Deuteronomy Chapter 2: A Detailed Explanation

 

Deuteronomy Chapter 2: A Detailed Explanation

Introduction to Deuteronomy 2

Deuteronomy 2 is part of Moses’ final speech to the Israelites before they enter the Promised Land. This chapter recounts their journey through the wilderness after being denied entry into Canaan due to their disobedience (Numbers 14). It describes their interactions with various nations and how God led them toward their ultimate destination.

Key Themes in Deuteronomy 2

1. God’s Sovereignty Over Nations – The passage emphasizes that certain lands were allotted to other nations by God, and Israel was forbidden from taking them.

2. Divine Guidance and Provision – Despite their disobedience, God continued to provide for Israel during their 40-year journey.

3. Obedience and Respect for God's Commands – The Israelites were instructed to avoid unnecessary conflicts and respect the land given to others.

4. Judgment and Victory Over the Amorites – The defeat of Sihon, king of Heshbon, demonstrated God's power in delivering enemies into Israel's hands.

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Verse-by-Verse Analysis

Verses 1-7: Israel’s Journey Through the Wilderness

Moses recounts how Israel wandered in the wilderness for many years before God instructed them to move northward.

• Verse 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."

  • After their initial rebellion (Numbers 14), Israel was directed to wander. They circled Mount Seir for a long period.

  • Mount Seir was the territory of the Edomites, descendants of Esau.

• Verses 2-3: "And the Lord spake unto me, saying, ‘Ye have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you northward.’"

  • After decades of wandering, God commands them to proceed toward their inheritance.

• Verse 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.’"

  • The Edomites, as relatives of Israel (descendants of Esau), were to be treated with respect.

• Verse 5: "Meddle not with them; for I will not give you of their land, no, not so much as a foot breadth; because I have given mount Seir unto Esau for a possession."

  • This verse emphasizes that God had appointed specific lands for each nation.

• Verse 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."

  • God ensured that Israel could buy food and water, signifying their ability to sustain themselves without conquest.

• Verse 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."

  • Despite their long journey, God’s provision was constant. They lacked nothing, a reminder of divine faithfulness.

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Verses 8-15: Passing Through Moab and Ammon

The Israelites continue through the lands of the Moabites and Ammonites.

• Verse 9: "And the Lord said unto me, ‘Distress 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.’"

  • Like the Edomites, the Moabites were relatives of Israel, descending from Lot.

• Verse 10-12: These verses describe the previous inhabitants of these lands, the Emims and Horims, whom God had displaced for Moab and Edom.

  • This historical note reminds Israel that God had been active in distributing lands even before their arrival.

• Verse 14-15: "And the space in which we came from Kadesh-barnea, until we were come over the brook 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. For indeed the hand of the Lord was against them, to destroy them from among the host, until they were consumed."

  • This highlights God’s judgment on the disobedient generation.

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Verses 16-25: Crossing into Amorite Territory

• Verse 18: "Thou art to pass over through Ar, the coast of Moab, this day."

  • The journey is reaching a crucial turning point.

• Verse 19: "And when thou comest nigh over against the children of Ammon, distress them not, nor meddle with them..."

  • Again, God forbids taking Ammonite land, which was given to Lot's descendants.

• Verse 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: begin to possess it, and contend with him in battle."

  • This signals the beginning of Israel’s conquest.

• Verse 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..."

  • God instills fear in Israel’s enemies before battle.

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Verses 26-37: The Defeat of Sihon, King of the Amorites

• Verses 26-29: Moses attempts to negotiate peacefully with Sihon, asking for passage through his land.

• Verse 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."

  • Similar to Pharaoh in Exodus, Sihon's hardened heart leads to his downfall.

• Verse 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.’"

  • A turning point in Israel’s conquest.

• Verse 33: "And the Lord our God delivered him before us; and we smote him, and his sons, and all his people."

  • The victory is attributed to divine intervention.

• Verse 34: "And we took all his cities at that time, and utterly destroyed the men, and the women, and the little ones, of every city, we left none to remain."

  • This reflects the biblical concept of herem (devotion to destruction).

• Verse 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."

  • A testimony to God's power.

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Theological Insights from Deuteronomy 2

1. God’s Providence – The Israelites' journey was guided by divine will.

2. God’s Judgment and Mercy – The destruction of Sihon contrasts with God's protection of Edom, Moab, and Ammon.

3. God’s Sovereignty Over Nations – The distribution of lands was divinely orchestrated.

4. Obedience Leads to Blessing – Following God’s commands led to victory.

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Conclusion

Deuteronomy 2 serves as a historical reflection and a theological lesson on obedience, trust, and divine sovereignty. It sets the stage for Israel’s eventual conquest of Canaan, showing that their success depended on God's guidance.