(26) Kedemoth.—Mentioned as a city in the plain of Jordan, belonging to Heshbon (Joshua 13:18).Words of peace.—By this message Sihon was excepted from the catalogue of the doomed kings and nations, according to the distinction drawn in Deuteronomy 20:10-11; Deuteronomy 20:15-16. He therefore brought his fate upon himself. He was offered the privileges of the Moabites whom he had conquered, and refused to accept the position. read more
(29) Until I shall pass over Jordan.—This was already determined. read more
(30) The Lord thy God hardened his spirit, and made his heart obstinate.—Jehovah gave the strength to Sihon, as He had done to Pharaoh, and as He does to all. Sihon was responsible for using the strength which God gave him in opposition to the Divine purposes. To “harden” a man’s spirit is not necessarily a moral process any more than the hardening of steel. “Made obstinate” is the same verb used in Joshua 1:6, for “Be of a good courage.” An unyielding spirit and a courageous heart are good or... read more
Deuteronomy 2:30 Professor Andrew Harper remarks on this verse that the writer 'does not mean... to lay upon God the causation of Sihon's obstinacy, so as to make the man a mere helpless victim. His thought rather is, that as God rules all, so to Him must ultimately be traced all that happens in the world. In some sense all acts, whether good or bad, all agencies, whether beneficent or destructive, have their source in, and their power from, Him. But nevertheless men have moral responsibility... read more
THE DIVINE GOVERNMENTDeuteronomy 1:1-46; Deuteronomy 2:1-37; Deuteronomy 3:1-29AFTER these preliminary discussions we now enter upon the exposition. With the exception of the first two verses of chapter 1, concerning which there is a doubt whether they do not belong to Numbers, these three chapters stand out as the first section of our book. Examination shows that they form a separate and distinct whole, not continued in chapter 4; but there has been a great diversity of opinion as to their... read more
3. After the Forty Years and From Conflict to Conquest CHAPTER 2 1. From Kadesh to the land of the Amorites (Deuteronomy 2:1-23 ) 2. The command to possess (Deuteronomy 2:24-25 ) 3. The conquest of Sihon (Deuteronomy 2:26-37 ) The many days in the first verse are the thirty-eight years. We must notice the little word “we.” “We turned and took our journey into the wilderness.” Moses, Aaron, his sons, Joshua, Caleb and the faithful Levites turned back with the unfaithful, murmuring... read more
2:29(As the {m} children of Esau which dwell in Seir, and the Moabites which dwell in Ar, did unto me;) until I shall pass over Jordan into the land which the LORD our God giveth us.(m) Because neither intreaty nor examples or others could move him, he could not complain of his just destruction. read more
2:30 But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him: for the LORD thy God {n} hardened his spirit, and made his heart obstinate, that he might deliver him into thy hand, as [appeareth] this day.(n) God in his election and reprobation not only appoints the ends, but the means tending to the same. read more
WILDERNESS WANDERINGS (vs.1-25) From Kadesh Barnea Israel had to virtually retrace their steps, going back toward the Red Sea. Believers today find similar experiences because of lack of faith. Instead of progressing in the path of obedience to God, we must go back to learn afresh what the Red Sea deliverance means, for this speaks of the judgment of sin in the flesh by means of the cross of Christ, and if we do not learn it properly as we begin our wilderness history, we shall have to... read more
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John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 2:1-37
Review of the Journey (continued)1. The Red sea] i.e. the Gulf of Akaba. On Mt. Seir see Numbers 20:22-29. 4. Through the coast] RV ’through the border,’ as in Numbers 20:18. The Edomites, however, refused to give them a passage through their country: see Numbers 20:14-21. The Israelites accordingly went southward towards Elath and Ezion-geber at the N. end of the Gulf of Akaba (see Deuteronomy 2:8 and on Numbers 20:22), and so round Edom to the country of the Moabites. 9. The Moabites and the... read more