Moses, in this chapter, proceeds in the
rehearsal of God's providences concerning Israel in their way to Canaan, yet
preserves not the record of any thing that happened during their tedious
march back to the Red Sea, in which they wore out almost thirty-eight years,
but passes that over in silence as a dark time, and makes his narrative to
begin again when they faced about towards Canaan (ver. 1-3), and drew
towards the countries that were inhabited, concerning which God here gives
them direction, I. What nations they must not give any disturbance to. 1.
Not to the Edomites, ver. 4-8. 2. Not to the Moabites (ver. 9), of the
antiquities of whose country, with that of the Edomites, he gives some
account, ver. 10-12. And here comes in an account of their passing the river
Zered, ver. 13-16. 3. Not to the Ammonites, of whose country here is some
account given, ver. 17-23. II. What nations they should attack and conquer.
They must begin with Sihon, king of the Amorites, ver. 24, 25. And
accordingly, 1. They had a fair occasion of quarrelling with him, ver.
26-32. 2. God gave them a complete victory over him, ver. 33, &c.
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The
Seed of Esau and Lot Spared.
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B. C. 1451.
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1 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. 2 And the
LORD
spake unto me, saying, 3 Ye have compassed this mountain long
enough: turn you northward. 4 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: 5 Meddle not with them;
for I will not give you of their land, no, not so much as a foot breadth;
because I have given mount Seir unto Esau for a possession.
6 Ye shall buy meat of them for money, that ye may eat; and ye shall also
buy water of them for money, that ye may drink. 7 For the LORD thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand: he
knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness: these forty years the LORD
thy God hath been with thee; thou hast lacked nothing.
Here is, I. A
short account of the long stay of Israel in the wilderness: We compassed
Mount Seir many days, v. 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, v.
4, 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. xx. 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. v. 8.
2. They must
trade with them as neighbours, buy meat and water of them, and pay for what
they bought, v. 6. Religion must never be made a cloak for injustice.
The reason given (v. 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."
8 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. 9 And the LORD said unto me, Distress not the
Moabites, neither contend with them in battle: for I will not give thee of
their land for a possession; because I have given Ar unto the
children of Lot for a possession. 10 The Emims dwelt
therein in times past, a people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims;
11 Which also were accounted giants, as the Anakims; but the Moabites call
them Emims. 12 The Horims also dwelt in Seir beforetime; but the
children of Esau succeeded them, when they had destroyed them from before
them, and dwelt in their stead; as Israel did unto the land of his
possession, which the LORD
gave unto them. 13 Now rise up, said I, and get you over
the brook Zered. And we went over the brook Zered. 14 And the
space in which we came from Kadesh-barnea, until we were come over the brook
Zered, was thirty and eight years; until all the generation of the
men of war were wasted out from among the host, as the LORD sware unto them. 15 For indeed the hand of the LORD
was against them, to destroy them from among the host, until they were
consumed. 16 So it came to pass, when all the men of war were
consumed and dead from among the people, 17 That the LORD spake unto me, saying,
18 Thou art to pass over through Ar, the coast of Moab, this day:
19 And when thou comest nigh over against the children of Ammon,
distress them not, nor meddle with them: for I will not give thee of the
land of the children of Ammon any possession; because I have given it
unto the children of Lot for a possession. 20 (That also
was accounted a land of giants: giants dwelt therein in old time; and the
Ammonites call them Zamzummims; 21 A people great, and many, and
tall, as the Anakims; but the LORD destroyed them before them; and they succeeded them, and
dwelt in their stead: 22 As he did to the children of Esau,
which dwelt in Seir, when he destroyed the Horims from before them; and they
succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead even unto this day: 23
And the Avims which dwelt in Hazerim, even unto Azzah, the Caphtorims,
which came forth out of Caphtor, destroyed them, and dwelt in their stead.)
It is observable
here that Moses, speaking of the Edomites (v. 8), calls them, "our
brethren, the children of Esau." Though they had been unkind to
Israel, in refusing them a peaceable passage through their country, yet he
calls them brethren. For, though our relations fail in their duty to us, we
must retain a sense of the relation, and not be wanting in our duty to them,
as there is occasion. Now in these verses we have,
I. The account
which Moses gives of the origin of the nations of which he had here occasion
to speak, the Moabites, Edomites, and Ammonites. We know very well, from
other parts of his history, whose posterity they were; but here he tells us
how they came to those countries in which Israel found them; they were not
the aborigines, or first planters. But, 1. The Moabites dwelt in a
country which had belonged to a numerous race of giants, called Emim
(that is, terrible ones), as tall as the Anakim, and perhaps more
fierce, v. 10, 11. 2. The Edomites in like manner dispossessed the
Horim from Mount Seir, and took their country (v. 12. and again v.
