Deuteronomy 2:1-37 - G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

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Bible Comments

Continuing his discourse, Moses reviewed the second movement from Kadesh\-barnea to Heshbon. The notes which characterized the description of the first period are found also in this review of the second period. All that Moses told them they knew as to the actual facts of the long and tedious road they had traveled in the weary years which were now drawing to a close. The great burden of his message to them was emphasizing the fact of how even amidst such sorrowful and severe discipline they had still been thought of and guided by God. The turning back to the wilderness was under the divine command, and therefore through all the tiresome way God was still with them and they had lacked nothing (verses Deuteronomy 2:3; Deuteronomy 2:3).

Now once more at His command they were approaching the land. With this ending of the discipline God gave them the first manifestation of the power which they had called in question forty years before, in that He placed the fear of them and the dread of them on the peoples of the land.

This great truth that God never forsakes His people, even when they are bearing the chastisements He imposes as the result of their unbelief, is full of comfort for the hearts of His people for all time.

Deu 3:1-29

Still continuing his review, Moses dealt with the third movement from Heshbon to Beth\-peor. In doing so he continued to emphasize the fact that the power of God had been clearly manifest throughout. He reminded them that they had taken all the cities against which they had been commissioned to go. In doing so and in referring to these cities he used the words which declared that they were "fenced with high walls, gates, and bars."

It is interesting to remember that when the majority report of the spies was given long before, they had declared that the cities were "fenced and very great" Numbers 13:28). The report, therefore, was so far correct. Moses now showed them how through their first victorious movement against such cities, the mistake of the fear which had characterized them in the past was made manifest.

There is a touch of pathos in the way which Moses referred to his own emotion at this manifestation of power and his desire to go over and possess the land. Whereas this was denied him, the punishment was mingled with a tender mercy in that he was permitted to know that his successor would actually lead the people in. There can be no doubt that the supreme desire of Moses was a desire for the accomplishment of the divine purpose.

Related Commentaries of Deuteronomy 2:1

Deuteronomy 2:1-37

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 givea 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.

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 Eziongaber, we turned and passed by the way of the wilderness of Moab.

9 And the LORD said unto me, Distressb 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 succeededc 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 brookd Zered. And we went over the brook Zered.

14 And the space in which we came from Kadeshbarnea, until we were come over the brooke 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;f

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.)

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: beging 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,h 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.