¹⁴ From Kadesh Moses then sent messengers to ^(A)the king of Edom to say, “This is what your brother Israel has said: ‘You ^(B)know all the hardship that has ^[a]overtaken us; ¹⁵ that our fathers went down to Egypt, and we stayed in Egypt a long time, and the Egyptians treated us and our fathers badly. ¹⁶ But ^(C)when we cried out to the Lord, He heard our voice and sent ^(D)an angel, and brought us out from Egypt; now behold, we are at Kadesh, a town on the edge of your territory. ¹⁷ Please ^(E)let us pass through your land. We will not pass through field or vineyard; we will not even drink water from a well. We will go along the king’s road, not turning to the right or left, until we pass through your territory.’”

^18 (F)Edom, however, said to him, “You shall not pass through ^[b]us, or I will come out with the sword against you.” ¹⁹ Again, the sons of Israel said to him, “We will go up by the road, and if I and ^(G)my livestock do drink any of your water, ^(H)then I will ^[c]pay its price. Let me only pass through on my feet, ^[d]nothing more.” ²⁰ But he said, “^(I)You shall not pass through.” And Edom came out against him with a heavy ^[e]force and a strong hand. ^21 (J)So Edom refused to allow Israel to pass through his territory; ^(K)then Israel turned away from him.

^17 (A)For the Edomites had come again and attacked Judah, and led away captives.