Numbers 20:14-21

Contemporary English Version

Israel Isn't Allowed To Go through Edom

¹⁴ Moses sent messengers from Israel's camp near Kadesh with this message for the king of Edom:

We are Israelites, your own relatives, and we're sure you have heard the terrible things that have happened to us. ¹⁵ Our ancestors settled in Egypt and lived there a long time. But later the Egyptians were cruel to us, ¹⁶ and when we begged our Lord for help, he answered our prayer and brought us out of that land.

Now we are camped at the border of your territory, near the town of Kadesh. ¹⁷ Please let us go through your country. We won't go near your fields or vineyards, and we won't drink any water from your wells. We will stay on the main road^[a] until we leave your territory.

¹⁸ But the king of Edom answered, “No, I won't let you go through our country! And if you try, we will attack you.”

¹⁹ Moses sent back this message: “We promise to stay on the main road, and if any of us or our livestock drink your water, we will pay for it. We just want to pass through.”

²⁰ But the king insisted, “You can't go through our land!”

Then Edom sent out its strongest troops ²¹ to keep Israel from passing through its territory. So the Israelites had to go in another direction.