ISRAELITES DENIED PASSAGE THROUGH EDOM

NUMBERS 20:14–21; DEUTERONOMY 2:1–8

The descendants of Abraham had lived in Egypt for centuries, and the people who left Egypt with Moses had lived in the wilderness for decades. With the stay in the wilderness coming to an end, our every expectation is that the Israelites will turn toward Canaan. But what we find is a turn in the opposite direction for a trip around Edom for a reason (Num. 20:14–21).

A glance at a map makes us wonder why Israel would want to pass through Edom in the first place. With their base camp at Kadesh Barnea, travel north into the Negev would have placed them in the Promised Land by the shortest possible route—the one used earlier by the Israelite explorers (Num. 13:1–25). But when the Lord spoke to Moses about the move from Kadesh Barnea into the Promised Land, he indicated they were about to pass through the land of Esau’s descendants, Edom (Deut. 2:1–6). This meant that the Israelites were now to enter Canaan from the east rather than from the south.

Travel through Edom was the most direct route to the eastern side of Canaan. The Israelites would cross the Arabah (the valley that connects the southern end of the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba) and preferably ascend the western slopes of the mountains of Edom through Wadi Punon. From there they would continue to the plateau-like ridge that runs north and south along the watershed. There the Israelites would have had access to food and water and would have traveled more directly along the King’s Highway.

With this plan in view, and knowing that the Lord had told Moses that he would not give the descendants of Jacob any of the Edomite hill country around Mount Seir (Deut. 2:5), we might well expect the people to pull up stakes and be on the move. So why did Moses pause to compose such a carefully worded appeal to the Edomites, requesting passage?

The answer lies in the geography. The mountains of Edom jut vertically out of the Arabah, reaching heights of over five thousand feet. The Edomites lived on the watershed of those mountains, with all the isolation and security of an eagle’s nest (Jer. 49:16). Moisture received in the region cuts gorges down the western flank of the mountains. These gorges appear to provide natural walkways leading to the interior of Edom, but virtually all of them end in abrupt rock walls.19 Only a few gorges permit travelers to pass to the plateau above.20 This terrain allows for a much smaller defending military force. Since the Lord had already told Moses to avoid war with the Edomites (Deut. 2:5), he had only one option: to request permission to pass through.

Edomite religious shrine from En Hazeva, biblical Tamar (Ezek. 47:19), on the border between ancient Edom and Israel.
© Dr. James C. Martin. The Israel Museum.

The Israelites detour around Edom

When Edom twice declined them access and sent its soldiers to guard the entrance routes, the Israelites had no choice but to go around Edom. They either had to fight uphill, disobeying God all the way, or they had to detour hundreds of miles to the south.

The next question is: why did Edom refuse the Israelites, even after such specific assurances from Moses that Israel would not trouble the Edomites (Num. 20:17–19)? The Bible does not directly record a reason for the Edomites’ actions, but the Lord had already told Moses, “They will be afraid of you” (Deut. 2:4). Why? Because the reputation of the God of Abraham had preceded them: “The nations will hear and tremble; . . . the chiefs of Edom will be terrified” (Exod. 15:14–15).

The Israelites requested permission to enter Edom through Wadi Punon but were refused by the Edomites.

The mountains of Edom (view looking east from the Arabah).

Edom’s refusal to permit Israel to enter their land and Israel’s detour around the southern and eastern fringes of Edom happened for a reason. It was not the Israelites who struck terror into Edom’s heart, which led to denial of passage; it was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, known to the nations by what he had done in delivering the Israelites out of Egypt. When passage was denied, the Israelites bypassed their relatives the Edomites in obedience to the Lord’s instructions.