DEU 2

Deuteronomy 2:1

WEB

Then we turned, and took our journey into the wilderness by the way to the Red Sea, as Yahweh spoke to me; and we encircled Mount Seir many days.

BSB

Then we turned back and headed for the wilderness by way of the Red Sea, as the LORD had instructed me, and for many days we wandered around Mount Seir.

KJV

Then we turned, and took our journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea, as the LORD spake unto me: and we compassed mount Seir many days.

Matthew Henry

Verses 1–7

Deuteronomy 2:1–7

Here is, I. A short account of the long stay of Israel in the wilderness: We compassed Mount Seir many days, Deu 2:1. Nearly thirty-eight years they wandered in the deserts of Seir; probably in some of their rests they staid several years, and never stirred; God by this not only chastised them for their murmuring and unbelief, but, 1. Prepared them for Canaan, by humbling them for sin, teaching them to mortify their lusts, to follow God, and to comfort themselves in him. It is a work of time to make souls meet for heaven, and it must be done by a long train of exercises. 2. He prepared the Canaanites for destruction. All this time the measure of their iniquity was filling up; and, though it might have been improved by them as a space to repent in, it was abused by them to the hardening of their hearts. Now that the host of Israel was once repulsed, and after that was so long entangled and seemingly lost in the wilderness, they were secure, and thought the danger was over from that quarter, which would make the next attempt of Israel upon them the more dreadful.

II. Orders given them to turn towards Canaan. Though God contend long, he will not contend for ever. Though Israel may be long kept waiting for deliverance or enlargement, it will come at last: The vision is for an appointed time, and at the end it shall speak, and not lie.

III. A charge given them not to annoy the Edomites.

1. They must not offer any hostility to them as enemies: Meddle not with them, Deu 2:4, Deu 2:5. (1.) They must not improve the advantage they had against them, by the fright they would be put into upon Israel's approach: "They shall be afraid of you, knowing your strength and numbers, and the power of God engaged for you; but think not that, because their fears make them an easy prey, you may therefore prey upon them; no, take heed to yourselves." There is need of great caution and a strict government of our own spirits, to keep ourselves from injuring those against whom we have an advantage. Or this caution is given to the princes; they must not only not meddle with the Edomites themselves, but not permit any of the soldiers to meddle with them. (2.) They must not avenge upon the Edomites the affront they gave them in refusing them passage through their country, Num 20:21. Thus, before God brought Israel to destroy their enemies in Canaan, he taught them to forgive their enemies in Edom. (3.) They must not expect to have any part of their land given them for a possession: Mount Seir was already settled upon the Edomites, and they must not, under pretence of God's covenant and conduct, think to seize for themselves all they could lay hands on. Dominion is not founded in grace. God's Israel shall be well placed, but must not expect to be placed alone in the midst of the earth, Isa 5:8.

2. They must trade with them as neighbours, buy meat and water of them, and pay for what they bought, Deu 2:6. Religion must never be made a cloak for injustice. The reason given (Deu 2:7), is, "God hath blessed thee, and hitherto thou hast lacked nothing; and therefore," (1.) "Thou needest not beg; scorn to be beholden to Edomites, when thou hast a God all-sufficient to depend upon. Thou hast wherewithal to pay for what thou callest for (thanks to the divine blessing!); use therefore what thou hast, use it cheerfully, and do not sponge upon the Edomites." (2.) "Therefore thou must not steal. Thou hast experienced the care of the divine providence concerning thee, in confidence of which for the future, and in a firm belief of its sufficiency, never use any indirect methods for thy supply. Live by the faith and not by thy sword."

Cross-references: Deut 2:1 · Deut 2:4 · Deut 2:5 · Num 20:21 · Isa 5:8 · Deut 2:6 · Deut 2:7

Hebrew interlinear

H6437

פָּנָהpânâh/paw-naw'/

v — turn, face, appear, look

Derivation: a primitive root;

to turn; by implication, to face, i.e. appear, look, etc.

KJV: appear, at (even-) tide, behold, cast out, come on, × corner, dawning, empty, go away, lie, look, mark, pass away, prepare, regard, (have) respect (to), (re-) turn (aside, away, back, face, self), × right (early).

פָּנָה

vb — turn

פָּנָה 135 vb. turn

Qal 117

1.

a. turn toward

b. turn from

c. turn and do a thing

d. turn, decline

e. turn toward, approach

2.

a. turn and look, look

b. of inanimate things, face

c. esp. fig. look at, regard

d. look for = expect

e. fig. look at = consider

Hiph.

1. turn

2. make a turn, shew (signs of) turning

Hoph. be ye turned back!

