Deuteronomy 2:4

Deuteronomy 2:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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:
• New International Version (NIV)Give the people these orders: ‘You are about to pass through the territory of your relatives the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir. They will be afraid of you, but be very careful.
• English Standard Version (ESV)and command the people, "You are about to pass through the territory of your brothers, the people of Esau, who live in Seir; and they will be afraid of you. So be very careful.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And command the people, saying, “You are about to pass through the territory of your brethren, the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir; and they will be afraid of you. Therefore watch yourselves carefully.

Context of Deuteronomy 2:4

2And the Lord spoke to me, saying, 3‘You have circled this mountain long enough; turn northward, and command the people, saying, “You are passing through the territory of your brothers the sons of Esau (the Edomites), who live in Seir; and they will be afraid of you. So be very careful; 5do not provoke them, for I will not give you any of their land, not even as little as a footstep, because I have given Mount Seir to Esau as a possession. 6You shall buy food from them with money so that you may [have something to] eat, and you shall also buy water from them with money so that you may [have something to] drink.

Deuteronomy 2:4 word by word

וְאֶת־הָעָם֮ צַ֣ו לֵאמֹר֒ אַתֶּ֣ם עֹֽבְרִ֗ים בִּגְבוּל֙ אֲחֵיכֶ֣ם בְּנֵי־עֵשָׂ֔ו הַיֹּשְׁבִ֖ים בְּשֵׂעִ֑יר וְיִֽירְא֣וּ מִכֶּ֔ם וְנִשְׁמַרְתֶּ֖ם מְאֹֽד׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And commandצָוָהtsâvâh · to commandH6680
• thou the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• to passעָבַר‛âbar · to passH5674
• through the coastגְּבוּלgebûl gebûl · border: areaH1366
• of your brethrenאָח'âch · brother: compatriotH251
• the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
• of Esauעֵשָׂו‛êώâv · EsauH6215
• which dwellיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
• in Seirשֵׂעִירώê‛îyr · SeirH8165
• and they shall be afraidיָרֵאyârê' · to fearH3372
• of you: take ye goodמְאֹדme'ôd · muchH3966
• heedשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: carefulH8104

Cross-references for Deuteronomy 2:4

• Deuteronomy 23:7“You shall not detest an Edomite, for he is your brother [Esau’s descendant]. You shall not detest an Egyptian, because you were a stranger (resident alien, foreigner) in his land.
• Numbers 20:14Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom: “Thus says your brother Israel, ‘You know all the hardship that has come upon us [as a nation];
• Obadiah 1:10“Because of the violence you did against your brother Jacob, Shame shall cover you [completely], And you shall be cut off forever.
• Exodus 15:15Then the [tribal] chiefs of Edom were dismayed and horrified; The [mighty] leaders of Moab, trembling grips them; All the inhabitants of Canaan have melted away [in despair]—
• Numbers 22:3So Moab was terrified because of the people, for they were numerous. Moab was overcome with fear because of the sons of Israel.
• Numbers 24:14And now, look, I am going to my people; come, I will advise you as to what this people [Israel] will do to your people [Moab] in the days to come.”
• Matthew 5:16Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good deeds and moral excellence, and [recognize and honor and] glorify your Father who is in heaven.
• Luke 12:15Then He said to them, “Watch out and guard yourselves against every form of greed; for not even when one has an overflowing abundance does his life consist of nor is it derived from his possessions.”
• Ephesians 5:15Therefore see that you walk carefully [living life with honor, purpose, and courage; shunning those who tolerate and enable evil], not as the unwise, but as wise [sensible, intelligent, discerning people],
• Philippians 2:15so that you may prove yourselves to be blameless and guileless, innocent and uncontaminated, children of God without blemish in the midst of a [morally] crooked and [spiritually] perverted generation, among whom you are seen as bright lights [beacons shining out clearly] in the world [of darkness],
• Colossians 4:5Conduct yourself with wisdom in your interactions with outsiders (non-believers), make the most of each opportunity [treating it as something precious].

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 2:4

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Compare the marginal reference. Though the Edomites resisted the passage through the midst of their land, they did not, and probably could not, oppose the “passing through the coast” or along their eastern frontier.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2-25Numbers 21:10–20 covers the same time period.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. the children of Esau, which dwell in Seir ... shall be afraid of you--The same people who had haughtily repelled the approach of the Israelites from the western frontier were alarmed now that they had come round upon the weak side of their country.Read the comment

Topics related to Deuteronomy 2:4

• Edomites
• Seir

In the dictionaries

• Esau
• Seir
• Seir, sons of Seir, Mount Seir, mountains of Seir, land of Seir
• Contend
• Distress
• Exodus
• Geber
• Deuteronomy
• Good
• Papyrus

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings