God guides Israel through the wilderness and begins the conquest

2:1 Then we turned and set out toward the desert land on the way to the Red Sea just as the Lord told me to do, detouring around Mount Seir for a long time. 2:2 At this point the Lord said to me, 2:3 “You have circled around this mountain long enough; now turn north. 2:4 Instruct these people as follows: ‘You are about to cross the border of your relatives the descendants of Esau, who inhabit Seir. They will be afraid of you, so watch yourselves carefully. 2:5 Do not be hostile toward them, because I am not giving you any of their land, not even a footprint, for I have given Mount Seir as an inheritance for Esau. 2:6 You may purchase food to eat and water to drink from them. 2:7 All along the way I, the Lord your God, have blessed your every effort. I have been attentive to your travels through this great wasteland. These forty years I have been with you; you have lacked for nothing.’” 2:8 So we turned away from our relatives the descendants of Esau, the inhabitants of Seir, turning from the desert route, from Elat and Ezion Geber, and traveling the way of the Moab wastelands. 2:9 Then the Lord said to me, “Do not harass Moab and provoke them to war, for I will not give you any of their land as your territory. This is because I have given Ar to the descendants of Lot as their possession. 2:10 (The Emites used to live there, a people as powerful, numerous, and tall as the Anakites. 2:11 These people, as well as the Anakites, are also considered Rephaites; the Moabites call them Emites. 2:12 Previously the Horites lived in Seir but the descendants of Esau dispossessed and destroyed them and settled in their place, just as Israel did to the land it came to possess, the land the Lord gave them.) 2:13 Now, get up and cross the Wadi Zered.” So we did so. 2:14 Now the length of time it took for us to go from Kadesh Barnea to the crossing of Wadi Zered was thirty-eight years, time for all the military men of that generation to die, just as the Lord had vowed to them. 2:15 Indeed, it was the very hand of the Lord that eliminated them from within the camp until they were all gone. 2:16 So it was that after all the military men had been eliminated from the community, 2:17 the Lord said to me, 2:18 “Today you are going to cross the border of Moab, that is, of Ar. 2:19 But when you come close to the Ammonites, do not harass or provoke them because I am not giving you any of the Ammonites’ land as your possession; I have already given it to Lot’s descendants as their possession. 2:20 (That also is considered to be a land of the Rephaites. The Rephaites lived there originally; the Ammonites call them Zamzummites. 2:21 They are a people as powerful, numerous, and tall as the Anakites. But the Lord destroyed the Rephaites in advance of the Ammonites, so they dispossessed them and settled down in their place. 2:22 This is exactly what he did for the descendants of Esau who lived in Seir when he destroyed the Horites before them so that they could dispossess them and settle in their area to this very day. 2:23 As for the Avvites who lived in settlements as far west as Gaza, Caphtorites who came from Crete destroyed them and settled down in their place.) 2:24 Get up, make your way across Wadi Arnon. Look! I have already delivered over to you Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land. Go ahead! Take it! Engage him in war! 2:25 This very day I will begin to fill all the people of the earth with dread and to terrify them when they hear about you. They will shiver and shake in anticipation of your approach.” Defeat of Sihon, King of Heshbon

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Israel turns north after a long delay in the wilderness. The Lord tells them not to attack Edom, Moab, or Ammon, because those lands were assigned to others. He also reminds Israel that he has cared for them for forty years. After the judged generation dies, the Lord commands Israel to cross the Arnon and take Sihon’s land, because he has already handed Sihon over to them.

Moses tells the people that their long wandering was not meaningless. The Lord directed their steps. He told them when to turn, where to stop, and whom not to fight. Israel was not allowed to seize land simply because they could. Edom, Moab, and Ammon had their own assigned territories. Israel could buy food and water from Edom, but they must not be hostile.

The Lord also reminds Israel of his care. For forty years he had been with them, and they lacked nothing. The delay in the wilderness was also judgment. The older fighting men of that generation died, just as the Lord had said. This was his hand at work.

When that judgment was complete, the Lord gave a new command. Israel was to cross the border and confront Sihon, king of Heshbon. The battle would not begin with uncertainty. The Lord had already delivered Sihon into Israel’s hand. The passage shows both restraint and confidence: restraint where God forbids, and bold action where God commands.

• The Lord directs Israel’s travel and timing.
• Israel’s wilderness delay was under God’s rule, not random.
• God forbids Israel from attacking Edom, Moab, and Ammon.
• Those lands are described as allotted by God to other peoples.
• The Lord reminds Israel that he cared for them for forty years.
• The judged generation dies in the wilderness as the Lord said.
• After judgment is complete, God commands Israel to move forward.
• Sihon is already delivered over before the battle begins.

• Do not be hostile toward Edom.
• Do not harass or provoke Moab.
• Do not harass or provoke the Ammonites.
• You may purchase food and water from Edom.
• Cross the border when the Lord says to cross.
• Take the land God has delivered to you.
• Engage Sihon in war.
• The Lord will begin to put dread and terror on the nations.

God is carrying forward his promise to bring Israel into the land, but he does so by judgment, restraint, and his own timing. He disciplines unbelief in the wilderness, sustains his people through the delay, and then opens the way for conquest when the old generation is gone.

God’s people should learn to wait for his timing. Delay does not mean abandonment. The Lord can sustain his people for a long time. They should also learn restraint. Not every open door should be taken, and not every desire is lawful. When God forbids, they must stop. When God commands, they should go forward in faith.

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