Numbers 20:18
◄  Numbers 20:18  ►
New International Version (©2011)
But Edom answered: "You may not pass through here; if you try, we will march out and attack you with the sword."

New Living Translation (©2007)
But the king of Edom said, "Stay out of my land, or I will meet you with an army!"

English Standard Version (©2001)
But Edom said to him, “You shall not pass through, lest I come out with the sword against you.”

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
Edom, however, said to him, "You shall not pass through us, or I will come out with the sword against you."

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
And Edom said unto him, Thou shalt not pass by me, lest I come out against thee with the sword.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
But Edom answered him, "You must not travel through our land, or we will come out and confront you with the sword.""

International Standard Version (©2012)
But Edom replied, "You are not to pass through my land. If you do, I'll come out and start a war with you."

NET Bible (©2006)
But Edom said to him, "You will not pass through me, or I will come out against you with the sword."

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
But the Edomites answered, "You may not pass through our country. If you try, we'll come out and attack you."

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
And Edom said unto him, you shall not pass by me, lest I come out against you with the sword.

American King James Version
And Edom said to him, You shall not pass by me, lest I come out against you with the sword.

American Standard Version
And Edom said unto him, Thou shalt not pass through me, lest I come out with the sword against thee.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And Edom answered them: Thou shalt not pass by me: if thou dost I will come out armed against thee.

Darby Bible Translation
But Edom said to him, Thou shalt not pass by me, lest I come out against thee with the sword.

English Revised Version
And Edom said unto him, Thou shalt not pass through me, lest I come out with the sword against thee.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Edom said to him, Thou shalt not pass by me, lest I come out against thee with the sword.

World English Bible
Edom said to him, "You shall not pass through me, lest I come out with the sword against you."

Young's Literal Translation
And Edom saith unto him, 'Thou dost not pass over through me, lest with sword I come out to meet thee.'

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

20:14-21 The nearest way to Canaan from the place where Israel encamped, was through the country of Edom. The ambassadors who were sent returned with a denial. The Edomites feared to receive damage by the Israelites. And had this numerous army been under any other discipline than that of the righteous God himself, there might have been cause for this jealousy. But Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing; and now the hatred revived, when the blessing was about to be inherited. We must not think it strange, if reasonable requests be denied by unreasonable men, and if those whom God favours be affronted by men.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 18. - And Edom said... Thou shalt not pass by me. This was the first of a series of hostile acts, prompted by vindictive jealousy, which brought down the wrath of God upon Edom (compare the prophecy of Obadiah). See, however, on Deuteronomy 2:29.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And Edom said unto him,.... The king of Edom replied to Israel, represented by the messengers sent in their name:

thou shall not pass by me; through my country:

lest I come out against thee with the sword; or with those that use the sword, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan; that is, with an army of soldiers with their drawn swords in their hands, to slay them as enemies.

Numbers 20:18 Parallel Commentaries

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Edom Refuses Passage
…17Let us pass, I pray you, through your country: we will not pass through the fields, or through the vineyards, neither will we drink of the water of the wells: we will go by the king's high way, we will not turn to the right hand nor to the left, until we have passed your borders. 18And Edom said to him, You shall not pass by me, lest I come out against you with the sword. 19And the children of Israel said to him, We will go by the high way: and if I and my cattle drink of your water, then I will pay for it: I will only, without doing anything else, go through on my feet. …

Numbers 24:18 Edom will be conquered; Seir, his enemy, will be conquered, but Israel will grow strong.
Numbers 20:19 The Israelites replied: "We will go along the main road, and if we or our livestock drink any of your water, we will pay for it. We only want to pass through on foot--nothing else."