H5265

נָסַעnâçaʻ/naw-sah'/

v — pull, start

Derivation: a primitive root;

properly, to pull up, especially the tent-pins, i.e. start on a journey

KJV: cause to blow, bring, get, (make to) go (away, forth, forward, onward, out), (take) journey, march, remove, set aside (forward), × still, be on his (go their) way.

נָסַע

vb — pull out

נָסַע 147 vb. pull out or up, set out, journey

Qal 137

1. pull out or up

2. hence (from pulling up tent-pegs),

a. set out

b. depart

3. journey, march (by stages)

4. of wind

Niph. be pulled up, removed

Hiph.

1. cause to set out, lead out

2. remove

H4057

מִדְבָּרmidbâr/mid-bawr'/

n-m — pasture, desert, speech

Derivation: from 1696 in the sense of driving;

a pasture (i.e. open field, whither cattle are driven); by implication, a desert; also speech (including its organs)

KJV: desert, south, speech, wilderness.

מִדְבָּר

n.m — mouth

[מִדְבָּר] n.m. mouth, as organ of speech, Ct 4:3

מִדְבָר

n.m — wilderness

מִדְבָר 270 n.m. wilderness

1. tracts of land, used for the pasturage of flocks and herds

2. uninhabited land

3. large tracts of such land bearing various names, in certain districts of which there might be towns and cities

4. fig.

H1870

דֶּרֶךְderek/deh'-rek/

n-m — road, trodden, course, mode

Derivation: from 1869;

a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb

KJV: along, away, because of, by, conversation, custom, (east-) ward, journey, manner, passenger, through, toward, (high-) (path-) way(-side), whither(-soever).

דֶּ֫רֶךְ

n.m — way

דֶּ֫רֶךְ 715 n.m. way, road, distance, journey, manner

1. way, road, path

2. journey

3. of direction, almost or quite = toward

4. way, manner

5. fig. of course of life, or action, undertakings

6.

a. of moral action and character

b. of duty

c. specif.: in good sense

d. oftener in bad sense

e. way of י׳

H3220

יָםyâm/yawm/

n-m — sea, large body of water, Mediterranean Sea, large river, artifical basin, west, south

Derivation: from an unused root meaning to roar;

a sea (as breaking in noisy surf) or large body of water; specifically (with the article), the Mediterranean Sea; sometimes a large river, or an artifical basin; locally, the west, or (rarely) the south

KJV: sea (× -faring man, (-shore)), south, west (-ern, side, -ward).

יָם

n.m — sea

יָם 390 n.m. sea

H5488

סוּףçûwph/soof/

n-m — reed, papyrus

Derivation: probably of Egyptian origin;

a reed, especially the papyrus

KJV: flag, Red (sea), weed. Compare 5489.

סוּף

n.m — reeds

סוּף n.m. reeds, rushes

1. rushes, in Nile

2. Red Sea

H834

אֲשֶׁרʼăsher/ash-er'/

r — who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

Derivation: a primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number);

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.

KJV: × after, × alike, as (soon as), because, × every, for, + forasmuch, + from whence, + how(-soever), × if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), × though, + until, + whatsoever, when, where (+ -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, + whither(-soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun expletively, used to show the connection.

אֲשֶׁר

part. of relation — who

אֲשֶׁר part. of relation A sign of relation, bringing the clause introduced by it into relation with an antecedent clause.

בַאֲשֶׁר

adv — in which

בַאֲשֶׁר

a. in (that) which

b. adv. in (the place) where

c. conj. in that, inasmuch as

d. on account of whom?

כַּאֲשֶׁר

conj — according as

כַּאֲשֶׁר conj. according as, as, when

1. according to that which, according as, as

2. with a causal force, in so far as, since

3. with a temporal force, when

מֵאֲשֶׁר

adv — who

מֵאֲשֶׁר

a. from (or than) that which

b. adv. from (the place) where

c. conj. from (the fact) that …, since

H1696

דָבַרdâbar/daw-bar'/

v — arrange, speak, subdue

Derivation: a primitive root;

perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue

KJV: answer, appoint, bid, command, commune, declare, destroy, give, name, promise, pronounce, rehearse, say, speak, be spokesman, subdue, talk, teach, tell, think, use (entreaties), utter, × well, × work.

דָבַר

vb — speak

[דָבַר] 1142 vb. speak (original mng. dub.)

Qal speak

Niph. reciprocal sense, speak with one another, talk

Pi. speak

Pu. in the day when she may be spoken for

Hithp. speaking this word

Hiph. either leads subject, or puts to flight, fig. for subdues

H3068

יְהֹוָהYᵉhôvâh/yeh-ho-vaw'/

n-pr — Existent, Jeho-vah

Derivation: from 1961;

(the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jeho-vah, Jewish national name of God

KJV: Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.

יהוה

n.pr.dei — God

יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)

I. יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb

II.

1. יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D

2. the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy

3. יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh

H413

אֵלʼêl/ale/

prep — near, with, among, to

Derivation: (but only used in the shortened constructive form אֶל ); a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e.

near, with or among; often in general, to

KJV: about, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, × hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).

אֶל

prep — motion to

אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph), prep. denoting motion to or direction towards (whether physical or mental).

1. of motion to or unto a person or place

2. Where the limit is actually entered, into

3. Of direction towards anything

4. Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

5. Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

6. Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

7. Of rule or standard according to (rare)

8. Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

9. Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

H5437

סָבַבçâbab/saw-bab'/

v — revolve, surround, border

Derivation: a primitive root;

to revolve, surround, or border; used in various applications, literally and figuratively

KJV: bring, cast, fetch, lead, make, walk, × whirl, × round about, be about on every side, apply, avoid, beset (about), besiege, bring again, carry (about), change, cause to come about, × circuit, (fetch a) compass (about, round), drive, environ, × on every side, beset (close, come, compass, go, stand) round about, inclose, remove, return, set, sit down, turn (self) (about, aside, away, back).

סָבַב

vb — turn about

סָבַב vb. turn about, go around, surround

Qal

1. turn, intrans.

2.

a. march, or walk, around

b. go partly round, circle, skirt

c. make a round, or circuit, go about to

d. surround, encompass

Niph.

1.

a. turn oneself against, close round upon

b. turn round (from a direct course)

c. esp. of boundary: turn round from, toward

2. pass. be turned over to, into the power of

Pi. to change, transform, the aspect of the matter

Po‛.

1. encompass (with protection)

2. come about, assemble round

3. march or go about

4. enclose, envelop

Hiph.

1.

a. turn (trans.), cause to turn

b. bring over (i.e. to allegiance)

c. turn into, of changing name

d. = bring round, of changing name

2.

a. cause to go around

b. surround with (acc.) wall

c. perh. also encompass (as foe)

Hoph.

1. be turned, of cart wheel

2. surrounded, i.e. set, of jewels

H853

אֵתʼêth/ayth/

prt — self, even, namely

Derivation: apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of entity;

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

KJV: [as such unrepresented in English].

אֵת

mark of the accusative

אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

H2022

הַרhar/har/

n-m — mountain, range

Derivation: a shortened form of 2042;

a mountain or range of hills (sometimes used figuratively)

KJV: hill (country), mount(-ain), × promotion.

הַר

n.m — mountain

הַר 568 n.m. mountain, hill, hill-country

1. mountain, hill

2. hill-country, mountain-region

H8165

שֵׂעִירSêʻîyr/say-eer'/

n-pr — Seir

Derivation: formed like 8163; rough;

Seir, a mountain of Idumaea and its aboriginal occupants, also one in Palestine

KJV: Seir.

שֵׂעִיר

n.pr — Seir

שֵׂעִיר n.pr. Sē‛ir

1.

a. terr. land of Edom, S. of Dead Sea

b. specif. mont. E. of Arabah

c. gent. = Edom

d. personif. as m.

2. mont. in Judah

H3117

יוֹםyôwm/yome/

n-m — day

Derivation: from an unused root meaning to be hot;

a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)

KJV: age, always, chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), elder, × end, evening, (for) ever(-lasting, -more), × full, life, as (so) long as (... live), (even) now, old, outlived, perpetually, presently, remaineth, × required, season, × since, space, then, (process of) time, as at other times, in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), × whole ( age), (full) year(-ly), younger.

יוֹם

n.m — day

יוֹם 2285 n.m. day

1. day, opp. night

2. Day as division of time

3. יוֹם י׳ day of Yahweh, chiefly as time of his coming in judgment, involving often blessedness for righteous

4. Pl. days of anyone

5. Days

6. יוֹם = time

7. Phrases

H7227

רַבrab/rab/

a n-m — abundant

Derivation: by contracted from 7231;

abundant (in quantity, size, age, number, rank, quality)

KJV: (in) abound(-undance, -ant, -antly), captain, elder, enough, exceedingly, full, great(-ly, man, one), increase, long (enough, (time)), (do, have) many(-ifold, things, a time), (ship-)master, mighty, more, (too, very) much, multiply(-tude), officer, often(-times), plenteous, populous, prince, process (of time), suffice(-lent).

רַב

n.m — chief

רַב 49 n.m. chief

רַב

adj — much

רַב 429 adj. much, many, great

1. (oft. opp. מְעַט)

a.

(1). much: of substances

(2). esp. of collectives, numerous

b. pl. many

c. רַב as subst. coll. pers.

d. cstr. = abounding in

e. מִן comp. = more numerous than

f. רַב = abundant, enough

g. as adv. much, exceedingly

2. less oft. great

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