יָדַ֣ע לֶכְתְּךָ֔ אֶת־הַמִּדְבָּ֥ר הַגָּדֹ֖ל הַזֶּ֑ה זֶ֣ה ׀ אַרְבָּעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֗ה יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ עִמָּ֔ךְ לֹ֥א חָסַ֖רְתָּ דָּבָֽר׃

For the Lord your God blessed you in all your handiwork; He has known what you required in your walking through this great wilderness, these forty years the Lord your God has been with you; you have not lacked anything. Since you were isolated from civilization and commerce in the wilderness, and your needs were provided for by God, you did not require money. Now you can spend the money that you possess.

וַֽנַּעֲבֹ֞ר מֵאֵ֧ת אַחֵ֣ינוּ בְנֵי־עֵשָׂ֗ו הַיֹּֽשְׁבִים֙ בְּשֵׂעִ֔יר מִדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ הָֽעֲרָבָ֔ה מֵאֵילַ֖ת וּמֵעֶצְיֹ֣ן גָּ֑בֶר (ס) וַנֵּ֙פֶן֙ וַֽנַּעֲבֹ֔ר דֶּ֖רֶךְ מִדְבַּ֥ר מוֹאָֽב׃

We passed from our brethren the children of Esau, who live in Se’ir, from the way of the Arava, from Eilat and from Etzyon Gever, which is next to Eilat, and we turned northward and passed via the wilderness of Moav. In the Bible, of all the nations, only the children of Esau are called the brethren of Israel, as they are the Israelites’ closest family; no other nation is referred to by this term. Here this family relationship is mentioned in support of the admonition against threatening the territory of Esau.

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֵלַ֗י אֶל־תָּ֙צַר֙ אֶת־מוֹאָ֔ב וְאַל־תִּתְגָּ֥ר בָּ֖ם מִלְחָמָ֑ה כִּ֠י לֹֽא־אֶתֵּ֨ן לְךָ֤ מֵֽאַרְצוֹ֙ יְרֻשָּׁ֔ה כִּ֣י לִבְנֵי־ל֔וֹט נָתַ֥תִּי אֶת־עָ֖ר יְרֻשָּֽׁה׃

The Lord said to me: Do not besiege Moav, and do not provoke war with them, as I will not give you from his land a possession; because to the children of Lot I have given the region of Ar, in Moav, as a possession.

הָאֵמִ֥ים לְפָנִ֖ים יָ֣שְׁבוּ בָ֑הּ עַ֣ם גָּד֥וֹל וְרַ֛ב וָרָ֖ם כָּעֲנָקִֽים׃

Here, the chapter records some pertinent details from the distant past: The Emim, a nation or tribe, perhaps so named because it engendered fear [ eima ] in others, dwelt there previously, in the land currently inhabited by Moav; a people great, numerous, and tall, like giants.

רְפָאִ֛ים יֵחָשְׁב֥וּ אַף־הֵ֖ם כָּעֲנָקִ֑ים וְהַמֹּ֣אָבִ֔ים יִקְרְא֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם אֵמִֽים׃

Refaim, another ancient people, would also be regarded as giants; but the Moavites, whose language was similar to Hebrew, would call them Emim, because they aroused fear [ eima ].

וּבְשֵׂעִ֞יר יָשְׁב֣וּ הַחֹרִים֮ לְפָנִים֒ וּבְנֵ֧י עֵשָׂ֣ו יִֽירָשׁ֗וּם וַיַּשְׁמִידוּם֙ מִפְּנֵיהֶ֔ם וַיֵּשְׁב֖וּ תַּחְתָּ֑ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֧ר עָשָׂ֣ה יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל לְאֶ֙רֶץ֙ יְרֻשָּׁת֔וֹ אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥ן יְהוָ֖ה לָהֶֽם׃

The chapter similarly notes: In Se’ir the Horites lived previously, and the children of Esau took possession from them and they destroyed them from before them, and dwelled in their place, as Israel did to the land of its possession, the land of Sihon and Og, which the Lord gave to them. The children of Esau did not entirely destroy the Horites, as they intermingled with them. The children of Esau were the de facto rulers of Se’ir, while the Horites cooperated and maintained cordial relations with them.

עַתָּ֗ה קֻ֛מוּ וְעִבְר֥וּ לָכֶ֖ם אֶת־נַ֣חַל זָ֑רֶד וַֽנַּעֲבֹ֖ר אֶת־נַ֥חַל זָֽרֶד׃

Now that you have approached the Land of Israel, rise, and cross the Zered Ravine. This ravine was perhaps named for its trees or shrubbery [ zeradim ]. And we crossed the Zered Ravine. This was the point of transition from the Israelites’ wandering in the wilderness to their arrival at the border of the Promised Land.

