Deuteronomy 2:4Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Douay-RheimsHebrew (Masoretic text)

And command thou the people, saying: You shall pass by the borders of your brethren the children of Esau, who dwell in Seir, and they will be afraid of you.
Douay-Rheims

וְאֶת־הָעָם֮ צַ֣ו לֵאמֹר֒ אַתֶּ֣ם עֹֽבְרִ֗ים בִּגְבוּל֙ אֲחֵיכֶ֣ם בְּנֵי־עֵשָׂ֔ו הַיֹּשְׁבִ֖ים בְּשֵׂעִ֑יר וְיִֽירְא֣וּ מִכֶּ֔ם וְנִשְׁמַרְתֶּ֖ם מְאֹֽד׃
Hebrew (Masoretic text)

The Church Fathers on this verse

One Church Father comments on this verse

Ephraem the Syrian

4th centuryChurch Father

I will not permit you to harm the descendants of Esau or to seize their inheritance. Such actions would be both unfair and pointless, as the Lord has given this territory to them, having taken it from the Horreans, and has not bestowed it upon you.

Cross references

Passages read together with this verse.

Num 20:14In the mean time Moses sent messengers from Cades to the king of Edom, to say: Thus saith thy brother Israel: Thou knowest all the labour that hath come upon us:
Num 20:21Neither would he condescend to their desire to grant them passage through his borders. Wherefore Israel turned another way from him.
Ex 15:15Then were the princes of Edom troubled, trembling seized on the stout men of Moab: all the inhabitants of Chanaan became stiff.
Deut 23:7Thou shalt not abhor the Edomite, because he is thy brother: nor the Egyptian, because thou wast a stranger in his land.
Luke 12:15And he said to them: Take heed and beware of all covetousness: for a man's life doth not consist in the abundance of things which he possesseth.
Obad 1:10For the slaughter, and for the iniquity against thy brother Jacob, confusion shall cover thee, and thou shalt perish for ever.
Obad 1:13Neither shalt thou enter into the gate of my people in the day of their ruin: neither shalt thou also look on in his evils in the day of his calamity: and thou shalt not be sent out against his army in the day of his desolation.
Matt 5:16So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.