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英文原文
Moses, in this chapter, proceeds in the rehearsal of God's providences concerning Israel in their way to Canaan, yet preserves not the record of any thing that happened during their tedious march back to the Red Sea, in which they wore out almost thirty-eight years, but passes that over in silence as a dark time, and makes his narrative to begin again when they faced about towards Canaan (De 2:1-3), and drew towards the countries that were inhabited, concerning which God here gives them direction, I. What nations they must not give any disturbance to. 1. Not to the Edomites, De 2:4-8. 2. Not to the Moabites (De 2:9), of the antiquities of whose country, with that of the Edomites, he gives some account, De 2:10-12. And here comes in an account of their passing the river Zered, De 2:13-16. 3. Not to the Ammonites, of whose country here is some account given, De 2:17-23. II. What nations they should attack and conquer. They must begin with Sihon, king of the Amorites, De 2:24,25. And accordingly, 1. They had a fair occasion of quarrelling with him, De 2:26-32. 2. God gave them a complete victory over him, De 2:33-37, etc.
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The Seed of Esau and Lot Spared (1451 BC)
以扫和罗得的后裔蒙了宽容（主前 1451 年）
¹ 此后我们转回，从红海那条路往旷野去，正如耶和华对我所说的；我们在西珥山绕行了许多日子。 ² 耶和华吩咐我说： ³ 你们绕行这山的日子够了，要转向北去。 ⁴ 你吩咐百姓说：你们弟兄以扫的子孙住在西珥，你们要经过他们的境界；他们必惧怕你们，所以你们要分外谨慎。 ⁵ 不可与他们争战；他们的地，连立足之地我也不给你们，因我已经将西珥山赐给以扫为业。 ⁶ 你们要用银子向他们买粮吃，也要用银子向他们买水喝。 ⁷ 因为耶和华你的神，在你手里所办的一切事上，已经赐福与你；你走这大旷野，他都知道；这四十年，耶和华你的神常与你同在，你就一无所缺。
此处我们看到：I. 简短记述以色列人在旷野中长久的居留：我们在西珥山绕行了许多日子（申 2:1）。他们在西珥的诸旷野中飘流将近三十八年；可能在某些安歇之处他们停留数年，毫不移动；神借此不但惩治了他们的发怨言和不信，更是：1\. 借着使他们因罪自卑、教导他们治死肉体的私欲、跟随神并在他里面得安慰，来预备他们进入迦南。要使灵魂配得上那属天的迦南，这是需要时间的工作，必须借着长串的功课才能作成。2\. 他预备了迦南人受毁灭。这一切时候，他们罪孽的量度正在填满；这段时光本可被他们用作悔改的余地，却被他们滥用而使自己的心更加刚硬。如今以色列的军队既曾一度被击退，之后又在旷野中如此长久地纠缠、似乎是迷失其中，他们便安枕无忧，以为这一方面的危险已过，这就使得以色列下一次向他们的进攻更为可畏。
