Bible Strands
Deuteronomy 2:26
So from the Wilderness of Kedemoth I sent messengers with an offer of peace to Sihon king of Heshbon, saying,
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Moses addresses the Israelite assembly, recounting how Israel approached Sihon, king of Heshbon, from the Wilderness of Kedemoth immediately after God promised to instill dread in surrounding nations (Deuteronomy 2:25). The moment captures the final diplomatic step before potential military engagement.
The words — The Hebrew verb וָ/אֶשְׁלַ֤ח (va./'esh.Lach) translates as "and I sent," directly governing מַלְאָכִים֙ (mal.'a.Khim), "messengers," identifying the dispatched envoys.
The thread — Kedemoth reappears in Joshua 13:18 as a eastern border marker, while the act of sending peace-oriented messages parallels the directives in Luke 10:5 and Luke 10:10 regarding greetings and responses to unwelcoming hosts.
Why it lands — The text states that Israel formally requested safe passage through foreign territory before hostilities began. Readers must distinguish the historical diplomatic request from later theological applications of peace greetings, noting how each context defines the terms of engagement.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And I sent messengers out of the wilderness of Kedemoth unto Sihon king of Heshbon with words of peace, saying,
Cross-references
- Joshua 13:18 Jahaz, Kedemoth, Mephaath,
- Luke 10:5 Whatever house you enter, begin by saying, ‘Peace to this house.’
- Luke 10:10 But if you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go into the streets and declare,
- Deuteronomy 20:10 When you approach a city to fight against it, you are to make an offer of peace.
- Joshua 21:37 Kedemoth, and Mephaath—four cities, together with their pasturelands.
- Matthew 10:12 As you enter the home, greet its occupants.
- Esther 9:30 And Mordecai sent letters with words of peace and truth to all the Jews in the 127 provinces of the kingdom of Xerxes,