Bible Strands
Deuteronomy 2:8
So we passed by our brothers, the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir. We turned away from the Arabah road, which comes up from Elath and Ezion-geber, and traveled along the road of the Wilderness of Moab.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Moses addresses the Israelite assembly on the plains of Moab, recounting the camp’s movement during the fortieth year of the wilderness wanderings. The narrative occurs as the people approach the border of the Promised Land after crossing the Red Sea region.
The words — The text records וַנַּעֲבֹר (va.na'avor), literally "and we passed by," and אַחֵינוּ (achienu), "our brothers," to describe the route past Esau’s descendants dwelling in Seir. It also uses מִדֶּרֶךְ (miderekh), "the way of," to specify the Arabah road from Elath and Ezion-geber and the Wilderness of Moab route.
The thread — The bypass of Edom and Moab echoes the earlier route in Judges 11:18 and anticipates the later political and maritime significance of Elath and Ezion-geber in 1 Kings 9:26 and 2 Kings 16:6. These references trace how the wilderness path intersects with later territorial claims and royal activity.
Why it lands — The verse requires the reader to acknowledge that the journey proceeds along designated roads without provoking neighboring peoples. It demands attention to the boundary between divine provision and territorial restraint as the camp moves toward Moab.
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 when we passed by from our brethren the children of Esau, which dwelt in Seir, through the way of the plain from Elath, and from Ezion–gaber, we turned and passed by the way of the wilderness of Moab.
Cross-references
- 1 Kings 9:26 King Solomon also assembled a fleet of ships at Ezion-geber, which is near Eloth in Edom, on the shore of the Red Sea.
- Judges 11:18 Then Israel traveled through the wilderness and bypassed the lands of Edom and Moab. They came to the east side of the land of Moab and camped on the other side of the Arnon. But they did not enter the territory of Moab, since the Arnon was its border.
- 2 Kings 16:6 At that time Rezin king of Aram recovered Elath for Aram, drove out the men of Judah, and sent the Edomites into Elath, where they live to this day.
- 2 Kings 14:22 Azariah was the one who rebuilt Elath and restored it to Judah after King Amaziah rested with his fathers.
- Numbers 20:20 But Edom insisted, “You may not pass through.” And they came out to confront the Israelites with a large army and a strong hand.
- Numbers 33:35 They set out from Abronah and camped at Ezion-geber.
- Deuteronomy 1:1 These are the words that Moses spoke to all Israel in the wilderness east of the Jordan—in the Arabah opposite Suph—between Paran and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Dizahab.