וְהַיָּמִ֞ים אֲשֶׁר־הָלַ֣כְנוּ ׀ מִקָּדֵ֣שׁ בַּרְנֵ֗עַ עַ֤ד אֲשֶׁר־עָבַ֙רְנוּ֙ אֶת־נַ֣חַל זֶ֔רֶד שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים וּשְׁמֹנֶ֖ה שָׁנָ֑ה עַד־תֹּ֨ם כָּל־הַדּ֜וֹר אַנְשֵׁ֤י הַמִּלְחָמָה֙ מִקֶּ֣רֶב הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר נִשְׁבַּ֥ע יְהוָ֖ה לָהֶֽם׃

The days that we went from Kadesh Barnea, until we crossed the Zered Ravine, were thirty-eight years, as we waited until the demise of the entire generation, all those who had been counted in the first census as the men of war, males who were between ages twenty and sixty at the time. Eventually, all those men passed away from the midst of the camp, as the Lord swore to them.

וְגַ֤ם יַד־יְהוָה֙ הָ֣יְתָה בָּ֔ם לְהֻמָּ֖ם מִקֶּ֣רֶב הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֑ה עַ֖ד תֻּמָּֽם׃

The hand of the Lord, divine intervention, was also among them, to destroy them from the midst of the camp, until their demise. Thirty-eight years would not have been enough for them all to die of natural means, and therefore God accelerated the process.

וַיְהִ֨י כַאֲשֶׁר־תַּ֜מּוּ כָּל־אַנְשֵׁ֧י הַמִּלְחָמָ֛ה לָמ֖וּת מִקֶּ֥רֶב הָעָֽם׃ (ס)

It was when all the men of war concluded to die from among the people, that the great journey to enter the land began, as

וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃

the Lord spoke to me, saying:

אַתָּ֨ה עֹבֵ֥ר הַיּ֛וֹם אֶת־גְּב֥וּל מוֹאָ֖ב אֶת־עָֽר׃

You are passing today the border of Moav, Ar;

וְקָרַבְתָּ֗ מ֚וּל בְּנֵ֣י עַמּ֔וֹן אַל־תְּצֻרֵ֖ם וְאַל־תִּתְגָּ֣ר בָּ֑ם כִּ֣י לֹֽא־אֶ֠תֵּן מֵאֶ֨רֶץ בְּנֵי־עַמּ֤וֹן לְךָ֙ יְרֻשָּׁ֔ה כִּ֥י לִבְנֵי־ל֖וֹט נְתַתִּ֥יהָ יְרֻשָּֽׁה׃

you will approach opposite the children of Amon; do not besiege them and do not provoke them to battle, as I will not give you from the land of the children of Amon as a possession; because to the children of Lot I have given it as a possession, in Abraham’s merit.

אֶֽרֶץ־רְפָאִ֥ים תֵּחָשֵׁ֖ב אַף־הִ֑וא רְפָאִ֤ים יָֽשְׁבוּ־בָהּ֙ לְפָנִ֔ים וְהָֽעַמֹּנִ֔ים יִקְרְא֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם זַמְזֻמִּֽים׃

It, too, the land of the descendants of Amon, is considered a land of Refaim, as Refaim lived in it previously, and the Amonites call them, those people, Zamzumim.

עַ֣ם גָּד֥וֹל וְרַ֛ב וָרָ֖ם כָּעֲנָקִ֑ים וַיַּשְׁמִידֵ֤ם יְהוָה֙ מִפְּנֵיהֶ֔ם וַיִּירָשֻׁ֖ם וַיֵּשְׁב֥וּ תַחְתָּֽם׃

The lands on the eastern side of the Jordan River were once

כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר עָשָׂה֙ לִבְנֵ֣י עֵשָׂ֔ו הַיֹּשְׁבִ֖ים בְּשֵׂעִ֑יר אֲשֶׁ֨ר הִשְׁמִ֤יד אֶת־הַחֹרִי֙ מִפְּנֵיהֶ֔ם וַיִּֽירָשֻׁם֙ וַיֵּשְׁב֣וּ תַחְתָּ֔ם עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃

as He did for the children of Esau, who live in Se’ir, that He destroyed the Horites from before them and they took possession from them, and settled in their place until this day. Since Canaan serves as a crossing point for other regions, there have always been nations that spoke different languages, living in close proximity to this land. Like the Refaim, the Horites, who were apparently originally from Asia Minor, lived on the eastern side of the Jordan River until the arrival of the descendants of Esau.

וְהָֽעַוִּ֛ים הַיֹּשְׁבִ֥ים בַּחֲצֵרִ֖ים עַד־עַזָּ֑ה כַּפְתֹּרִים֙ הַיֹּצְאִ֣ים מִכַּפְתּ֔וֹר הִשְׁמִידֻ֖ם וַיֵּשְׁב֥וּ תַחְתָּֽם׃

Similar to the previous verse, this verse is not directly related to the narrative at hand, as it describes ancient demographic and historical shifts. As for the Avim, who lived in unwalled cities until Gaza, a coastal region in the southern part of the land, Kaftorim, who emerged from Kaftor, the island of Crete, destroyed them, and settled in their place. The Philistines, who settled this coastal area, were descendants of the Kaftorim.

