Numbers 20:19

_AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL SAID UNTO HIM, WE WILL GO BY THE HIGH WAY: AND IF I AND MY CATTLE DRINK OF THY WATER, THEN I WILL PAY FOR IT: I WILL ONLY, WITHOUT DOING ANY THING ELSE, GO THROUGH ON MY FEET._ If ... drink of thy water ... pay for it. From the scarcity of water in the warm climates of the East, the practice of levying a tax for the use of the wells is universal; and the jealousy of the natives in guarding the collected treasures of rain is often so great that water cannot be procured for money....

19._And the children of Israel said unto him. _It is doubtful whether or not the ambassadors were sent a second time, in order to remove all unjust suspicions, and to appease the ferocity (of the Edomites.) It is probable, however, that we have the relation of what was done in one and the same expedition. The sum is, that the Israelites tried every means, in order that a free and unmolested passage might be accorded them by the Edomites: whence their repulse might appear the more harsh and intolerable. But God, by this test, would prove the obedience of His people. As regards the Edomites, although by rashly taking up arms they would have drawn upon themselves just destruction, still God spared them for a time; not by freely pardoning them, but by deferring their punishment, as He is wont to do, until its due season....

14-21 The nearest way to Canaan from the place where Israel encamped, was through the country of Edom. The ambassadors who were sent returned with a denial. The Edomites feared to receive damage by the Israelites. And had this numerous army been under any other discipline than that of the righteous God himself, there might have been cause for this jealousy. But Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing; and now the hatred revived, when the blessing was about to be inherited. We must not think it strange, if reasonable requests be denied by unreasonable men, and if those whom God favours be affronted by men....

EXPOSITION THE LAST MARCH: FROM KADESH TO HOR (Numbers 20:1). NUMBERS 20:1 THEN CAME THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, EVEN THE WHOLE CONGREGATION. The latter words are emphatic here and in Numbers 20:22, and seem intended to mark the period of reassembly after the dispersion of nearly thirty eight years. Probably a portion of the tribes had visited Kadesh many times during those years, and perhaps it had never been wholly abandoned. INTO THE DESERT OF ZIN, _i.e; _if the western site be maintained for Kadesh, the Wady Murreh. See th

AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL SAID UNTO HIM,.... The messengers sent by the children of Israel made answer to the king of Edom: WE WILL GO BY THE HIGHWAY; we desire no other favour but that of the public road; we propose not to go through any part of the country that is enclosed and cultivated, to do any damage to it: IF I AND MY CATTLE DRINK OF THY WATER, THEN I WILL PAY FOR IT; as it was usual, and still is, to buy water in those countries near the Red sea, where it is scarce. We are told d, that at Suess, a city on the extremity of the Red sea, there is no water nearer than six or seven hours journey towards the north east, which is brought from thence on camels; and a small vessel of it is sold for three or four medinas, and a larger vessel for eight or ten, according to the demand for it; a medina is an Egyptian piece of money, worth about three halfpence of our English money: I wil...

10. AT KADESH IN THE FORTIETH YEAR: MURMURING AND CONQUEST CHAPTER 20 _ 1. The death of Miriam (Numbers 20:1)_ 2. The murmuring of the people (Numbers 20:2) 3. The divine instruction (Numbers 20:6) 4. Moses' and Aaron's failure (Numbers 20:9) 5. Edom's refusal (Numbers 20:14) 6. The death of Aaron (Numbers 20:23) Between the nineteenth and twentieth chapter lies the unrecorded period of almost 38 years, th

ISRAELS ABORTIVE APPEAL TO EDOM (JE). Israel's desire to cross Edom was due to the wish to attack Canaan on the E. instead of on the S., where they had met with defeat (Numbers 14:45). As Kadesh was W. of Edom, the encompassing of the country (Numbers 21:4) involved a march from Kadesh to the SE. NUMBERS 20:16. BORDER: The term here means territory (_cf. Numbers 22:36_). Numbers 20:19. without. else: better, it is no great matter (of annoyance)....

WITHOUT DOING ANY THING ELSE. Hebrew "without. word": i.e. without [saying]. word. Figure of speech _Ellipsis._ App-6....

_Permission to pass through Edom refused_. The Edomites occupied territory to the south of the Dead Sea, westward as far as Kadesh (Numbers 20:16) and southward as far as the eastern arm of the Red Sea (Numbers 21:4). The Israelites having failed long before to enter Canaan from the south, did not attempt it again (see, however, n. on Numbers 21:1-3), but proposed to enter it from the east. And if they could pass straight through Edom, their route would be greatly shortened. Edom's refusal forced them to work round the south of the hostile country, and then northwards along its eastern border....

WITHOUT DOING ANY THING ELSE— The Hebrew is _only, not a word:_ to which the different versions give different senses. The meaning seems to be, "It is not a mere promise, or verbal declaration; but we will perform what we say." Houbigant renders it, _Nulla erit concertatio; there shall be no contest, no dispute._ In which, says he, I partly follow the Vulgate; for it is very uncertain what this phrase means. The following expression, _I will only go through, on my feet,_ signifies, _I will only pass through, I will make what haste I can in passing: Je ne serai que passer._...