II\. 吩咐他们转向迦南。神虽然长久相争，却不会永远相争。以色列虽可能长久等候拯救或扩张，拯救终必临到：异象是关乎定的时候，到了末期必然发声，绝不虚谎。
III\. 嘱咐他们不可侵扰以东人。
1\. 他们不可像对待仇敌那样向他们动武：不可与他们相争（申 2:4、5）。（1）他们不可利用自己所占的优势来对付他们——这优势就是他们因以色列临近而被惊吓所陷入的："他们必惧怕你们，知道你们的实力和人数，也知道为你们争战的神之大能；但不要因为他们的恐惧使他们成为易得之猎物，你们就因此去猎取他们；断乎不可，你们要分外谨慎。" 我们需要极大的谨慎，并严格管辖自己的心，才能约束自己不去伤害那些处于我们劣势之下的人。这警告也是给众首领的；他们不仅自己不可招惹以东人，也不可容许士兵中任何一人去招惹他们。（2）他们不可因以东人拒绝他们借境而过的侮辱（民 20:21）而向东人报复。这样，在神领以色列人去毁灭他们在迦南的仇敌之前，他先教导他们在以东饶恕他们的仇敌。（3）他们不可指望以东人的地有丝毫归给他们为业：西珥山已经定归以东人，他们不可借神之约和神之引导为名，就以为自己可以任意攫取凡能拿到手的一切。政权并非建立在恩典之上。神的以色列必得妥善的安置，却不可指望在世上独居（赛 5:8）。
2\. 他们要像邻舍一样与他们通商，向他们买粮买水，并付足所买的价（申 2:6）。宗教绝不可作为不义的幌子。所给的理由（申 2:7）是："神已经赐福与你，你直到如今一无所缺；所以，"（1）"你不必乞讨；你既有全能的神可靠，就耻于受以东人的恩惠。你有钱付清所要之物（感谢神的赐福！）；所以要用你所有的，用得欢然，不要去占以东人的便宜。"（2）"所以你不可偷窃。你已经经历了神对你所有的看顾，既笃信将来的看顾，并坚信这看顾的全备，就永不可用任何不正当的方法来供给自己的需要。要凭着信心活着，不要靠刀剑活着。"
⁸ 于是我们离了我们弟兄以扫的子孙，他们住在西珥；我们从亚拉巴的路，以拉他和以旬迦别经过，又转向走了摩押旷野的路。 ⁹ 耶和华吩咐我说：不可扰害摩押人，也不可与他们争战；他们的地我不赐给你为业，因我已经将亚珥赐给罗得的子孙为业。 ¹⁰ （先前，以米人住在那里，那民众多，又大，又长，像亚衲人一样； ¹¹ 这以米人像亚衲人，也算为利乏音人，但摩押人称他们为以米人。 ¹² 先前，何利人也住在西珥；以扫的子孙把他们除灭，得了他们的地，接着住在那里，就如以色列在耶和华赐给他得为业的地上所行的一样。） ¹³ 现在，起来过撒烈溪！于是我们过了撒烈溪。 ¹⁴ 自从离开加低斯巴尼亚，直到过了撒烈溪的时候，所过的日子共有三十八年，等那世代的兵丁从营中尽都消灭，正如耶和华向他们所起的誓。 ¹⁵ 耶和华的手攻击他们，直到将他们从营中尽行灭绝。 ¹⁶ 兵丁都灭绝了、从民中死亡以后， ¹⁷ 耶和华吩咐我说： ¹⁸ 你今天要从摩押的境界亚珥经过； ¹⁹ 你走近亚扪人之地，不可扰害他们，也不可与他们相争；亚扪人的地我不赐给你为业，因我已将那地赐给罗得的子孙为业。 ²⁰ （那地也算为利乏音人之地；先前，利乏音人住在那里，亚扪人称他们为散送冥； ²¹ 那民众多，又大，又长，像亚衲人一样；但耶和华在亚扪人面前除灭他们，亚扪人就得了他们的地，接着住在那里； ²² 正如耶和华为住西珥的以扫子孙所行的一样；他在他们面前除灭了何利人，亚扪人就得了他们的地，接着住在那里，直到今日； ²³ 又如住迦萨的亚卫人，迦斐托人出来、从迦斐托出来，将他们除灭，接着住在那里。）
此处当留意：摩西提到以东人时（申 2:8），称他们为"我们弟兄以扫的子孙。"虽然他们对以色列不友善，拒绝他们从境内和平经过，他却仍称他们为弟兄。因为尽管我们的亲人未尽对我们将要尽的本分，我们却仍当顾念亲属之情，遇有机会就不在他们所当得的尽上我们的本分。如今在这些经节中，我们有：
I. 摩西对几国来源的记述——他在此有 occasion 提到的摩押人、以东人、亚扪人。我们从他的历史的别处已很清楚知道他们是谁的后裔；但此处他告诉我们，他们怎样得以住在以色列遇见他们时所处的那些国家中；他们并非原住民，也不是最初在那里定居的人。但是：1\. 摩押人所住的地方，原属于一个巨人种族，名为以米人（意即可畏的人），身量像亚衲人一样高，也许更加凶猛（申 2:10、11）。2\. 以东人也照样将何利人从西珥山逐出，得了他们的地为业（申 2:12，又申 2:22），关于此事我们读于创 36:20。3\. 亚扪人也占据了从前巨人居住之地，那些人称为散送冥，意即诡诈的人或恶人（申 2:20、21），大概就是创 14:5 所称的苏西人。