Deuteronomy 2:5

 Deuteronomy 2:5

Meddle not with them; for I will not give you of their land, no, not so much as a foot breadth; because I have given mount Seir unto Esau for a possession.

a. ASV: Contend not with them; for I will not give you of their land, no, not so much as for the sole of the foot to tread on; because I have given mount Seir unto Esau for a possession.  [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

b. YLT: Ye do not strive with them, for I do not give to you of their land even the treading of the sole of a foot; for a possession to Esau I have given mount Seir.  [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: Do not provoke or stir them up, for I will not give you of their land, no, not enough for the sole of your foot to tread on, for I have given Mount Seir to Esau for a possession.  [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

d. NLT: Do not bother them, for I have given them all the hill country around Mount Seir as their property, and I will not give you even one square foot of their land.  [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: Not to provoke them. For I will not give you of their land so much as a foot can tread on; I have given the hill country of Seir as a possess to Esau.  [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: You shall not provoke them, for I shall not give you of their landeven the right to set foot, for as an inheritance to lEsau have I given Mount Seir.  [The Artscroll Series/Stone Edition, THE CHUMASH Copyright 1998, 2000 by MESORAH PUBLICATIONS, Ldt.]

1. “Meddle not with them; for I will not give you of their land…”

a. Meddle [Strong: 1624 garah gaw-raw' a primitive root; properly, to grate, i.e. (figuratively) to anger:--contend, meddle, stir up, strive.]

b. not [with them] [Strong: 408 ʼal, al; a negative particle (akin to H3808); not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (Job 24:25) as a noun, nothing:—nay, neither, + never, no, nor, not, nothing (worth), rather than.]

c. for [Strong: 3588 kiy kee a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed:--and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-)as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al- )though, + till, truly, + until, when, whether, while, whom, yea, yet.]

d. [I will] not [Strong: 3808 lo' lo or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle; not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else, ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, + of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.]

e. give [you] [Strong: 5414 nathan naw-than' a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.):--add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, X avenge, X be ((healed)), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, + cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, X doubtless, X without fail, fasten, frame, X get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), X have, X indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), + lie, lift up, make, + O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, X pull , put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), + sing, + slander, strike, (sub-)mit, suffer, X surely, X take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, + weep, + willingly, + withdraw, + would (to) God, yield.]

f. [of their] land [Strong: 776 'erets eh'-rets from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land):--X common, country, earth, field, ground, land, X natins, way, + wilderness, world.]

2. “...no, not so much as a foot breadth; because I have given mount Seir unto Esau for a possession.”

a. [no, not] so much as [Strong: 5704 `ad ad properly, the same as 5703 (used as a preposition, adverb or conjunction; especially with a preposition); as far (or long, or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during, while, until) or degree (equally with):--against, and, as, at, before, by (that), even (to), for(-asmuch as), (hither-)to, + how long, into, as long (much) as, (so) that, till, toward, until, when, while, (+ as) yet.]

b. [a] foot [Strong: 7272 regel reh'-gel from 7270; a foot (as used in walking); by implication, a step; by euphem. the pudenda:--X be able to endure, X according as, X after, X coming, X follow, ((broken-))foot((-ed, -stool)), X great toe, X haunt, X journey, leg, + piss, + possession, time.]

c. breadth [Strong: 4096 midrak mid-rawk' from 1869; a treading, i.e. a place for stepping on:--(foot-)breadth.]

d. [Strong: 3709 kaph kaf from 3721; the hollow hand or palm (so of the paw of an animal, of the sole, and even of the bowl of a dish or sling, the handle of a bolt, the leaves of a palm-tree); figuratively, power:--branch, + foot, hand((-ful), -dle, (-led)), hollow, middle, palm, paw, power, sole, spoon.]

e. because [Strong: 3588 kiy kee a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed:--and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-)as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al- )though, + till, truly, + until, when, whether, while, whom, yea, yet.]

f. [I have] given [Strong: 5414 nathan naw-than' a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.):--add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, X avenge, X be ((healed)), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, + cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, X doubtless, X without fail, fasten, frame, X get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), X have, X indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), + lie, lift up, make, + O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, X pull , put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), + sing, + slander, strike, (sub-)mit, suffer, X surely, X take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, + weep, + willingly, + withdraw, + would (to) God, yield.]

g. mount [Strong: 2022 har har a shortened form of 2042; a mountain or range of hills (sometimes used figuratively):--hill (country), mount(-ain), X promotion.]

h. Seir [Strong: 8165 Se`iyr say-eer' formed like 8163; rough; Seir, a mountain of Idumaea and its aboriginal occupants, also one in Palestine:--Seir.]

i. [unto] Esau [Strong: 6215 `Esav ay-sawv' apparently a form of the passive participle of 6213 in the original sense of handling; rough (i.e. sensibly felt); Esav, a son of Isaac, including his posterity:--Esau.]

j. [for a] possession [Strong: 3425 yrushah yer-oosh-shaw' from 3423; something occupied; a conquest; also a patrimony:--heritage, inheritance, possession.]

 1). 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.

2). 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. 

3). 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.