Passage Through Edom Refused

14 sNow Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of tEdom. u“Thus says your brother Israel: ‘You know all the hardship that has befallen us, 15 vhow our fathers went down to Egypt, wand we dwelt in Egypt a long time, xand the Egyptians 3afflicted us and our fathers. 16 yWhen we cried out to the Lord, He heard our voice and zsent the Angel and brought us up out of Egypt; now here we are in Kadesh, a city on the edge of your border. 17 Please alet us pass through your country. We will not pass through fields or vineyards, nor will we drink water from wells; 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.’ ”

18 Then bEdom said to him, “You shall not pass through my land, lest I come out against you with the sword.”

19 So the children of Israel said to him, “We will go by the Highway, and if I or my livestock drink any of your water, cthen I will pay for it; let me only pass through on foot, nothing more.”

20 Then he said, d“You shall not pass through.” So Edom came out against them with many men and with a strong hand. 21 Thus Edom erefused to give Israel passage through his territory; so Israel fturned away from him.