Study Desk

From Kadesh Moses then sent messengers to the king of Edom to say, "This is what your brother Israel has said: 'You know all the hardship that has overtaken us;

And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh unto the king of Edom, Thus saith thy brother Israel, Thou knowest all the travail that hath befallen us:

that our fathers went down to Egypt, and we stayed in Egypt a long time, and the Egyptians treated us and our fathers badly.

How our fathers went down into Egypt, and we have dwelt in Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians vexed us, and our fathers:

'But when we cried out to the LORD, He heard our voice and sent an angel, and brought us out from Egypt; now behold, we are at Kadesh, a town on the edge of your territory.

And when we cried unto the Lord , he heard our voice, and sent an angel, and hath brought us forth out of Egypt: and, behold, we are in Kadesh, a city in the uttermost of thy border:

'Please let us pass through your land. We will not pass through field or vineyard; we will not even drink water from a well. We will go along the king's road, not turning to the right or left, until we pass through your territory.'"

Let us pass, I pray thee, through thy country: we will not pass through the fields, or through the vineyards, neither will we drink of the water of the wells: we will go by the king's high way, we will not turn to the right hand nor to the left, until we have passed thy borders.

Edom, however, said to him, "You shall not pass through us, or I will come out with the sword against you."

And Edom said unto him, Thou shalt not pass by me, lest I come out against thee with the sword.

Again, the sons of Israel said to him, "We will go up by the road, and if I and my livestock do drink any of your water, then I will pay its price. Let me only pass through on my feet, nothing more."

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 anything else, go through on my feet.

But he said, "You shall not pass through." And Edom came out against him with a heavy force and a strong hand.

And he said, Thou shalt not go through. And Edom came out against him with much people, and with a strong hand.

So Edom refused to allow Israel to pass through his territory; then Israel turned away from him.

Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border: wherefore Israel turned away from him.