ק֣וּמוּ סְּע֗וּ וְעִבְרוּ֮ אֶת־נַ֣חַל אַרְנֹן֒ רְאֵ֣ה נָתַ֣תִּי בְ֠יָדְךָ אֶת־סִיחֹ֨ן מֶֽלֶךְ־חֶשְׁבּ֧וֹן הָֽאֱמֹרִ֛י וְאֶת־אַרְצ֖וֹ הָחֵ֣ל רָ֑שׁ וְהִתְגָּ֥ר בּ֖וֹ מִלְחָמָֽה׃

After this historical and geographical description, God commands: Rise, and travel, and cross the Arnon Ravine; see, I have placed Sihon, king of Heshbon, the Emorite, and his land in your hand; begin taking possession, and provoke war with him. The Edomites, descendants of Esau, and the Moavites and Amonites, descendants of Lot, came from the same family as the patriarchs of Israel. Due to the oath to Abraham and his family, these nations also inherited portions on the eastern side of the Jordan River. Consequently, the children of Israel were warned not to attack them. However, this warning does not apply to Israel attacking other nations, and therefore the children of Israel were permitted and commanded to begin inheriting the land of Sihon.

הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֗ה אָחֵל֙ תֵּ֤ת פַּחְדְּךָ֙ וְיִרְאָ֣תְךָ֔ עַל־פְּנֵי֙ הָֽעַמִּ֔ים תַּ֖חַת כָּל־הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִשְׁמְעוּן֙ שִׁמְעֲךָ֔ וְרָגְז֥וּ וְחָל֖וּ מִפָּנֶֽיךָ׃

From this day onward I will begin to place terror of you and fear of you upon the peoples under all the heavens, who will hear your reputation and will tremble, and be in trepidation because of you. Until now, the children of Israel were considered by other peoples as an almost mythical nation of nomads, about whom they related miraculous stories from forty years earlier. Now this nation would become a real threat.

וָאֶשְׁלַ֤ח מַלְאָכִים֙ מִמִּדְבַּ֣ר קְדֵמ֔וֹת אֶל־סִיח֖וֹן מֶ֣לֶךְ חֶשְׁבּ֑וֹן דִּבְרֵ֥י שָׁל֖וֹם לֵאמֹֽר׃

I sent messengers from the wilderness of Kedemot, in the east [ kedem ], to Sihon, king of Heshbon, with words of peace, saying: Although God had told Moses that the children of Israel would have to wage war against Sihon, Moses nevertheless sent a message of peace. This gesture highlights the value of attempting dialogue before waging war. Similarly, the Rambam writes that one does not wage war, whether an optional or a compulsory war, without first extending an offer of peace.

אֶעְבְּרָ֣ה בְאַרְצֶ֔ךָ בַּדֶּ֥רֶךְ בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ אֵלֵ֑ךְ לֹ֥א אָס֖וּר יָמִ֥ין וּשְׂמֹֽאול׃

Let me pass through your land, and I promise that I will go only on the main path, I will not diverge to the sides, right or left.

אֹ֣כֶל בַּכֶּ֤סֶף תַּשְׁבִּרֵ֙נִי֙ וְאָכַ֔לְתִּי וּמַ֛יִם בַּכֶּ֥סֶף תִּתֶּן־לִ֖י וְשָׁתִ֑יתִי רַ֖ק אֶעְבְּרָ֥ה בְרַגְלָֽי׃

As in the case of the children of Esau (2:6), Israel proposes: You will sell me food for silver, and I will eat, and you will give me water for silver, and I will drink; only let me pass on my feet. All we ask is for permission to pass through your territory; we guarantee not to cause any damage to the surroundings, the people, or the animals. Furthermore, you will profit from the arrangement, as we will pay for anything we eat,

כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר עָֽשׂוּ־לִ֜י בְּנֵ֣י עֵשָׂ֗ו הַיֹּֽשְׁבִים֙ בְּשֵׂעִ֔יר וְהַמּ֣וֹאָבִ֔ים הַיֹּשְׁבִ֖ים בְּעָ֑ר עַ֤ד אֲשֶֽׁר־אֶֽעֱבֹר֙ אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן אֶל־הָאָ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ נֹתֵ֥ן לָֽנוּ׃

like the children of Esau, who live in Se’ir, and the Moavites, who live in Ar, did for me. The children of Israel did not pass through Se’ir or Moav. Rather, this is apparently a reference to the commercial ties that they maintained with these nations. With regard to Moav, see Numbers 25:1–3; it is possible that there was a similar arrangement with Edom. Israel adds: I request this assistance only until I will cross the Jordan into the land that the Lord our God is giving us.

וְלֹ֣א אָבָ֗ה סִיחֹן֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ חֶשְׁבּ֔וֹן הַעֲבִרֵ֖נוּ בּ֑וֹ כִּֽי־הִקְשָׁה֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ אֶת־רוּח֗וֹ וְאִמֵּץ֙ אֶת־לְבָב֔וֹ לְמַ֛עַן תִּתּ֥וֹ בְיָדְךָ֖ כַּיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃ (ס)

But Sihon, king of Heshbon, was unwilling to let us pass through it, his land, for the Lord your God hardened his spirit, and made his heart obstinate, in order to deliver him into your hand, like this day.