_MOSES RELATES TO THE ISRAELITES HOW GOD COMMANDED THEM TO SPARE THE EDOMITES, MOABITES, AND AMMONITES; AND HOW THEY CONQUERED SIHON, KING OF THE AMORITES, AND TOOK HIS CITIES._ _Before Christ 1451._... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 1. _AND WE COMPASSED MOUNT SEIR_— The meaning is, they spent near thirty-eight years in the encampments and slow marches made in the wilderness, which lies round the south and west borders of the country of Edom, into which they had not hitherto entered, ver. 4. By _mount Seir_ is meant the m... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 7. _FOR THE LORD THY GOD HATH BLESSED THEE_— People who had such proofs of the care of an immediate providence over them, as the Jews had, would have been extremely culpable if, contrary to the orders of God, they had had recourse to violence to procure them such things as they wanted. They c... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 9. _I HAVE GIVEN AR UNTO THE CHILDREN OF LOT_— _Ar,_ the capital of Moab, is here put for the whole country. Though the Moabites were now a wicked people; yet, for the sake of their pious ancestor, God would not have them dispossessed. Respecting the _Emims,_ &c. mentioned in the following ve... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 12. _AS ISRAEL DID UNTO THE LAND OF HIS POSSESSION_— Some would render this, _as Israel_ shall do _unto the land of his possession;_ but there seems to be no necessity for this alteration, as the sacred writer seems manifestly to refer to the conquest already made by the Israelites. The meani... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 20. _ZAMZUMMIMS_— Supposed to be the same with those called _Zuzims._ Genesis 14:5.... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 23. _AND THE AVIMS, WHICH DWELT IN HAZERIM,_ &C.— The Avims are mentioned, Judges 13:3 as the ancient inhabitants of Palestine: _Hazerim_ is no where else read of. Calmet supposes it to be the same place with _Hazeroth,_ Numbers 33:17. But _Azza,_ or _Gaza,_ is well known, being one of the ci... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 25. _UPON THE NATIONS THAT ARE UNDER THE WHOLE HEAVEN_— i.e. Upon such nations under the whole heaven as shall hear of thee. See Joshua 2:10.... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 26. _KEDEMOTH_— This was a city in that tract situated on the north side of the river Arnon, which fell to the lot of the Reubenites, Joshua 13:18. It gave name to _the wilderness_ here mentioned.... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 29. (_AS THE CHILDREN OF ESAU WHICH DWELL IN SEIR, AND THE MOABITES WHICH DWELT IN AR, DID UNTO ME_)— There are great difficulties attending this verse; it being certain, that the Edomites and Moabites granted not, but refused, the Israelites a passage through their country. Therefore some co... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 30. _HARDENED HIS SPIRIT_— See Exodus 9:34.... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 37. _ONLY UNTO THE LAND OF THE CHILDREN OF AMMON THOU CAMEST NOT_— That is, into no part of the country which was then in their possession. See ver. 19. _The river Jabbok_ was the border of the children of Ammon. Dr. Beaumont observes, that though the Moabites and Ammonites were thus spared b... [ Continue Reading ]