Why did Israel avoid Edom and Moab in Judges 11:18? Text Of Judges 11:18 “Then they journeyed into the wilderness, bypassing the lands of Edom and Moab. They traveled east of the land of Moab and camped on the other side of the Arnon. They did not enter the border of Moab, for the Arnon was its boundary.” Historical Route: Geography Of Edom And Moab From Kadesh-barnea, Israel moved north-northeast, skirting Mount Seir (Edom) and then hugging the eastern fringe of Moab until they reached the Arnon Gorge. The King’s Highway ran parallel to the Rift Valley; Israel followed its desert spur (modern Ṭarq el-Darb) that kept them east of settled Edomite and Moabite city-states. Topographic barriers—the escarpments above the Arabah and the sheer walls of the Arnon—made avoidance both practical and easily enforced. Divine Command: Deuteronomy 2 Foundation The primary reason for bypassing these territories was explicit divine prohibition: • Deuteronomy 2:4-5—“You are about to pass through the territory of your brothers, the descendants of Esau…do not provoke them, for I will not give you any of their land.” • Deuteronomy 2:9—“Do not harass the Moabites or provoke them to war, for I will not give you any part of their land.” Yahweh had granted Mount Seir to Esau’s line and the plateau of Ar to Lot’s descendants; therefore Israel’s inheritance lay elsewhere. Obedience to these directives demonstrated covenant faithfulness and respect for divine land grants. Kinship Respect: Covenantal Relation To Edom And Moab Edom came from Esau, Jacob’s twin (Genesis 36), and Moab from Lot, Abraham’s nephew (Genesis 19:37). Though not within the Abrahamic covenant, they were blood relatives. The Law repeatedly enjoins kindness toward kin-nations (Deuteronomy 23:7). Bypassing their lands upheld family boundaries set by God, avoided needless blood-guilt, and modeled ethical treatment of neighbors—an early example of the sixth commandment applied nationally. Diplomatic Attempts And Resistance: Numbers 20–22 Israel did ask permission to pass: • Numbers 20:14-21—Edom refused and advanced with a large force. • Numbers 22:3-6—Moab, terrified, hired Balaam instead of granting transit. Hostile refusals could have justified war, yet Israel, constrained by God’s word, detoured south-east, then north along the desert flank. The episode underscored divine sovereignty: Israel would conquer only where God opened the door (Sihon and Og, Amorite kings), guaranteeing that victory, when it came, would be credited to Yahweh alone (Psalm 44:3). Spiritual Lessons: Providence And Property Rights 1. God sets national boundaries (Acts 17:26) and expects them honored. 2. Patience and restraint often precede rightful conquest; character is refined in obedience (Exodus 13:17-18). 3. Israel learned dependence on daily provision—“buy food…buy water” (Deuteronomy 2:6)—pre-figuring the believer’s walk as “sojourners and exiles” (1 Peter 2:11). Archaeological And Extra-Biblical Corroboration • Timna copper-smelting sites (15th–13th c. BC) verify Edomite occupation coincident with the Exodus chronology. • The Egyptian Papyrus Anastasi VI lists “Edom” (’Idmw) southeast of the Dead Sea, matching biblical placement. • The Mesha Stele (c. 840 BC) from Dibon references Moab, Chemosh, and Arnon territory, confirming Moabite control of the plateau Israel skirted. • Iron-Age fortresses at Buseirah (Bozrah) and Khirbet al-Mudayna illustrate Edom’s capacity to bar Israel’s passage. These finds align with a literal reading of the itinerary, reinforcing the historicity of Judges 11 and Numbers 20-22. Theological Significance Within Redemptive History 1. Foreshadows later inclusion: although Moab was avoided, Ruth the Moabitess would enter Messiah’s line (Ruth 4:17; Matthew 1:5), showcasing grace to outsiders. 2. Models Christ’s ethic: Jesus refrained from calling down fire on a Samaritan village (Luke 9:51-56); restraint precedes redemption. 3. Reinforces God’s faithfulness: the same God who set boundaries kept His oath to Abraham, culminating in the resurrection of Christ, the ultimate proof that divine promises never fail (Romans 4:24). Practical Implications For Believers Today • Respect God-ordained limits—whether moral, relational, or territorial—confident that obedience positions us for His timing. • Exercise peacemaking even when wronged; vengeance belongs to the Lord (Romans 12:19). • Recognize that God may route us the “long way” to deepen trust and highlight His glory. Summary Answer Israel avoided Edom and Moab because God explicitly forbade seizing or even entering the territories He had allotted to their kin-nations. Diplomatic overtures were rebuffed, yet Israel, honoring divine command, circled the western borders via the wilderness and the Arnon Gorge. This act of obedience preserved kinship bonds, highlighted God’s sovereign distribution of lands, prevented premature warfare, and provided a living lesson in trust—truths confirmed by consistent manuscripts and by archaeological evidence for contemporaneous Edomite and Moabite states. |
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