他以一个比这些都更古的例子来印证这些论述：迦斐托人（与 Philistines 同族，创 10:14）将亚卫人逐出他们的地，占据为业（申 2:23）。博学的帕特里克主教推测，这些亚卫人既被逐出此地，便在亚述定居，就是我们在那个名称之下所读到的百姓（王下 17:31）。这些变迁被记下来，（1）为要表明洪水之后世界何等迅速就遍满了人口，甚至当一家人繁衍增多时，至少在那一带地方，他们找不到可以定居之处，只好把已经定居的人赶出去。（2）为要表明快跑的未必能赢，战争的胜利也不在乎勇士。身量寻常的人把巨人驱逐出去；因为也许这些巨人，正如洪水前的那些（创 6:4），都以不敬虔和欺压著称，所以招致神的审判临到他们，他们强大的力量在审判面前并无助益。（3）为要表明世上的产业是多么无常的东西，多么频繁地更换主人；古时如此，永远也将如此。家族衰微，产业便转移到繁盛的家族手中；这些事何等缺乏恒久与持续。（4）为要鼓励那正要去得迦南为业的以色列人，使他们面对将要遇到的艰难时不至气馁，并显明那些惧怕亚衲子孙的人实在是不信；此处所说被征服的巨人，正是与他们相比的（申 2:11、21）。若神的护理既已为摩押人和亚扪人成就了这事，那么他的应许岂不更要为他独特的子民以色列成就吗。
II\. 以色列向迦南的推进。他们沿着摩押旷野的路前行（申 2:8），然后过了撒烈溪或撒烈谷（申 2:13），就在那里摩西留意到神论他们所说之话的应验——凡在西奈山被数点的人都不得看见神所应许的那地（民 14:23）。按照那判决，如今他们既开始面向迦南，把它摆在眼前，圣经就提到他们全都消灭死亡，没有一人存留（申 2:14）。我们可以观察到，寻常的护理在大约三十八年内通常会兴起一代新人，所以那时旧的一代已所剩无几；但此处却是全新的一代，除了迦勒和约书亚之外，没有一个存留：因为耶和华的手确是攻击他们（申 2:15）。凡有神之手攻击他们的人，不能不消损，直到尽都灭绝。请注意：以色列直到那些惯于吃苦、又从埃及人那里学过战术的老兵——那从营中尽都消灭、死亡的兵丁（申 2:16）——全都过去之后，才被召去与迦南人交战；这样，迦南的征服既是由在旷野中新招聚、新训练的一支军队所成就，那能力之卓越就更加明显地是出于神，不是出于人。
III. 嘱咐他们不可招惹摩押人或亚扪人，他们既不可剥夺他们的产业，也不可搅扰他们：不可扰害他们，也不可与他们争战（申 2:9）。虽然摩押人图谋毁灭以色列（民 22:6），以色列却不可图谋毁灭他们。若别人设计要害我们，这并不能为我们设计害他们提供借口。但为何不可招惹摩押人和亚扪人呢？1\. 因为他们是罗得的子孙（申 2:9、19），是那在所多玛持守正直的公义的罗得。注意：儿女往往在这世上因祖先的敬虔而得福分：正直人的后裔虽然败坏，仍得属世美物之福。2\. 因为他们所占有的地，是神已经赐给他们、却不为以色列所预备的地。即使恶人对其属世产业也有权利，也不可被亏负。稗子在田里得有自己的位置，直到收割才可拔出来。神将外表的福气赐给恶人、为恶人保留，为要表明这些不是最好的东西，他更为自己的儿女存留了更好的。
英文原文
The Seed of Esau and Lot Spared (1451 BC)
¹ Then we turned, and took our journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea, as the LORD spake unto me: and we compassed mount Seir many days.
² And the LORD spake unto me, saying,
³ Ye have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you northward.
⁴ And command thou the people, saying, Ye are to pass through the coast of your brethren the children of Esau, which dwell in Seir; and they shall be afraid of you: take ye good heed unto yourselves therefore:
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.
