Deuteronômio 2

BLIVRE · Chapter 2/34

1E voltamos, e partimo-nos ao deserto caminho do mar Vermelho, como o SENHOR me havia dito; e rodeamos o monte de Seir por muitos dias.

2E o SENHOR me falou, dizendo:

3Demais rodeastes este monte; voltai-vos ao norte.

4E manda ao povo, dizendo: Passando vós pelo termo de vossos irmãos os filhos de Esaú, que habitam em Seir, eles terão medo de vós; mas vós guardai-vos muito:

5Não vos metais com eles; que não vos darei de sua terra nem ainda a pisadura da planta de um pé; porque eu dei por herança a Esaú o monte de Seir.

6Comprareis deles por dinheiro os alimentos, e comereis; e também comprareis deles a água, e bebereis:

7Pois o SENHOR teu Deus te abençoou em toda obra de tuas mãos: ele sabe que andas por este grande deserto: estes quarenta anos o SENHOR teu Deus foi contigo; e nenhuma coisa te faltou.

8E passamos por nossos irmãos os filhos de Esaú, que habitavam em Seir, pelo caminho da planície de Elate e de Eziom-Geber. E voltamos, e passamos caminho do deserto de Moabe.

9E o SENHOR me disse: Não perturbeis a Moabe, nem te empenhes com eles em guerra, que não te darei possessão de sua terra; porque eu dei a Ar por herança aos filhos de Ló.

10(Os emins habitaram nela antes, povo grande, e numeroso, e alto como gigantes:

11Por gigantes eram eles também contados, como os anaquins; e os moabitas os chamam emins.

12E em Seir habitaram antes os horeus, aos quais os filhos de Esaú expulsaram; e os destruíram de diante de si, e moraram em lugar deles; como fez Israel na terra de sua possessão que lhes deu o SENHOR.)

13Levantai-vos agora, e passai o ribeiro de Zerede. E passamos o ribeiro de Zerede.

14E os dias que andamos de Cades-Barneia até que passamos o ribeiro de Zerede, foram trinta e oito anos; até que se acabou toda a geração dos homens de guerra do meio do acampamento, como o SENHOR lhes havia jurado.

15E também a mão do SENHOR foi sobre eles para destruí-los do meio do campo, até acabá-los.

16E aconteceu que quando se acabaram de morrer todos os homens de guerra dentre o povo,

17O SENHOR me falou, dizendo:

18Tu passarás hoje o termo de Moabe, a Ar,

19E te aproximarás diante dos filhos de Amom: não os perturbeis, nem te metas com eles; porque não te tenho de dar possessão da terra dos filhos de Amom; que aos filhos de Ló a dei por herança.

20(Por terra de gigantes foi também ela tida: habitaram nela gigantes em outro tempo, aos quais os amonitas chamavam zanzumins;

21Povo grande, e numeroso, e alto, como os anaquins; aos quais o SENHOR destruiu de diante dos amonitas, os quais lhes sucederam, e habitaram em seu lugar:

22Como fez com os filhos de Esaú, que habitavam em Seir, de diante dos quais destruiu aos horeus; e eles lhes sucederam, e habitaram em seu lugar até hoje.

23E aos aveus que habitavam em vilas até Gaza, os caftoreus que saíram de Caftor os destruíram, e habitaram em seu lugar.)

24Levantai-vos, parti, e passai o ribeiro de Arnom: eis que dei em tua mão a Seom rei de Hesbom, amorreu, e a sua terra: começa a tomar possessão, e empenha-te com ele em guerra.

25Hoje começarei a pôr teu medo e teu espanto sobre os povos debaixo de todo o céu, os quais ouvirão tua fama, e tremerão, e se angustiarão diante de ti.

26E enviei mensageiros desde o deserto de Quedemote a Seom rei de Hesbom, com palavras de paz, dizendo:

27Passarei por tua terra pelo caminho: pelo caminho irei, sem apartar-me à direita nem à esquerda:

28A comida me venderás por dinheiro e comerei: a água também me darás por dinheiro, e beberei: somente passarei a pé;

29Como o fizeram comigo os filhos de Esaú que habitavam em Seir, e os moabitas que habitavam em Ar; até que passe o Jordão à terra que nos dá o SENHOR nosso Deus.

