_A.M. 2553. B.C. 1451._ Their march from Kadesh-barnea, Deuteronomy 2:1. A charge not to trouble the Edomites, Deuteronomy 2:4. Nor the Moabites, Deuteronomy 2:9. (They pass the river Zered, Deuteronomy 2:13.) Nor the Ammonites, Deuteronomy 2:17. A command to attack Sihon, Deuteronomy 2:24. The con... [ Continue Reading ]
_We compassed mount Seir_ The mountainous part of Edom, or Idumea. _Many days_ Even for thirty-eight years, which time they spent in tedious marches to and fro through that desert country, reaching from Kadesh to the Red sea, and in various encampments, till that race of murmurers was quite extinct,... [ Continue Reading ]
_Buy meat of them for money_ For though the manna did yet rain upon them, they were not forbidden to buy other meats when they had opportunity, but only were forbidden greedily to hunger after them when they could not obtain them. _Buy water_ For water in those parts was scarce, and therefore privat... [ Continue Reading ]
_The Lord hath blessed thee_ By God's blessing thou art able to buy thy conveniences, and therefore thy theft and rapine will be inexcusable, because without any pretence of necessity. _He knoweth_ Hebrew, _He hath known;_ that is, observed, or regarded with care and kindness, which that word often... [ Continue Reading ]
_We turned_ From our direct road, which lay through Edom. _Ar_ The chief city of the Moabites, here put for the whole country which depended upon it. _The children of Lot_ So called to signify that this preservation was not for their sakes, for they were a wicked people, but for Lot's sake, whose me... [ Continue Reading ]
_The Emims_ Men terrible for stature and strength, as their very name imports, whose expulsion by the Moabites is here noted as a great encouragement to the Israelites, for whose sake he would much more drive out the wicked and accursed Canaanites. _Which the Lord gave _ The past tense is here put... [ Continue Reading ]
_When all the men of war were consumed_ Israel is not called to march against and attack the Canaanites till the men most fit for war, and who probably had learned the art of it in Egypt, and had been used to hardship, were _all wasted and dead from among the people_, and only a host of new raised m... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the Avims which dwelt in Hazerim_ This is another instance of God's disposal of countries unto what people he pleases. The Avims are mentioned Joshua 13:3, as the ancient inhabitants of Palestine. _The Caphtorims_ A people akin to, or a branch of, the Philistines, so called, probably, from thei... [ Continue Reading ]
_Upon the nations that are under the whole heaven_ That is, upon as many as shall hear of these conquests, for to such the following words restrain the sentence; especially upon the Canaanites, whose courage would droop at the news of such an absolute victory gained so near them, Joshua 2:10.... [ Continue Reading ]
_I sent messengers unto Sihon_ To show the prince of the Amorites that we were not aggressors, and offered no violence, and that, if he refused to grant us a passage through his land, his destruction would be of himself. _Kedemoth was a city of that tract_ which fell to the lot of the Reubenites.... [ Continue Reading ]
_On my feet_ Or, _with my company who are on foot_, which is added significantly, because, if their army had consisted as much of horsemen as many other armies did, their passage through this land might have been more mischievous and dangerous.... [ Continue Reading ]
_As the children of Esau did_ They did permit them to pass quietly by the borders, though not through the heart of their land, and in their passage the people sold them meat and drink, being, it seems, more kind to them than their king would have had them; and therefore they here ascribe this favour... [ Continue Reading ]
_Utterly destroyed_ By God's command, these being a part of those people who were devoted by the Lord of life and death to utter destruction for their abominable wickedness.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Of Jabbok_ That is, beyond Jabbok; for that was the border of the Ammonites.... [ Continue Reading ]