DEU 2

Deuteronomy 2:4

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.

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:

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

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

H5971

עַםʻam/am/

n-m — people, tribe, troops, attendants, flock

Derivation: from 6004;

a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock

KJV: folk, men, nation, people.

עַם

n.[m.] — kinsman

[עַם] n.[m.] kinsman (on father's side)

עַם

n.m — people

עַם, עָם 1810 n.m. people

1. a people, nation

2. = smaller units

3. = common people

4. people in gen., persons

5. phrases

H6680

צָוָהtsâvâh/tsaw-vaw'/

v — constitute, enjoin

Derivation: a primitive root;

(intensively) to constitute, enjoin

KJV: appoint, (for-) bid, (give a) charge, (give a, give in, send with) command(-er, -ment), send a messenger, put, (set) in order.

צָוָה

vb — lay charge

[צָוָה] 485 vb. Pi. lay charge (upon), give charge (to), charge, command, order

H559

אָמַרʼâmar/aw-mar'/

v — say

Derivation: a primitive root;

to say (used with great latitude)

KJV: answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, × desire, determine, × expressly, × indeed, × intend, name, × plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), × still, × suppose, talk, tell, term, × that is, × think, use (speech), utter, × verily, × yet.

אָמַר

vb — utter

אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say

Qal

1. Say

2. Say in the heart (= think)

3. Promise

4. Command (esp. late)

Niph. be said, told

Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

Hithp. act proudly, boast

H859

אַתָּהʼattâh/at-taw'/

p — thou, thee, ye, you

Derivation: or (shortened); אַתָּ; or אַת; feminine (irregular) sometimes אַתִּי; plural masculine אַתֶּם; feminine אַתֶּן; or אַתֵּנָה; or אַתֵּנָּה; a primitive pronoun of the second person;

thou and thee, or (plural) ye and you

KJV: thee, thou, ye, you.

אַתְּ

pron. 2 s. f — thou

אַתְּ, אָ֑תְּ pron. 2 s. f. thou (fem.)

אַתָּ֫ה

pron. 2 s. m — thou

אַתָּ֫ה, אָ֑תָּה pron. 2 s. m. thou

אתי

thou

אתי, i.e. אתִּי, the older & more original form of אַתְּ thou (fem.)

אַתֶּם

pron. 2 m. pl — you

אַתֶּם pron. 2 m. pl. you (masc.)

אַתֵּן

pron. 2 f. pl — you

אַתֵּן pron. 2 f. pl. you (fem.)

H5674

עָבַרʻâbar/aw-bar'/

v — cross, transition, cover

Derivation: a primitive root;

to cross over; used very widely of any transition (literal or figurative; transitive, intransitive, intensive, causative); specifically, to cover (in copulation)

KJV: alienate, alter, × at all, beyond, bring (over, through), carry over, (over-) come (on, over), conduct (over), convey over, current, deliver, do away, enter, escape, fail, gender, get over, (make) go (away, beyond, by, forth, his way, in, on, over, through), have away (more), lay, meddle, overrun, make partition, (cause to, give, make to, over) pass(-age, along, away, beyond, by, -enger, on, out, over, through), (cause to, make) proclaim(-amation), perish, provoke to anger, put away, rage, raiser of taxes, remove, send over, set apart, shave, cause to (make) sound, × speedily, × sweet smelling, take (away), (make to) transgress(-or), translate, turn away, (way-) faring man, be wrath.

עָבַר

vb — pass over

עָבַר 648 vb. pass over, through, by, pass on

Qal

1. pass over

2. Pass beyond

3. Pass through, traverse

4.

a. pass along by

b. pass by

c. sweep by, of scourge

d. be past, over, of time

e. pass along (from hand to hand)

5. Pass on, go on

6. Pass away

Niph. Impf. a stream which cannot be forded

Pi.

1. his bull impregnateth

a. cause one to cross river

b. cause something to pass over

c. make over to

d. devote children to (לְ) heathen god

e. pass along (from hand to hand)

2.

a. cause to pass through

b. let pass through

3.

a. cause to pass by

b. let pass by

c. cause arrow to pass beyond

d. cause to pass under rod, for counting

4. cause to pass away, take away

Hiph.

1. cause to pass over, bring over

2. he made to pass across with chains of gold

עָבַר

vb. denom — be arrogant

[עָבַר] vb. denom. Hithp. be arrogant, infuriate oneself

H1366

גְּבוּלgᵉbûwl/gheb-ool'/

n-m — cord, twisted, boundary, territory

Derivation: or גְּבֻל; (shortened) from 1379;

properly, a cord (as twisted), i.e. (by implication) a boundary; by extension the territory inclosed

KJV: border, bound, coast, × great, landmark, limit, quarter, space.

גְּבוּל

n.m — border

גְּבוּל 240 n.m. border, boundary, territory

1. border, boundary

2. territory (enclosed within boundary)

H251

אָחʼâch/awkh/

n-m — brother

Derivation: a primitive word;

a brother (used in the widest sense of literal relationship and metaphorical affinity or resemblance [like 1])

KJV: another, brother(-ly); kindred, like, other. Compare also the proper names beginning with 'Ah-' or 'Ahi-'.

אָח

n.m — brother

אָח 630 n.m. brother

1. brother, born of same mother (& father)

2. indef. = relative

3. fig. of resemblance

4. in phr. one … another

H1121

בֵּןbên/bane/

n-m — son

Derivation: from 1129;

a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)

KJV: afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ( ) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, (young) bullock, (young) calf, × came up in, child, colt, × common, × corn, daughter, × of first, firstborn, foal, very fruitful, postage, × in, kid, lamb, ( ) man, meet, mighty, nephew, old, ( ) people, rebel, robber, × servant born, × soldier, son, spark, steward, stranger, × surely, them of, tumultuous one, valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.

