Then Israel sent messengers unto the king of Edom, saying, Let me, I pray thee, pass through thy land: but the king of Edom would not hearken thereto. And in like manner they sent unto the king of Moab: but he would not consent: and Israel abode in Kadesh.
Then Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, 'Please, let us pass through your land.' But the king of Edom would not listen to them. They did the same thing with the king of Moab, but he also refused to let them pass through. So Israel stayed in Kadesh.
This verse describes how Israel politely asked two neighboring kingdoms for permission to pass through their lands, but both kings refused, so Israel had to remain where they were.
📚 Historical Context
This refers to the period when the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness after leaving Egypt, trying to reach the Promised Land. Kadesh was an oasis in the desert where they camped for an extended time. The kingdoms of Edom and Moab were related peoples (descendants of Esau and Lot respectively) who controlled the territory east of the Dead Sea that Israel needed to cross.
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