22), of which we read, Gen. xxxvi. 20. 3. The Ammonites likewise got
possession of a country that had formerly been inhabited by giants, called Zamzummim,
crafty men, or wicked men (v. 20, 21), probably the same
that are called Zuzim, Gen. xiv. 5. He illustrates these remarks by
an instance older than any of these; the Caphtorim (who were akin to the
Philistines, Gen. x. 14) drove the Avim out of their country, and took
possession of it, v. 23. The learned bishop Patrick supposes these
Avites, being expelled hence, to have settled in Assyria, and to be the same
people we read of under that name, 2 Kings xvii. 31. Now these revolutions
are recorded, (1.) To show how soon the world was peopled after the flood,
so well peopled that, when a family grew numerous, they could not find a
place to settle in, at least in that part of the world, but they must drive
out those that were already settled. (2.) To show that the race is not to
the swift, nor the battle to the strong. Giants were expelled by those of
ordinary stature; for probably these giants, like those before the flood
(Gen. vi. 4), were notorious for impiety and oppression, which brought the
judgments of God upon them, against which their great strength would be on
defence. (3.) To show what uncertain things worldly possessions are, and how
often they change their owners; it was so of old, and ever will be so.
Families decline, and from them estates are transferred to families that
increase; so little constancy or continuance is there in these things. (4.)
To encourage the children of Israel, who were now going to take possession
of Canaan, against the difficulties they would meet with, and to show the
unbelief of those that were afraid of the sons of Anak, to whom the giants,
here said to be conquered, are compared, v. 11, 21. If the providence
of God had done this for the Moabites and Ammonites, much more would his
promise do it for Israel his peculiar people.
II. The advances
which Israel made towards Canaan. They passed by the way of the
wilderness of Moab (v. 8), and then went over the brook or vale
of Zered (v. 13), and there Moses takes notice of the fulfilling of
the word which God had spoken concerning them, that none of those that were
numbered at Mount Sinai should see the land that God had promised, Num. xiv.
23. According to that sentence, now that they began to set their faces
towards Canaan, and to have it in their eye, notice is taken of their being
all destroyed and consumed, and not a man of them left, v. 14. Common
providence, we may observe, in about thirty-eight years, ordinarily raises a
new generation, so that in that time few remain of the old one; but here it
was entirely new, and none at all remained but Caleb and Joshua: for
indeed the hand of the Lord was against them, v. 15. Those cannot
but waste, until they were consumed, who have the hand of God against them.
Observe, Israel is not called to engage with the Canaanites till all the men
of war, the veteran regiments, that had been used to hardship, and had
learned the art of war from the Egyptians, were consumed and dead from
among the people (v. 16), that the conquest of Canaan, being
effected by a host of new-raised men, trained up in a wilderness, the
excellency of the power might the more plainly appear to be of God and
not of men.
III. The caution
given them not to meddle with the Moabites or Ammonites, whom they must not
disseize, nor so much as disturb in their possessions: Distress them not,
nor contend with them, v. 9. Though the Moabites aimed to ruin
Israel (Num. xxii. 6), yet Israel must not aim to ruin them. If others
design us a mischief, this will not justify us in designing them a mischief.
But why must not the Moabites and Ammonites be meddled with? 1. Because they
were the children of Lot (v. 9, 19), righteous Lot, who kept
his integrity in Sodom. Note, Children often fare the better in this world
for the piety of their ancestors: the seed of the upright, though they
degenerate, yet are blessed with temporal good things. 2. Because the land
they were possessed of was what God had given them, and he did not design it
for Israel. Even wicked men have a right to their worldly possessions, and
must not be wronged. The tares are allowed their place in the field, and
must not be rooted out until the harvest. God gives and preserves outward
blessings to wicked men, to show that these are not the best things, but he
has better in store for his own children.
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History of the Moabites.
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B. C. 1451.
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24 Rise ye up, take your journey, and
pass over the river Arnon: behold, I have given into thine hand Sihon the
Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land: begin to possess it, and
contend with him in battle. 25 This day will I begin to put the
dread of thee and the fear of thee upon the nations that are under
the whole heaven, who shall hear report of thee, and shall tremble, and be
in anguish because of thee. 26 And I sent messengers out of the
wilderness of Kedemoth unto Sihon king of Heshbon with words of peace,
saying, 27 Let me pass through thy land: I will go along by the
high way, I will neither turn unto the right hand nor to the left.
