Numbers 20:14–21

Edom Denies Israel Passage

¹⁴Moses sent messengers from Kadesh^m to the king of Edom,ⁿ saying:

“This is what your brother Israel says: You know^o about all the hardships^p that have come on us. ¹⁵Our ancestors went down into Egypt,^q and we lived there many years.^r The Egyptians mistreated^s us and our ancestors, ¹⁶but when we cried out to the Lord, he heard our cry^t and sent an angel^u and brought us out of Egypt.^v

“Now we are here at Kadesh, a town on the edge of your territory.^{w 17}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.^x”

¹⁸But Edom^y answered:

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

¹⁹The Israelites replied:

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

²⁰Again they answered:

“You may not pass through.^c”

Then Edom^d came out against them with a large and powerful army. ²¹Since Edom refused to let them go through their territory,^e Israel turned away from them.^f