Devarim 2:17-30

2:17

וַיְדַבֵּר יְהֹוָה אֵלַי לֵאמֹֽר׃

Adonoy addressed me, to say,

2:18

אַתָּה עֹבֵר הַיּוֹם אֶת־גְּבוּל מוֹאָב אֶת־עָֽר׃

‘‘You are today crossing the border of Moav—at ‘Or.

Rashi

אתה עבר היום את גבול מואב, וקרבת מול בני עמון. מִכָּאן שֶׁאֶרֶץ עַמּוֹן לְצַד צָפוֹן:

You are today crossing the border of Moav. When you approach [the area] facing the descendants of Ammon. From this we learn that the land of Ammon was north of Moav.

2:19

וְקָרַבְתָּ מוּל בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן אַל־תְּצֻרֵם וְאַל־תִּתְגָּר בָּם כִּי לֹֽא־אֶתֵּן מֵאֶרֶץ בְּנֵי־עַמּוֹן לְךָ יְרֻשָּׁה כִּי לִבְנֵי־לוֹט נְתַתִּיהָ יְרֻשָּֽׁה׃

When you approach [the area] facing the descendants of Ammon, do not besiege them and do not intimidate them, for I will not give you of the land of the descendants of Ammon an inheritance, because to the descendants of Lot have I given it as an inheritance.

2:20

אֶֽרֶץ־רְפָאִים תֵּחָשֵׁב אַף־הִוא רְפָאִים יָֽשְׁבוּ־בָהּ לְפָנִים וְהָֽעַמֹּנִים יִקְרְאוּ לָהֶם זַמְזֻמִּֽים׃

It, too, is considered a land of giants; giants having lived in it originally—the Ammonites called them Zamzumim.

Rashi

ארץ רפאים תחשב. אֶרֶץ רְפָאִים נֶחְשֶׁבֶת אַף הִיא, לְפִי שֶׁהָרְפָאִים יָשְׁבוּ בָהּ לְפָנִים, אֲבָל לֹא זוֹ הִיא שֶׁנָּתַתִּי לְאַבְרָהָם:

[It, too, is] considered a land of giants. It is also considered a land of giants because the giants lived there originally, but is still not the land that I gave to Avrohom.

2:21

עַם גָּדוֹל וְרַב וָרָם כָּעֲנָקִים וַיַּשְׁמִידֵם יְהֹוָה מִפְּנֵיהֶם וַיִּירָשֻׁם וַיֵּשְׁבוּ תַחְתָּֽם׃

A people great and numerous and powerful like the Anokim. Adonoy destroyed them from before them, and they drove them out and settled in their stead.

2:22

כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה לִבְנֵי עֵשָׂו הַיֹּשְׁבִים בְּשֵׂעִיר אֲשֶׁר הִשְׁמִיד אֶת־הַחֹרִי מִפְּנֵיהֶם וַיִּֽירָשֻׁם וַיֵּשְׁבוּ תַחְתָּם עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּֽה׃

As He had done to the descendants of Eisov living in Seir, from before whom He destroyed the Chori, and they drove them out and settled in their stead until today.

2:23

וְהָֽעַוִּים הַיֹּשְׁבִים בַּחֲצֵרִים עַד־עַזָּה כַּפְתֹּרִים הַיֹּצְאִים מִכַּפְתֹּר הִשְׁמִידֻם וַיֵּשְׁבוּ תַחְתָּֽם׃

And the Avim who had been living in Chatzeirim till Azah—Caftorim who had left Caftor destroyed them and settled in their stead.