28 Thou shalt sell me meat for money, that I may eat; and give me water for
money, that I may drink: only I will pass through on my feet; 29
(As the children of Esau which dwell in Seir, and the Moabites which dwell
in Ar, did unto me;) until I shall pass over Jordan into the land which the
LORD our God giveth us. 30 But Sihon king of Heshbon
would not let us pass by him: for the LORD thy God hardened his spirit, and
made his heart obstinate, that he might deliver him into thy hand, as appeareth
this day. 31 And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have
begun to give Sihon and his land before thee: begin to possess, that thou
mayest inherit his land. 32 Then Sihon came out against us, he
and all his people, to fight at Jahaz. 33 And the LORD
our God delivered him before us; and we smote him, and his sons, and all his
people. 34 And we took all his cities at that time, and utterly
destroyed the men, and the women, and the little ones, of every city, we
left none to remain: 35 Only the cattle we took for a prey unto
ourselves, and the spoil of the cities which we took. 36 From
Aroer, which is by the brink of the river of Arnon, and from
the city that is by the river, even unto Gilead, there was not one
city too strong for us: the LORD
our God delivered all unto us: 37 Only unto the land of the
children of Ammon thou camest not, nor unto any place of the river
Jabbok, nor unto the cities in the mountains, nor unto whatsoever the LORD
our God forbad us.
God having tried
the self-denial of his people in forbidding them to meddle with the Moabites
and Ammonites, and they having quietly passed by those rich countries, and,
though superior in number, not made any attack upon them, here he
recompenses them for their obedience by giving them possession of the
country of Sihon king of the Amorites. If we forbear what God forbids, we
shall receive what he promises, and shall be no losers at last by our
obedience, though it may seem for the present to be to our loss. Wrong not
others, and God shall right thee.
I. God gives them
commission to seize upon the country of Sihon king of Heshbon, v. 24,
25. This was then God's way of disposing of kingdoms, but such particular
grants are not now either to be expected or pretended. In this commission
observe, 1. Though God assured them that the land should be their own, yet
they must bestir themselves, and contend in battle with the enemy. What God
gives we must endeavour to get. 2. God promises that when they fight he will
fight for them. Do you begin to possess it, and I will begin to put the
dread of you upon them. God would dispirit the enemy and so destroy
them, would magnify Israel and so terrify all those against whom they were
commissioned. See Exod. xv. 14.
II. Moses sends
to Sihon a message of peace, and only begs a passage through his land, with
a promise to give his country no disturbance, but the advantage of trading
for ready money with so great a body, v. 26-29. Moses herein did
neither disobey God, who bade him contend with Sihon, nor dissemble with
Sihon; but doubtless it was by divine direction that he did it, that Sihon
might be left inexcusable, though God hardened his heart. This may
illustrate the method of God's dealing with those to whom he gives his
gospel, but does not give grace to believe it.
III. Sihon began
the war (v. 32), God having made his heart obstinate, and
hidden from his eyes the thing that belonged to his peace (v. 30),
that he might deliver him into the hand of Israel. Those that meddle with
the people of God meddle to their own hurt; and God sometimes ruins his
enemies by their own resolves. See Mic. iv. 11-13; Rev. xvi. 14.
IV. Israel was
victorious. 1. They put all the Amorites to the sword, men, women, and
children (v. 33, 34); this they did as the executioners of God's
wrath; now the measure of the Amorites' iniquity was full (Gen. xv. 16), and
the longer it was in the filling the sorer was the reckoning at last. This
was one of the devoted nations. They died, not as Israel's enemies, but as
sacrifices to divine justice, in the offering of which sacrifices Israel was
employed, as a kingdom of priests. The case being therefore extraordinary,
it ought not to be drawn into a precedent for military executions, which
make no distinction and give no quarter: those will have judgment without
mercy that show no mercy. 2. They took possession of all they had; their
cities (v. 34), their goods (v. 35), and their land, v.
36. The wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just. What a new world did
Israel now come into! Most of them were born, and had lived all their days,
in a vast howling wilderness, where they knew not what either fields or
cities were, had no houses to dwell in, and neither sowed nor reaped; and
now of a sudden to become masters of a country so well built, so well
husbanded, this made them amends for their long waiting, and yet it was but
the earnest of a great deal more. Much more joyful will the change be which
holy souls will experience when they remove out of the wilderness of this
world to the better country, that is, the heavenly, to the city that has
foundations.
