Scripture Daily

Context No. 2913 of 4322 · Deuteronomy

Context · Reflection

Deuteronomy 2:1-6: in context

1Then we turned, and took our journey into the wilderness by the way to the Red Sea, as the LORD spoke to me; and we encircled Mount Seir many days. 2The LORD spoke to me, saying, 3“You have encircled this mountain long enough. Turn northward. 4Command the people, saying, ‘You are to pass through the border of your brothers, the children of Esau, who dwell in Seir; and they will be afraid of you. Therefore be careful. 5Don’t contend with them; for I will not give you any of their land, no, not so much as for the sole of the foot to tread on, because I have given Mount Seir to Esau for a possession. 6You shall purchase food from them for money, that you may eat. You shall also buy water from them for money, that you may drink.’”

Israel has been circling Mount Seir a long time when God says, you have gone around this mountain long enough; turn north. You will pass through the land of your kinsmen, the descendants of Esau, and they will be afraid of you, so be careful. Do not provoke them, for I will not give you any of their land, not even a footstep of it. Buy your food and water from them for money.

This is a surprising restraint. Israel is on the march toward the conquest of Canaan, but Edom's territory is strictly off-limits, because God had given that land to Esau's line. God's people are not licensed to take whatever their strength allows. There are boundaries God himself has set, and even in their power they must respect the inheritance of others and pay fairly for what they use. Not every land was theirs to seize; some belonged to their neighbors by God's own gift.

Do I respect the boundaries and belongings God has given to others, or assume that whatever I have the strength to take is mine to take?

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