30Mas Seom rei de Hesbom não quis que passássemos pelo território seu; porque o SENHOR teu Deus havia endurecido seu espírito, e obstinado seu coração para entregá-lo em tua mão, como hoje.

31E disse-me o SENHOR: Eis que eu comecei a dar diante de ti a Seom e a sua terra; começa a tomar possessão, para que herdes sua terra.

32E saiu-nos Seom ao encontro, ele e todo seu povo, para lutar em Jaza.

33Mas o SENHOR nosso Deus o entregou diante de nós; e ferimos a ele e a seus filhos, e a todo seu povo.

34E tomamos então todas suas cidades, e destruímos todas as cidades, homens, e mulheres, e crianças; não deixamos ninguém:

35Somente tomamos para nós os animais, e os despojos das cidades que havíamos tomado.

36Desde Aroer, que está junto à beira do ribeiro de Arnom, e a cidade que está no ribeiro, até Gileade, não houve cidade que escapasse de nós: todas as entregou o SENHOR nosso Deus em nosso poder.

37Somente à terra dos filhos de Amom não chegaste, nem a tudo o que está à beira do ribeiro de Jaboque nem às cidades do monte, nem a lugar algum que o SENHOR nosso Deus havia proibido.

📖 Chapter study

Summary

Moses recalls how Israel passed peacefully through the territories of Edom, Moab, and Ammon (Israel's distant relatives) without war, but then defeated Sihon, king of the Amorites, taking his land by God's command.

Explanation

This chapter reveals an interesting principle of biblical international policy: God instructs Israel to respect the lands of related peoples (descendants of Lot and Esau) even though Israel had the military power to seize them, showing that the conquest of the promised land was not unlimited territorial conquest, but the fulfillment of a specific, bounded purpose. Sihon's refusal to allow peaceful passage, despite Israel's respectful request, is presented as the rightful trigger for the war that followed — Israel did not seek the conflict but responded to a direct provocation. The application for today: having clarity about the limits of what God calls a person or community to pursue guards against both excessive passivity and unchecked ambition beyond one's genuine purpose.

Fun facts

  • The reference to the 'Emim' and 'Rephaim' as ancient giant inhabitants of Moab and Ammon (vv. 10-11, 20-21) links this passage to the same category of peoples mentioned in Genesis 14:5, suggesting a shared historical memory of pre-Israelite populations of great stature in the region.
  • The iron bedstead of King Og of Bashan, mentioned in chapter 3 but historically tied to this context, measuring about 4 meters (roughly 13 feet) in length, is often cited as textual evidence for the tradition that he belonged to a lineage of great physical stature.

