Font Size
Numbers 20:20-22
New English Translation
Numbers 20:20-22
New English Translation
20 But he said, “You may not pass through.” Then Edom came out against them[a] with a large and powerful force.[b] 21 So Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border; therefore Israel turned away from him.
Aaron’s Death
22 So the entire company of Israelites[c] traveled from Kadesh and came to Mount Hor.[d]
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Numbers 20:20 tn Heb “to meet him.”
- Numbers 20:20 tn 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.
- Numbers 20:22 tn Again the passage uses apposition: “the Israelites, the whole community.”
- Numbers 20:22 sn The traditional location for this is near Petra (Josephus, Ant. 4.4.7). There is serious doubt about this location since it is well inside Edomite territory, and since it is very inaccessible for the transfer of the office. Another view places it not too far from Kadesh Barnea, about 15 miles (25 km) northeast at Jebel Madurah, on the northwest edge of Edom and so a suitable point of departure for approaching Canaan from the south (see J. L. Mihelec, IDB 2:644; and J. de Vaulx, Les Nombres [SB], 231). Others suggest it was at the foot of Mount Hor and not actually up in the mountains (see Deut 10:6).
New English Translation (NET)
NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.