⁶ Ye shall buy meat of them for money, that ye may eat; and ye shall also buy water of them for money, that ye may drink.
⁷ For the LORD thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand: he knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness: these forty years the LORD thy God hath been with thee; thou hast lacked nothing.
Here is, I. A short account of the long stay of Israel in the wilderness: We compassed Mount Seir many days, De 2:1. Nearly thirty-eight years they wandered in the deserts of Seir; probably in some of their rests they staid several years, and never stirred; God by this not only chastised them for their murmuring and unbelief, but, 1. Prepared them for Canaan, by humbling them for sin, teaching them to mortify their lusts, to follow God, and to comfort themselves in him. It is a work of time to make souls meet for heaven, and it must be done by a long train of exercises. 2. He prepared the Canaanites for destruction. All this time the measure of their iniquity was filling up; and, though it might have been improved by them as a space to repent in, it was abused by them to the hardening of their hearts. Now that the host of Israel was once repulsed, and after that was so long entangled and seemingly lost in the wilderness, they were secure, and thought the danger was over from that quarter, which would make the next attempt of Israel upon them the more dreadful.
II. Orders given them to turn towards Canaan. Though God contend long, he will not contend for ever. Though Israel may be long kept waiting for deliverance or enlargement, it will come at last: The vision is for an appointed time, and at the end it shall speak, and not lie.
III. A charge given them not to annoy the Edomites.
1. They must not offer any hostility to them as enemies: Meddle not with them, De 2:4,5. (1.) They must not improve the advantage they had against them, by the fright they would be put into upon Israel's approach: "They shall be afraid of you, knowing your strength and numbers, and the power of God engaged for you; but think not that, because their fears make them an easy prey, you may therefore prey upon them; no, take heed to yourselves." There is need of great caution and a strict government of our own spirits, to keep ourselves from injuring those against whom we have an advantage. Or this caution is given to the princes; they must not only not meddle with the Edomites themselves, but not permit any of the soldiers to meddle with them. (2.) They must not avenge upon the Edomites the affront they gave them in refusing them passage through their country, Nu 20:21. Thus, before God brought Israel to destroy their enemies in Canaan, he taught them to forgive their enemies in Edom. (3.) They must not expect to have any part of their land given them for a possession: Mount Seir was already settled upon the Edomites, and they must not, under pretence of God's covenant and conduct, think to seize for themselves all they could lay hands on. Dominion is not founded in grace. God's Israel shall be well placed, but must not expect to be placed alone in the midst of the earth, Isa 5:8.
2. They must trade with them as neighbours, buy meat and water of them, and pay for what they bought, De 2:6. Religion must never be made a cloak for injustice. The reason given (De 2:7), is, "God hath blessed thee, and hitherto thou hast lacked nothing; and therefore," (1.) "Thou needest not beg; scorn to be beholden to Edomites, when thou hast a God all-sufficient to depend upon. Thou hast wherewithal to pay for what thou callest for (thanks to the divine blessing!); use therefore what thou hast, use it cheerfully, and do not sponge upon the Edomites." (2.) "Therefore thou must not steal. Thou hast experienced the care of the divine providence concerning thee, in confidence of which for the future, and in a firm belief of its sufficiency, never use any indirect methods for thy supply. Live by the faith and not by thy sword."
⁸ And when we passed by from our brethren the children of Esau, which dwelt in Seir, through the way of the plain from Elath, and from Ezion-gaber, we turned and passed by the way of the wilderness of Moab.
⁹ And the LORD said unto me, Distress not the Moabites, neither contend with them in battle: for I will not give thee of their land for a possession; because I have given Ar unto the children of Lot for a possession.
¹⁰ The Emims dwelt therein in times past, a people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims;
¹¹ Which also were accounted giants, as the Anakims; but the Moabites call them Emims.
¹² The Horims also dwelt in Seir beforetime; but the children of Esau succeeded them, when they had destroyed them from before them, and dwelt in their stead; as Israel did unto the land of his possession, which the LORD gave unto them.
¹³ Now rise up, said I, and get you over the brook Zered. And we went over the brook Zered.