Verse-by-verse explanation

  1. Deuteronômio 2:1After the defeat in the previous chapter, the people finally obey and turn back toward the wilderness, toward the Red Sea, circling the hill country of Seir for a long time.
  2. Deuteronômio 2:2A simple introduction to a new word from God to Moses, marking the start of a new stage of the wilderness journey.
  3. Deuteronômio 2:3After so long circling the same mountain, the order comes to change direction: head north.
  4. Deuteronômio 2:4God has Moses warn the people that they are about to pass near the territory of the Edomites, descendants of Esau — distant relatives of Israel, since Esau was Jacob’s brother.
  5. Deuteronômio 2:5The order is clear: not even a foot of Edom’s land may be taken, because God had already given that region as an inheritance to Esau’s descendants.
  6. Deuteronômio 2:6Passing through Edom, Israel was to buy food and water instead of plundering — a sign of respect for the territory of a related people.
  7. Deuteronômio 2:7Moses recalls that, despite the hardship, God blessed the people’s work and took care of them through all forty years, so that nothing essential was ever lacking.
  8. Deuteronômio 2:8The people continue on, going around the territory of Edom, coming from the region of Elath and Ezion-geber, now heading toward the wilderness of Moab.
  9. Deuteronômio 2:9Just as He did with Edom, God also forbids attacking Moab, because that land had been given to the descendants of Lot, Abraham’s nephew.
  10. Deuteronômio 2:10The Emims, the Horites, and the Anakims appear here as peoples of giants who already lived in those lands before being driven out by other neighboring peoples, such as the Moabites and Edomites. The text is showing that the conquest of Canaan is not a one-of-a-kind case: other peoples also defeated giants and took land before Israel did.
  11. Deuteronômio 2:11This ancient people, the Emims, were seen as belonging to the same giant lineage as the Anakims — except the Moabites used another name to call them.
  12. Deuteronômio 2:12The text notes that the Edomites did to the Horites the very thing Israel was about to do in Canaan: drive out the people who already lived there and take their place.
  13. Deuteronômio 2:13The order to cross the brook Zered marks another concrete step of the journey, carried out without drama by the people.
  14. Deuteronômio 2:14The text does the math: thirty-eight years passed between Kadesh-barnea and this crossing — enough time for the entire generation of rebellious warriors to die, exactly as God had sworn.
  15. Deuteronômio 2:15The death of that generation in the wilderness is not treated as chance: the text attributes the removal of the rebels from the camp directly to the hand of God.
  16. Deuteronômio 2:16As soon as the last of the warriors of that generation dies, the narrative signals that a new phase, with new people, can begin.
  17. Deuteronômio 2:17Another introduction of a direct word from God to Moses, setting up the next instruction about the path to follow.
  18. Deuteronômio 2:18God points out the next stretch of the route: crossing the region of Ar, within the territory of Moab.
  19. Deuteronômio 2:19The same ban on attacking also applies to the Ammonites, another people descended from Lot, whose land likewise would not be given to Israel.
  20. Deuteronômio 2:20A parenthetical note explains that the land of the Ammonites had also once been the land of giants, the Zamzummims, before they were driven out.
  21. Deuteronômio 2:21It describes this giant people as great, many, and tall, destroyed by God to make room for the Ammonites — the same historical pattern repeated across several neighboring regions.
  22. Deuteronômio 2:22The text draws a direct comparison: just as the Edomites took the place of the Horites, the Ammonites took the place of the giants who had lived there before.
  23. Deuteronômio 2:23One more example of the same pattern: the Caphtorims, coming from Caphtor, drove out the Avims and occupied the region as far as Gaza — showing that peoples replacing peoples through conquest was common in that world.
  24. Deuteronômio 2:24The turning point arrives: unlike Edom, Moab, and Ammon, the order now is to attack Sihon, the Amorite king of Heshbon, because this land, unlike the others, had indeed been handed over to Israel.
  25. Deuteronômio 2:25God promises that, from then on, the fear of Israel will spread among the neighboring peoples, who will tremble just at the news of them.
  26. Deuteronômio 2:26Before attacking, Moses tries the peaceful route first: he sends messengers to Sihon asking for safe passage through his territory.
  27. Deuteronômio 2:27Moses’ request is modest: only to pass along the main road, without turning aside or invading anything off the path.
  28. Deuteronômio 2:28Israel offers to pay for food and water during the passage, asking only for the right to cross on foot.
  29. Deuteronômio 2:29Moses recalls that the Edomites and the Moabites had already allowed this same simple passage, so the request to Sihon was nothing unusual.
  30. Deuteronômio 2:30God hardens Sihon’s heart the same way He did with Pharaoh in Exodus: the king refuses to let Israel pass through his land, and that stubbornness opens the way for the war that hands his kingdom over to Israel. It is a way of showing that even the enemy’s resistance ends up serving the plan already announced.
  31. Deuteronômio 2:31God reveals the true reason behind Sihon’s refusal, already stated in the previous verse: it was God Himself opening the way to hand that land over to Israel.
  32. Deuteronômio 2:32Sihon does not accept the offer of peace and goes to war, meeting Israel in battle at Jahaz with his whole army.
  33. Deuteronômio 2:33The battle ends in total victory for Israel: Sihon, his sons, and all his people are defeated with God’s help.
  34. Deuteronômio 2:34The total destruction of Sihon’s cities — “the women, and the little ones” included — is the so-called herem, a war of extermination dedicated to God, a practice common among ancient peoples who credited their victories to their own gods. The text describes the war custom of that world without any middle ground.
  35. Deuteronômio 2:35After the destruction of the cities, the only plunder Israel keeps for itself is the livestock and the goods taken, not people.
  36. Deuteronômio 2:36The victory is described as complete: from the region of Aroer all the way to Gilead, no city resists, and everything falls into Israel’s hands.
  37. Deuteronômio 2:37A final note closes the chapter: Israel respects the limit set by God and does not advance into Ammonite territory, carrying out the command to the letter.

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