When the children of Is'ra-el came for the second time to Ka'desh, which was on the southeastern border of Ca'naan, they planned to enter at once into the land which God had promised them. Just across the border, however, were two strong heathen tribes known as the Ca'naan-ites and the Am'o-rites. Mo'ses did not think it wise to make war against these strong tribes at this time, so he decided to take the southern route across the land which was then held by the E'dom-ites. This route would bring them to Ca'naan from the east of the river Jor'dan.
The E'dom-ites were descendants of E'sau, the twin brother of Ja'cob, from whom the blessing of the firstborn had been craftily taken. They were closely akin to the Is'ra-el-ites, so Mo'ses hoped that they would show a brotherly feeling for his people. Mo'ses knew that the Is'ra-el-ites needed help in their plans to occupy the land which the LORD had promised them in the days of their fathers. But the memory of the feud between E'sau and Ja'cob had been kept alive among the E'dom-ites, and they were now envious of the growing power of the Is'ra-el-ites.
Mo'ses sent a messenger to the king of the E'dom-ites with this request: "You know all the misfortunes which have befallen your brethren, the Is'ra-el-ites-how for more than two hundred years we were enslaved in E'gypt-and you know how the LORD delivered us from E'gyp-tian bondage and directed us to occupy the land which He promised to the descendants of A'bra-ham, I'saac, and Ja'cob. You also know of the trials we have suffered for forty years in the wilderness of the A-ra'bian Peninsula. Now we ask permission to cross your country, that we may enter Ca'naan from the east side. We promise to march only on the highway, and to do no harm to your fields, or vineyards, or other properties; if our people or cattle drink from your wells, we will pay for the water used."
This request of Mo'ses was coldly refused by the king of E'dom. The old breach between Is'ra-el and E'dom was widened, and the hatred which had been handed down from one generation to another could not be reconciled. Mo'ses had been told by the LORD that he must not make war upon the descendants of E'sau, so there was nothing else for him to do but seek another route.
The only other course open to them was a roundabout way near the southern border of E'dom, so they journeyed back toward the Red Sea down a little stream known as Ar'a-bah until they came to the place called Ak'a-bah, or E'zi-on-Ge'ber. Here they turnt in a northeasterly direction and travelled through the mountain of Seir to the land of Mo'ab, east of the Dead Sea.
This was a very dreary and desolate country, a frightful desert where the ground was covered with loose gravel and rough stones, so that even a camel found it difficult to pick its way. Round hills of naked stone and gravel rose high into the heavens, there was very little vegetation of any kind, and it was hot and dry. Here the Is'ra-el-ites found very rough going.
During the early days of the march Mo'ses was directed by the LORD to take Aa'ron and his son E-le-a'zar up onto the top of a very high mountain called Hor, which was on the east side of the valley of Ar'a-bah, and not far from the Med'i-ter-ra'ne-an coastline of eastern E'dom. It is the highest and most conspicuous peak of the entire mountain range of that region, raising its twin peaks 4800 feet above sea level, 4000 feet above the Ar'a-bah valley, and 6000 feet above the level of the Dead Sea.
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