¹⁴ And the space in which we came from Kadesh-barnea, until we were come over the brook Zered, was thirty and eight years; until all the generation of the men of war were wasted out from among the host, as the LORD sware unto them.
¹⁵ For indeed the hand of the LORD was against them, to destroy them from among the host, until they were consumed.
¹⁶ So it came to pass, when all the men of war were consumed and dead from among the people,
¹⁷ That the LORD spake unto me, saying,
¹⁸ Thou art to pass over through Ar, the coast of Moab, this day:
¹⁹ And when thou comest nigh over against the children of Ammon, distress them not, nor meddle with them: for I will not give thee of the land of the children of Ammon any possession; because I have given it unto the children of Lot for a possession.
²⁰ (That also was accounted a land of giants: giants dwelt therein in old time; and the Ammonites call them Zamzummims;
²¹ A people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims; but the LORD destroyed them before them; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead:
²² As he did to the children of Esau, which dwelt in Seir, when he destroyed the Horims from before them; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead even unto this day:
²³ And the Avims which dwelt in Hazerim, even unto Azzah, the Caphtorims, which came forth out of Caphtor, destroyed them, and dwelt in their stead.)
It is observable here that Moses, speaking of the Edomites (De 2:8), calls them, "our brethren, the children of Esau." Though they had been unkind to Israel, in refusing them a peaceable passage through their country, yet he calls them brethren. For, though our relations fail in their duty to us, we must retain a sense of the relation, and not be wanting in our duty to them, as there is occasion. Now in these verses we have,
I. The account which Moses gives of the origin of the nations of which he had here occasion to speak, the Moabites, Edomites, and Ammonites. We know very well, from other parts of his history, whose posterity they were; but here he tells us how they came to those countries in which Israel found them; they were not the aborigines, or first planters. But, 1. The Moabites dwelt in a country which had belonged to a numerous race of giants, called Emim (that is, terrible ones), as tall as the Anakim, and perhaps more fierce, De 2:10,11. 2. The Edomites in like manner dispossessed the Horim from Mount Seir, and took their country (De 2:12. and again De 2:22), of which we read, Ge 36:20. 3. The Ammonites likewise got possession of a country that had formerly been inhabited by giants, called Zamzummim, crafty men, or wicked men (De 2:20,21), probably the same that are called Zuzim, Ge 14:5. He illustrates these remarks by an instance older than any of these; the Caphtorim (who were akin to the Philistines, Ge 10:14) drove the Avim out of their country, and took possession of it, De 2:23. The learned bishop Patrick supposes these Avites, being expelled hence, to have settled in Assyria, and to be the same people we read of under that name, 2Ki 17:31. Now these revolutions are recorded, (1.) To show how soon the world was peopled after the flood, so well peopled that, when a family grew numerous, they could not find a place to settle in, at least in that part of the world, but they must drive out those that were already settled. (2.) To show that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong. Giants were expelled by those of ordinary stature; for probably these giants, like those before the flood (Ge 6:4), were notorious for impiety and oppression, which brought the judgments of God upon them, against which their great strength would be on defence. (3.) To show what uncertain things worldly possessions are, and how often they change their owners; it was so of old, and ever will be so. Families decline, and from them estates are transferred to families that increase; so little constancy or continuance is there in these things. (4.) To encourage the children of Israel, who were now going to take possession of Canaan, against the difficulties they would meet with, and to show the unbelief of those that were afraid of the sons of Anak, to whom the giants, here said to be conquered, are compared, De 2:11,21. If the providence of God had done this for the Moabites and Ammonites, much more would his promise do it for Israel his peculiar people.
