And the children of Israel said unto him, We will go by the high way: and if I and my cattle drink of thy water, then I will pay for it: I will only, without doing anything else, go through on my feet.
The Israelites said to him, 'We will stay on the main road, and if my people and our livestock drink any of your water, we will pay you for it. We only want to pass through on foot, we won't do anything else.'
The Israelites are promising the Edomite king that they will be respectful travelers, staying on the highway, paying for any water they use, and simply passing through without causing trouble.
📚 Historical Context
In the book of Numbers, the Israelites were wandering through the wilderness after their exodus from Egypt and needed to pass through the land of Edom, which was inhabited by descendants of Esau. Moses sent messengers to the king of Edom, promising that the Israelites would stay on the main road, pay for any water they drank, and cause no harm. This interaction reflects the diplomatic efforts of the Israelites to avoid conflict as they journeyed toward the Promised Land.
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