בֵּן

n.m — son

בֵּן 4870 n.m. son

1. son, male child, born of a woman

2. children (male and female)

3. youth, young men

4. the young of animals

5. of plant shoots

6. fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows

7.

a. member of a guild, order or class

b. of animals son of (the) herd

8. ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.

9. n. relat. of age

בְּנוֹ

n.pr.m — his son

בְּנוֹ 1 Ch 24:26, 27 as n.pr.m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son, cf. VB & Be Öt.

H6215

עֵשָׂוʻÊsâv/ay-sawv'/

n-pr-m — Esav

Derivation: apparently a form of the passive participle of 6213 in the original sense of handling; rough (i.e. sensibly felt);

Esav, a son of Isaac, including his posterity

KJV: Esau.

עֵשָׂו

n.pr.m — Esau

עֵשָׂו 97 n.pr.m. Esau

H3427

יָשַׁבyâshab/yaw-shab'/

v — sit, dwell, remain, settle, marry

Derivation: a primitive root;

properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry

KJV: (make to) abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease self, endure, establish, × fail, habitation, haunt, (make to) inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, × marry(-ing), (bring again to) place, remain, return, seat, set(-tle), (down-) sit(-down, still, -ting down, -ting (place) -uate), take, tarry.

יָשַׁב

vb — sit

יָשַׁב 1090 vb. sit, remain, dwell

Qal

1.

a. sit

b. sit, sit down

c. sit down

d. sit = be set (as a jewel)

2.

a. remain, stay, tarry

b. with special emphasis of qualifying phr.

3. dwell, have one’s abode

4. of a land or city, sit, abide, seated in its place, fig. for be inhabited

Niph. be inhabited, of land

Pi. and they shall set their encampments in thee

Hiph.

1. cause to sit

2. cause to abide

3.

a. cause to dwell

b. cause cities to be inhabited

4. marry (prop. give a dwelling to)

Hoph. and ye be made to dwell alone in the midst of the land

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

H3372

יָרֵאyârêʼ/yaw-ray'/

v — fear, revere, frighten

Derivation: a primitive root;

to fear; morally to revere; causatively to frighten

KJV: affright, be (make) afraid, dread(-ful), (put in) fear(-ful, -fully, -ing), (be had in) reverence(-end), × see, terrible (act, -ness, thing).

יָרֵא

vb — fear

יָרֵא vb. fear

Qal

1. fear, be afraid

2. stand in awe of

3. fear, reverence, honour

Niph.

1. be fearful, dreadful

2. cause astonishment and awe

3. inspire reverence, godly fear, and awe

Piel. make afraid, terrify

H4480

מִןmin/min/

prep — part, from, out of

Derivation: or מִנִּי; or מִנֵּי; (constructive plural) (Isaiah 30:11); for 4482;

properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses

KJV: above, after, among, at, because of, by (reason of), from (among), in, × neither, × nor, (out) of, over, since, × then, through, × whether, with.

מִן־

prep — out of

מִן־, and מִ, before יְ, prep. expressing the idea of separation, hence out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not

1. with verbs expressing (or implying) separation or removal

a. from, against

b. מן also, without a verb of similar significance, sometimes expresses the idea of separation, away from, far from

c. of position, off, on the side of, on

2. Out of, Gk. ἐκ, Lat. ex

3. Partitively

4. Of time

a. as marking the terminus a quo, the anterior limit of a continuous period from, since

b. as marking the period immediately succeeding the limit after

c. towards, to

5. (וְעַד) עַדמִן from … even to

6. In comparisons, beyond, above

7. מן is prefixed to an infin.:

a. with causal force, from, on account of, through

b. after verbs implying restraint, prevention, cessation, etc.

c. with a temporal force, since, after

8. Once as a conj. before a finite verb. that

9. In compounds:

מֵן

n. [m.] — portion

[מֵן] n. [m.] portion

H8104

שָׁמַרshâmar/shaw-mar'/

v — hedge, guard, protect, attend to

Derivation: a primitive root;

properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard; generally, to protect, attend to, etc.

KJV: beward, be circumspect, take heed (to self), keep(-er, self), mark, look narrowly, observe, preserve, regard, reserve, save (self), sure, (that lay) wait (for), watch(-man).

שָׁמַר

vb — keep

שָׁמַר 465 vb. keep, watch, preserve

Qal 425

1.

a. keep, have charge of

b. keep, guard, captives

c. hence, watch for, wait for

d. watch, observe

2.

a. keep, retain, of storing up (food)

b. keep within bounds, restrain

3.

a. observe, celebrate

b. keep sabbath

c. of other obligations

d. observe = follow dictates of (prudence, justice, kindness, wisdom)

4. sts. י׳ subj.

5. keep, reserve, weeks of harvest

Niph. 36

1. be on one's guard

2. keep oneself, refrain, abstain

3. be kept, guarded

Pi. those paying regard to false vanities

Hithp. I kept myself from

H3966

מְאֹדmᵉʼôd/meh-ode'/

a — vehemence, vehemently, wholly, speedily

Derivation: from the same as 181;

properly, vehemence, i.e. (with or without preposition) vehemently; by implication, wholly, speedily, etc. (often with other words as an intensive or superlative; especially when repeated)

KJV: diligently, especially, exceeding(-ly), far, fast, good, great(-ly), × louder and louder, might(-ily, -y), (so) much, quickly, (so) sore, utterly, very ( much, sore), well.

מְאֹד

n.m — muchness

מְאֹד n.m. muchness, force, abundance, exceedingly

1. force, might

2. in diff. idioms (298 t.) to express the idea of exceedingly, greatly, very (whether of magnitude or degree)

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