II. The advances which Israel made towards Canaan. They passed by the way of the wilderness of Moab (De 2:8), and then went over the brook or vale of Zered (De 2:13), and there Moses takes notice of the fulfilling of the word which God had spoken concerning them, that none of those that were numbered at Mount Sinai should see the land that God had promised, Nu 14:23. According to that sentence, now that they began to set their faces towards Canaan, and to have it in their eye, notice is taken of their being all destroyed and consumed, and not a man of them left, De 2:14. Common providence, we may observe, in about thirty-eight years, ordinarily raises a new generation, so that in that time few remain of the old one; but here it was entirely new, and none at all remained but Caleb and Joshua: for indeed the hand of the Lord was against them, De 2:15. Those cannot but waste, until they were consumed, who have the hand of God against them. Observe, Israel is not called to engage with the Canaanites till all the men of war, the veteran regiments, that had been used to hardship, and had learned the art of war from the Egyptians, were consumed and dead from among the people (De 2:16), that the conquest of Canaan, being effected by a host of new-raised men, trained up in a wilderness, the excellency of the power might the more plainly appear to be of God and not of men.
III. The caution given them not to meddle with the Moabites or Ammonites, whom they must not disseize, nor so much as disturb in their possessions: Distress them not, nor contend with them, De 2:9. Though the Moabites aimed to ruin Israel (Nu 22:6), yet Israel must not aim to ruin them. If others design us a mischief, this will not justify us in designing them a mischief. But why must not the Moabites and Ammonites be meddled with? 1. Because they were the children of Lot (De 2:9,19), righteous Lot, who kept his integrity in Sodom. Note, Children often fare the better in this world for the piety of their ancestors: the seed of the upright, though they degenerate, yet are blessed with temporal good things. 2. Because the land they were possessed of was what God had given them, and he did not design it for Israel. Even wicked men have a right to their worldly possessions, and must not be wronged. The tares are allowed their place in the field, and must not be rooted out until the harvest. God gives and preserves outward blessings to wicked men, to show that these are not the best things, but he has better in store for his own children.
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History of the Moabites (1451 BC)
摩押人的历史（公元前1451年）
²⁴ 你们起来前往，过亚嫩河；看哪，我已将亚摩利人希实本王西宏和他的地交在你手中；你要得地为业，与他争战。
²⁵ 从今日起，我要使天下万民听见你的名声都惊恐、惧怕你，且因你发颤伤痛。
²⁶ 我从基底莫的旷野差遣使者去见希实本王西宏，用和睦的话说：
²⁷ 求你容我从你的地经过；我必只走大道，不偏左右。
²⁸ 你可以卖粮给我吃，也可以卖水给我喝；只要容我步行过去；
²⁹ 就如住西珥的以扫子孙和住亚珥的摩押人待我一样；等我过了约旦河，进入耶和华我们 神所赐我们的地。
³⁰ 但希实本王西宏不容我们从他那里经过；因为耶和华你的 神使他心中刚硬，性情顽梗，为要将他交在你手中，像今日一样。
³¹ 耶和华对我说：看哪，我已将西宏和他的地交在你面前；你要得地为业。
³² 那时，西宏和他的众民出来攻击我们，在雅杂与我们交战。
³³ 耶和华我们的 神将他交在我们手中，我们就把他和他的儿子们，并他的众民，都击杀了。
³⁴ 我们夺了他的一切城邑，那时将各城的人连女人带孩子，尽都毁灭，没有留下一个。
³⁵ 惟有牲畜和所夺的各城，都取为自己的掠物。
³⁶ 从亚嫩谷边的亚罗珥和谷中的城，直到基列，没有一座城太高大是我们不能攻取的；耶和华我们的 神将这些城都交在我们手中。
³⁷ 惟有亚扪人之地，凡雅博河一带的地方，和山地的城邑，并耶和华我们 神所禁止我们去的地方，你都没有挨近。