Rashi

והעוים הישבים בחצרים וגו'. עַוִּים מִפְּלִשְׁתִּים הֵם, שֶׁעִמָּהֶם הֵם נֶחֱשָׁבִים בְּסֵפֶר יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יהושע י"ג) "חֲמֵשֶׁת סַרְנֵי פְלִשְׁתִּים הָעַזָּתִי וְהָאַשְׁדּוֹדִי הָאֶשְׁקְלוֹנִי הַגִּתִּי וְהָעֶקְרוֹנִי וְהָעַוִּים", וּמִפְּנֵי הַשְּׁבוּעָה שֶׁנִּשְׁבַּע אַבְרָהָם לַאֲבִימֶלֶךְ לֹא יָכְלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְהוֹצִיא אַרְצָם מִיָּדָם, וְהֵבֵאתִי עֲלֵיהֶם כַּפְתּוֹרִים וְהִשְׁמִידוּם וַיֵּשְׁבוּ תַחְתָּם, וְעַכְשָׁיו אַתֶּם מֻתָּרִים לְקַחְתָּהּ מִיָּדָם (חולין ס'):

And the Avim who had been living in Chatzeirim. The Avim were of the Philistines, for they are included with them in the Book of Yehoshua, as it is said, “The five chiefs of the Philistines: the Azosi, the Ashdodi, the Ashkeloni the Giti, the Akroni, and the Avim.” However, because of the oath that Avrohom swore to Avimelech, the Bnei Yisroel could not take the land from their possession therefore I brought the Caftorim against them, and they destroyed them and settled there in their stead; and now you are permitted to take it [the land] from their possession.

2:24

קוּמוּ סְּעוּ וְעִבְרוּ אֶת־נַחַל אַרְנֹן רְאֵה נָתַתִּי בְיָדְךָ אֶת־סִיחֹן מֶֽלֶךְ־חֶשְׁבּוֹן הָֽאֱמֹרִי וְאֶת־אַרְצוֹ הָחֵל רָשׁ וְהִתְגָּר בּוֹ מִלְחָמָֽה׃

Arise to travel, and cross Wadi Arnon. See, I have put into your hand Sichon, King of Cheshbon, the Emorite and his land—begin inheriting [it] by intimidating him with war.

2:25

הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה אָחֵל תֵּת פַּחְדְּךָ וְיִרְאָתְךָ עַל־פְּנֵי הָֽעַמִּים תַּחַת כׇּל־הַשָּׁמָיִם אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁמְעוּן שִׁמְעֲךָ וְרָגְזוּ וְחָלוּ מִפָּנֶֽיךָ׃

Today I begin to place fear of you and awe of you upon the peoples under the whole heaven, so that they will hear your reputation and will shiver and tremble before you.’’

Rashi

תחת כל השמים. לִמֵּד שֶׁעָמְדָה חַמָּה לְמֹשֶׁה בְּיוֹם מִלְחֶמֶת עוֹג וְנוֹדַע הַדָּבָר תַּחַת כָּל הַשָּׁמַיִם (עבודה זרה כ"ה):

Under the whole heaven. This teaches that the sun stood still for Moshe on the day of the war against Og, and [the victory] became known under the whole heaven.

2:26

וָאֶשְׁלַח מַלְאָכִים מִמִּדְבַּר קְדֵמוֹת אֶל־סִיחוֹן מֶלֶךְ חֶשְׁבּוֹן דִּבְרֵי שָׁלוֹם לֵאמֹֽר׃

I sent emissaries from the wilderness of Kedeimos to Sichon, King of Cheshbon, with the following peaceful statement:

Rashi

ממדבר קדמות. אַעַ"פִּ שֶׁלֹּא צִוַּנִי הַמָּקוֹם לִקְרֹא לְסִיחוֹן לְשָׁלוֹם, לָמַדְתִּי מִמִּדְבַּר סִינַי – מִן הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁקָּדְמָה לָעוֹלָם – כְּשֶׁבָּא הַקָּבָּ"ה לִתְּנָהּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל חָזַר אוֹתָהּ עַל עֵשָׂו וְיִשְׁמָעֵאל, וְגָלוּי לְפָנָיו שֶׁלֹּא יְקַבְּלוּהָ וְאַעַ"פִּ כֵן פָּתַח לָהֶם בְּשָׁלוֹם, אַף אֲנִי קִדַּמְתִּי אֶת סִיחוֹן בְּדִבְרֵי שָׁלוֹם; דָּ"אַ, ממדבר קדמות – מִמְּךָ לָמַדְתִּי, שֶׁקָּדַמְתָּ לָעוֹלָם, יָכוֹל הָיִיתָ לִשְׁלֹחַ בָּרָק אֶחָד וְלִשְֹרֹף אֶת הַמִּצְרִים, אֶלָּא שְׁלַחְתַּנִי מִן הַמִּדְבָּר אֶל פַּרְעֹה לֵאמֹר (שמות ה') "שַׁלַּח אֶת עַמִּי", בְּמִתּוּן (תנחומא):

