Numbers 20:14-21

Expanded Bible

Edom Will Not Let Israel Pass

¹⁴ From Kadesh, Moses sent messengers to the king of Edom. He said, “Your brothers, the Israelites, say to you: You know about all the ·troubles [hardship] we have had, ¹⁵ how our ·ancestors [fathers] went down into Egypt and we lived there for many years. The people of Egypt ·were cruel to [oppressed] us and our ·ancestors [fathers], ¹⁶ but when we cried out to the Lord, he heard ·us [^Lour voice] and sent us an ·angel [messenger] to bring us out of Egypt.

“Now we are here at Kadesh, a town on the edge of your ·land [boundaries]. ¹⁷ Please let us pass through your country. We will not ·touch [pass through] any fields of grain or vineyards, and will not drink water from the wells. We will travel only along the ·king’s road [King’s Highway; ^Ca north-south international highway], not turning right or left until we have passed through your ·country [boundaries].”

¹⁸ But the king of Edom answered: “You may not pass through here. If you try, I will come and meet you with swords.”

¹⁹ The ·Israelites [^Lsons/^Tchildren of Israel] answered: “We will go along the ·main road [highway], and if we or our animals drink any of your water, we will pay for it. We only want to walk through. That’s all.”

²⁰ But he answered: “You may not pass through here.”

Then the Edomites went out to meet the Israelites with a large and powerful army. ²¹ The Edomites refused to let them pass through their ·country [boundaries], so the Israelites turned back.