神既借着禁止祂的百姓惹动摩押人和亚扪人，试验了他们的舍己；他们既已安静地经过那些肥沃的国家，虽然在人数上占优，却没有对之发起任何攻击——如今祂就借赐给他们亚摩利人希实本王西宏之地，报答他们的顺服。我们若禁戒 神所禁止的，就必领受祂所应许的；我们至终必不因顺服而受亏损，虽然眼前似乎如此。不可亏负别人， 神必为你伸冤。
I\. 神赐他们权夺取希实本王西宏之地的委托（申2:24,25）。这是那时 神分配列国的方式，但如今这种特别的赐予既不可期待，也不可妄求。在这委托中请注意：1. 虽然 神向他们保证这地必为他们所有，他们却必须奋勇争战，与仇敌交锋。凡 神所赐的，我们必须努力去取得。2. 神应许他们争战之时，祂必为他们争战。"你们要得地为业，我也必开始将你的可畏加在他们身上。" 神要使仇敌丧胆而毁灭他们，要高举以色列而使凡他们所奉命攻击的无不惊惶。参出15:14。
II. 摩西差人向西宏传达和睦的话，只求借道他的地，应许不打扰他的国，反给他与如此庞大的队伍通商现钱交易的利益（申2:26-29）。摩西在此既没有违抗吩咐他争战的 神，也没有向西宏欺诈；他这样作无疑是出于 神的指示，为要使西宏无可推诿，虽然 神使他的心刚硬。这可说明 神对待那些蒙赐福音却不蒙赐信心之恩的人的方法。
III. 西宏先开战（申2:32），因 神已"使他的心刚硬"，将关乎他平安的事向他的眼目隐藏（申2:30），为要将他交在以色列手中。那惹动 神百姓的，必自取其祸； 神有时借着仇敌自己的决意毁灭他们。参弥4:11-13，启16:14。
IV. 以色列得胜。1. 他们将一切亚摩利人——男女老少——尽行杀戮（申2:33,34）；他们是作为 神怒气的执行者如此行；如今亚摩利人的罪孽满盈了（创15:16），越久才满盈，最后的清算就越严厉。这是当灭之国之一。他们死，不是作为以色列的仇敌，而是作为献与神圣公义的祭物——以色列作为祭司的国度，正是被使用来献这些祭的。所以这情形既属特殊，就不应被引为军事行动屠杀无辜的先例——那种屠杀不分皂白，也不给宽待："那不怜悯人的，必受无怜悯的审判。"2. 他们取得了他们一切的所有：他们的城邑（申2:34）、他们的财物（申2:35）、他们的地（申2:36）。罪人的财富是为义人积存的。以色列如今进入了一个何等崭新的世界！他们大多数人一生下来就生活在广大的荒野之中，既不知田野，也不知城邑，没有房屋可住，既不撒种，也不收割；如今忽然成为一个建筑完好、耕作精良之地的主人——这就弥补了他们长久的等待，然而这不过是一大笔定金而已。圣洁的灵魂从这世界的旷野迁往"那更好的家乡，就是天上的，那有根基的城"之时，所经历的变迁必更加喜乐。
英文原文
History of the Moabites (1451 BC)
²⁴ Rise ye up, take your journey, and pass over the river Arnon: behold, I have given into thine hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land: begin to possess it, and contend with him in battle.
²⁵ This day will I begin to put the dread of thee and the fear of thee upon the nations that are under the whole heaven, who shall hear report of thee, and shall tremble, and be in anguish because of thee.
²⁶ And I sent messengers out of the wilderness of Kedemoth unto Sihon king of Heshbon with words of peace, saying,
²⁷ Let me pass through thy land: I will go along by the high way, I will neither turn unto the right hand nor to the left.
²⁸ Thou shalt sell me meat for money, that I may eat; and give me water for money, that I may drink: only I will pass through on my feet;
²⁹ (As the children of Esau which dwell in Seir, and the Moabites which dwell in Ar, did unto me;) until I shall pass over Jordan into the land which the LORD our God giveth us.
³⁰ But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him: for the LORD thy God hardened his spirit, and made his heart obstinate, that he might deliver him into thy hand, as appeareth this day.
³¹ And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have begun to give Sihon and his land before thee: begin to possess, that thou mayest inherit his land.
³² Then Sihon came out against us, he and all his people, to fight at Jahaz.
³³ And the LORD our God delivered him before us; and we smote him, and his sons, and all his people.
³⁴ And we took all his cities at that time, and utterly destroyed the men, and the women, and the little ones, of every city, we left none to remain:
³⁵ Only the cattle we took for a prey unto ourselves, and the spoil of the cities which we took.
³⁶ From Aroer, which is by the brink of the river of Arnon, and from the city that is by the river, even unto Gilead, there was not one city too strong for us: the LORD our God delivered all unto us:
³⁷ Only unto the land of the children of Ammon thou camest not, nor unto any place of the river Jabbok, nor unto the cities in the mountains, nor unto whatsoever the LORD our God forbad us.