From the wilderness of Kedeimos. Even though the Almighty did not command me to declare peace to Sichon, I learned to do so from [what happened] in the wilderness of Sinai, from [the giving of] the Torah which preceded קָּדְמָה [the creation of] the world. When the Holy One Blessed is He, came to give [the Torah to] Bnei Yisroel, He solicited Eisov and Yishmael about it [first]. It was certainly known to Him that they would not accept it but nevertheless He greeted them in peace. Similarly, I too approached Sichon with words of peace. Another explanation of “From the wilderness of Kedeimos”: From You I learned — [from You] Who existed before the creation of the world. You could have sent one bolt of lightning to burn up the Egyptians, but You sent me from the wilderness to go to Pharaoh to say to him gently, “Send My people.”

2:27

אֶעְבְּרָה בְאַרְצֶךָ בַּדֶּרֶךְ בַּדֶּרֶךְ אֵלֵךְ לֹא אָסוּר יָמִין וּשְׂמֹֽאול׃

‘‘Let me pass through your land. I will travel only on the highway, I will not deviate right or left.

2:28

אֹכֶל בַּכֶּסֶף תַּשְׁבִּרֵנִי וְאָכַלְתִּי וּמַיִם בַּכֶּסֶף תִּתֶּן־לִי וְשָׁתִיתִי רַק אֶעְבְּרָה בְרַגְלָֽי׃

Food for money sell me so I can eat, and water for money sell me so I can drink—just let me cross on foot.

2:29

כַּאֲשֶׁר עָֽשׂוּ־לִי בְּנֵי עֵשָׂו הַיֹּֽשְׁבִים בְּשֵׂעִיר וְהַמּוֹאָבִים הַיֹּשְׁבִים בְּעָר עַד אֲשֶֽׁר־אֶֽעֱבֹר אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּן אֶל־הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר־יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ נֹתֵן לָֽנוּ׃

As the descendants of Eisov did for me who live in Seir and the Moavites who live in Or; until I will have crossed the Yardein into the land that Adonoy, our God, is giving us.’’

Rashi

כאשר עשו לי בני עשו. לֹא לְעִנְיַן לַעֲבֹר בְּאַרְצָם, אֶלָּא לְעִנְיַן מֶכֶר אֹכֶל וּמַיִם:

As the descendants of Eisov did for me. This does not refer to [our] passing through their land but only regarding their selling food and water.

עד אשר אעבר את הירדן. מוּסָב עַל אֶעְבְּרָה בְאַרְצֶךָ:

Until I will have crossed the Yardein. This refers to the statement, “Let me pass through [your land].

2:30

וְלֹא אָבָה סִיחֹן מֶלֶךְ חֶשְׁבּוֹן הַעֲבִרֵנוּ בּוֹ כִּֽי־הִקְשָׁה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶת־רוּחוֹ וְאִמֵּץ אֶת־לְבָבוֹ לְמַעַן תִּתּוֹ בְיָדְךָ כַּיּוֹם הַזֶּֽה׃ {ס}

But Sichon, King of Cheshbon, was not willing to let us traverse it, because Adonoy, your God, had hardened his spirit and emboldened his mind in order to put him in your hand this day.

Devarim 2:17-30 דברים ב׳:י״ז-ל׳

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