Deuteronomy 2:1–8

Wanderings in the Wilderness

1 “aThen we turned and set out for the wilderness by the way to the 1Red Sea, as the Lord spoke to me, and circled bMount Seir for many days.

2 “And the Lord spoke to me, saying,

3 ‘You have circled this mountain long enough. Now turn north,

4 aand command the people, saying, “You will pass through the bterritory of your brothers the sons of Esau who live in Seir; and cthey will be afraid of you. So be very careful;

5 do not 1provoke them, for I will not give you any of their land, even as little as a 2footstep abecause I have given Mount Seir to Esau as a possession.

6 “You shall buy food from them with money so that you may eat, and you shall also purchase water from them with money so that you may drink.

7 “For the Lord your God has blessed you in all 1that you have done; He has known your 2wanderings through this agreat wilderness. These bforty years the Lord your God has been with you; you have not lacked a thing.” ’

8 “So we passed beyond our brothers the sons of Esau, who live in Seir, away from the aArabah road, away from Elath and bfrom Ezion-geber. And we turned and passed through by the way of the wilderness of Moab.