God having tried the self-denial of his people in forbidding them to meddle with the Moabites and Ammonites, and they having quietly passed by those rich countries, and, though superior in number, not made any attack upon them, here he recompenses them for their obedience by giving them possession of the country of Sihon king of the Amorites. If we forbear what God forbids, we shall receive what he promises, and shall be no losers at last by our obedience, though it may seem for the present to be to our loss. Wrong not others, and God shall right thee.
I. God gives them commission to seize upon the country of Sihon king of Heshbon, De 2:24,25. This was then God's way of disposing of kingdoms, but such particular grants are not now either to be expected or pretended. In this commission observe, 1. Though God assured them that the land should be their own, yet they must bestir themselves, and contend in battle with the enemy. What God gives we must endeavour to get. 2. God promises that when they fight he will fight for them. Do you begin to possess it, and I will begin to put the dread of you upon them. God would dispirit the enemy and so destroy them, would magnify Israel and so terrify all those against whom they were commissioned. See Ex 15:14.
II. Moses sends to Sihon a message of peace, and only begs a passage through his land, with a promise to give his country no disturbance, but the advantage of trading for ready money with so great a body, De 2:26-29. Moses herein did neither disobey God, who bade him contend with Sihon, nor dissemble with Sihon; but doubtless it was by divine direction that he did it, that Sihon might be left inexcusable, though God hardened his heart. This may illustrate the method of God's dealing with those to whom he gives his gospel, but does not give grace to believe it.
III. Sihon began the war (De 2:32), God having made his heart obstinate, and hidden from his eyes the thing that belonged to his peace (De 2:30), that he might deliver him into the hand of Israel. Those that meddle with the people of God meddle to their own hurt; and God sometimes ruins his enemies by their own resolves. See Mic 4:11-13, Re 16:14.
IV. Israel was victorious. 1. They put all the Amorites to the sword, men, women, and children (De 2:33,34); this they did as the executioners of God's wrath; now the measure of the Amorites' iniquity was full (Ge 15:16), and the longer it was in the filling the sorer was the reckoning at last. This was one of the devoted nations. They died, not as Israel's enemies, but as sacrifices to divine justice, in the offering of which sacrifices Israel was employed, as a kingdom of priests. The case being therefore extraordinary, it ought not to be drawn into a precedent for military executions, which make no distinction and give no quarter: those will have judgment without mercy that show no mercy. 2. They took possession of all they had; their cities (De 2:34), their goods (De 2:35), and their land, De 2:36. The wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just. What a new world did Israel now come into! Most of them were born, and had lived all their days, in a vast howling wilderness, where they knew not what either fields or cities were, had no houses to dwell in, and neither sowed nor reaped; and now of a sudden to become masters of a country so well built, so well husbanded, this made them amends for their long waiting, and yet it was but the earnest of a great deal more. Much more joyful will the change be which holy souls will experience when they remove out of the wilderness of this world to the better country, that is, the heavenly, to the city that has foundations.
摩西在本章继续复述神在以色列人前往迦南途中所施的作为；然而对他们回程走向红海那段漫长跋涉中所发生的事，却未留下任何记载——他们在那段时间里几乎耗去了三十八年。他把那段时间当作幽暗之日而略过不提，直到他们重新转向迦南（申2:1-3）、临近有人居住的诸国时，才重新开始叙述。关于这些地方，神在此指示他们：I. 哪些民族不可侵扰。1. 不可侵扰以东人（申2:4-8）。2. 不可侵扰摩押人（申2:9），并在此附述以东人与摩押人国土的古老渊源（申2:10-12）。此处还记有他们渡过撒烈溪的经过（申2:13-16）。3. 不可侵扰亚扪人，此处也附述了其国土的一些情况（申2:17-23）。II. 哪些民族他们当攻击并征服。他们当从亚摩利王西宏起首（申2:24-25）。于是：1. 他们得了一个与他争战的正当因由（申2:26-32）。2. 神使他们全然胜过了他（申2:33-37等）。