14 And Moses sendeth messengers from Kadesh unto the king of Edom, 'Thus said thy brother Israel, Thou—thou hast known all the travail which hath found us; 15 that our fathers go down to Egypt, and we dwell in Egypt many days, and the Egyptians do evil to us and to our fathers; 16 and we cry unto Jehovah, and He heareth our voice, and sendeth a messenger, and is bringing us out of Egypt; and lo, we 'are' in Kadesh, a city 'in' the extremity of thy border. 17 Let us pass over, we pray thee, through thy land; we pass not over through a field, or through a vineyard, nor do we drink waters of a well; the way of the king we go, we turn not aside—right or left—till that we pass over thy border.' 18 And Edom saith unto him, 'Thou dost not pass over through me, lest with sword I come out to meet thee.' 19 And the sons of Israel say unto him, 'In the highway we go, and if of thy waters we drink—I and my cattle—then I have given their price; only (it is nothing) on my feet I pass over.' 20 And he saith, 'Thou dost not pass over;' and Edom cometh out to meet him with much people, and with a strong hand; 21 and Edom refuseth to suffer Israel to pass over through his border, and Israel turneth aside from off him.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Numbers 20:14-21
Commentary on Numbers 20:14-21
(Read Numbers 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.