Deuteronomy 2:3

 Deuteronomy 2:3

Ye have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you northward.

a. ASV: Ye have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you northward.  [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

b. YLT: Enough to you -- is the going round of this mount; turn for yourselves northward.  [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. Classic Amplified:  You have roamed around this mountain country long enough; turn northward. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

d. NLT: ‘You have been wandering around in this hill country long enough; turn to the north.  [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

e. The Israel Bible: You have been skirting this hill country long enough; now turn north.  [The English Translation was adapted by Israel 365 from the JPS Tanakh. Copyright Ⓒ 1985 by the Jewish Publication Society. All rights reserved.]

f. Stone Edition THE CHUMASH, Rabbinic Commentary: Enough of your circling this mountain; yourselves northward.  [The Artscroll Series/Stone Edition, THE CHUMASH Copyright 1998, 2000 by MESORAH PUBLICATIONS, Ldt.]

1. “Ye have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you northward.”

a. [Ye have] compassed [Strong: 5437 cabab saw-bab' a primitive root; to revolve, surround, or border; used in various applications, literally and figuratively (as follows):--bring, cast, fetch, lead, make, walk, X whirl, X round about, be about on every side, apply, avoid, beset (about), besiege, bring again, carry (about), change, cause to come about, X circuit, (fetch a) compass (about, round), drive, environ, X on every side, beset (close, come, compass, go, stand) round about, inclose, remove, return, set, sit down, turn (self) (about, aside, away, back).

b. this [Strong: 2088 zeh zeh a primitive word; the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or that:--he, X hence, X here, it(-self), X now, X of him, the one...the other, X than the other, (X out of) the (self) same, such (a one) that, these, this (hath, man), on this side...on that side, X thus, very, which.]

c. long enough [Strong: 7227 rab rab by contracted from 7231; abundant (in quantity, size, age, number, rank, quality):--(in) abound(-undance, -ant, -antly), captain, elder, enough, exceedingly, full, great(-ly, man, one), increase, long (enough, (time)), (do, have) many(-ifold, things, a time), ((ship-))master, mighty, more, (too, very) much, multiply(-tude), officer, often(-times), plenteous, populous, prince, process (of time), suffice(-lent).]

d. turn [ye] [Strong: 6437 panah paw-naw' a primitive root; to turn; by implication, to face, i.e. appear, look, etc.:--appear, at (even-)tide, behold, cast out, come on, X corner, dawning, empty, go away, lie, look, mark, pass away, prepare, regard, (have) respect (to), (re-)turn (aside, away, back, face, self), X right (early).]

e. northward [Strong: 6828 tsaphown tsaw-fone' or tsaphon {tsaw-fone'}; from 6845; properly, hidden, i.e. dark; used only of the north as a quarter (gloomy and unknown):--north(-ern, side, -ward, wind).]

1). Northward, toward the eastern bank of the Jordan river.

2). The events of Deuteronomy 2:3-7, (the refusal of Edom to help Israel is found in Numbers 20.)

a). Numbers 20:14-21 And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh unto the king of Edom, Thus saith thy brother Israel, Thou knowest all the travail that hath befallen us:

20:15 How our fathers went down into Egypt, and we have dwelt in Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians vexed us, and our fathers:

20:16 And when we cried unto the Lord, he heard our voice, and sent an angel, and hath brought us forth out of Egypt: and, behold, we are in Kadesh, a city in the uttermost of thy border:

20:17 Let us pass, I pray thee, through thy country: we will not pass through the fields, or through the vineyards, neither will we drink of the water of the wells: we will go by the king's high way, we will not turn to the right hand nor to the left, until we have passed thy borders.

20:18 And Edom said unto him, Thou shalt not pass by me, lest I come out against thee with the sword.

20:19 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.

20:20 And he said, Thou shalt not go through. And Edom came out against him with much people, and with a strong hand.

20:21 Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border: wherefore Israel turned away from him.

3). Deuteronomy 2:3-7 records the refusal of Edom to give passage through their land. This is about 40 years after the exodus from Egypt. Deuteronomy 2:7 says this is the 40th year. This is probably a rounded number for a number of incidents in Israel’s history during the 40 years that have not happened yet. The death of Aaron (Numbers 20:22-29); The battle with Arad the Canaanite (Numbers 21:1-3); The serpent of brass (Numbers 21:4-9); The wars with Sihon and Og (Numbers 21:21-35); Immediately after the wars with Sihon and Og, Israel moves to Shittim, on the plains of Moab, on the east side of the Jordan across from Jericho (Numbers 22:1). They were at this location until Joshua 3:1 when Israel moved to the banks of the Jordan before crossing into Canaan.  Jewish tradition says this is 38 years after the exodus. 

4). In the detailed list of Israel’s moves found in Numbers 33, there is no mention of Edom’s refusal. It just records Israel’s move from Kadesh to Mount Hor. 

a). Numbers 33:37 And they removed from Kadesh, and pitched in mount Hor, in the edge of the land of Edom.