^20:17Please let us pass through³¹ your country. We will not pass through the fields or through the vineyards, nor will we drink water from any well. We will go by the King’s Highway;³² we will not turn to the right or the left until we have passed through your region.’ ”³³

^20:18But Edom said to him, “You will not pass through me,³⁴ or I will come out against³⁵ you with the sword.” ^20:19Then the Israelites said to him, “We will go along the highway, and if we³⁶ or our cattle drink any of your water, we will pay for it. We will only pass through on our feet, without doing anything else.”

^20:20But he said, “You may not pass through.” Then Edom came out against them³⁷ with a large and powerful force.³⁸^20:21So Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border; therefore Israel turned away from him.

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Footnotes

31 The request is expressed by the use of the cohortative, “let us pass through.” It is the proper way to seek permission.
32 This a main highway running from Damascus in the north to the Gulf of Aqaba, along the ridge of the land. Some scholars suggest that the name may have been given by the later Assyrians (see B. Obed, “Observations on Methods of Assyrian Rule in Transjordan after the Palestinian Campaign of Tiglathpileser III,” 29 [1970]: 177–86). Bronze Age fortresses have been discovered along this highway, attesting to its existence in the time of Moses. The original name came from the king who developed the highway, probably as a trading road (see S. Cohen, 3:35–36).
33 Heb “borders.”
34 The imperfect tense here has the nuance of prohibition.
35 Heb “to meet.”
36 The Hebrew text uses singular pronouns, “I” and “my,” but it is the people of Israel that are intended, and so it may be rendered in the plural. Similarly, Edom speaks in the first person, probably from the king. But it too could be rendered “we.”
37 Heb “to meet him.”
38 Heb “with many [heavy] people and with a strong hand.” The translation presented above is interpretive, but that is what the line means. It was a show of force, numbers and weapons, to intimidate the Israelites.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Please let us pass through your land. We will not pass through field or vineyard, or drink water from a well. We will go along the King’s Highway. We will not turn aside to the right hand or to the left until we have passed through your territory.” But Edom said to him, “You shall not pass through, lest I come out with the sword against you.” And the people of Israel said to him, “We will go up by the highway, and if we drink of your water, I and my livestock, then I will pay for it. Let me only pass through on foot, nothing more.” But he said, “You shall not pass through.” And Edom came out against them with a large army and with a strong force. Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his territory, so Israel turned away from him.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Please let us pass through your country. We will not go through any field or vineyard, or drink water from any well. We will travel along the King’s Highway and not turn to the right or to the left until we have passed through your territory.”

But Edom answered:

“You may not pass through here; if you try, we will march out and attack you with the sword.”

The Israelites replied:

“We will go along the main road, and if we or our livestock drink any of your water, we will pay for it. We only want to pass through on foot—nothing else.”

Again they answered:

“You may not pass through.”

Then Edom came out against them with a large and powerful army. Since Edom refused to let them go through their territory, Israel turned away from them.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Please let us travel through your land. We won’t travel through any field or vineyard, or drink any well water. We will travel the King’s Highway; we won’t turn to the right or the left until we have traveled through your territory.’ ”

But Edom answered him, “You will not travel through our land, or we will come out and confront you with the sword.”

“We will go on the main road,” the Israelites replied to them, “and if we or our herds drink your water, we will pay its price. There will be no problem; only let us travel through on foot.”

Yet Edom insisted, “You may not travel through.” And they came out to confront them with a large force of heavily-armed people. Edom refused to allow Israel to travel through their territory, and Israel turned away from them.

NLTNew Living Translation

Please let us travel through your land. We will be careful not to go through your fields and vineyards. We won’t even drink water from your wells. We will stay on the king’s road and never leave it until we have passed through your territory.”

But the king of Edom said, “Stay out of my land, or I will meet you with an army!”

The Israelites answered, “We will stay on the main road. If our livestock drink your water, we will pay for it. Just let us pass through your country. That’s all we ask.”

But the king of Edom replied, “Stay out! You may not pass through our land.” With that he mobilized his army and marched out against them with an imposing force. Because Edom refused to allow Israel to pass through their country, Israel was forced to turn around.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Please let us go through your land. We will not go through a field or vineyard, and we will not drink water from a well. We will go along the road of the king; we will not turn aside right or left until we have gone through your territory.’ ”

Then Edom said to him, “You will not pass through us lest we will go out to meet you with the sword.” The Israelites said to him, “We will go up on the main road, and if we and our livestock drink your water, we will pay for it. It is only a small matter; let us pass through on our feet.” But he said, “You will not go through.” And Edom went out to meet them with a large army and a strong hand. So Edom refused to give Israel passage through his territory, and Israel turned aside from him.

KJV 1900King James Version

Let us pass, I pray thee, through thy country: we will not pass through the fields, or through the vineyards, neither will we drink of the water of the wells: we will go by the king’s high way, we will not turn to the right hand nor to the left, until we have passed thy borders. And Edom said unto him, Thou shalt not pass by me, lest I come out against thee with the sword. And the children of Israel said unto him, We will go by the high way: and if I and my cattle drink of thy water, then I will pay for it: I will only, without doing any thing else, go through on my feet. And he said, Thou shalt not go through. And Edom came out against him with much people, and with a strong hand. Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border: wherefore Israel turned away from him.

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