Deuteronomy 2:1-23 -

EXPOSITION

THE NEW BEGINNING AND REVIEW OF THE JOURNEYINGS OF ISRAEL FROM KADESH TO THE RIVER ARNON , THE FRONTIER OF THE AMORITES .

At this point the language of address is exchanged for that of narrative. The change of subject from "ye abode" to "we turned," became necessary when Moses passed from exhorting and warning the people to narrating what happened after they resumed their journeyings; and gives no support to the notion of some recent German critics, that Moses left Kadesh with only a portion of the people, while the rest remained there, so that no entire departure of Israel from Kadesh ever took place—a notion which the whole tenor of the subsequent narrative contradicts. In obedience to the Divine command ( Deuteronomy 1:40 ), the people, after tarrying for a while at Kadesh, took their departure and marched in the direction of the Yam-suph ( Numbers 14:25 ).