The Meaning of Deuteronomy 2:4 Explained

Deuteronomy 2:4

KJV: 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:

YLT: 'And the people command thou, saying, Ye are passing over into the border of your brethren, sons of Esau, who are dwelling in Seir, and they are afraid of you; and ye have been very watchful,

Darby: And command the people, saying, Ye are to pass through the border of your brethren the children of Esau, who dwell in Seir; and they will be afraid of you; and ye shall be very guarded:

ASV: And command thou the people, saying, Ye are to pass through the border of your brethren the children of Esau, that dwell in Seir; and they will be afraid of you: take ye good heed unto yourselves therefore;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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: 

What does Deuteronomy 2:4 Mean?

Context Summary

Deuteronomy 2:1-15 - Journeying And Dying In The Wilderness
We cannot obtain by our impetuosity and insistence what God offers only as a free gift to our faith. The Land of Promise is not to be obtained by strength of hand, but by the soul that lives in the will of God. Even when we are rebellious and unbelieving, God does not forget nor forsake us, Deuteronomy 2:7. He knows our walking through the great wilderness which we have chosen. Through all the forty years He goes with His people as their fellow-pilgrim. Even under such circumstances they lack nothing that is necessary to a complete and blessed life.
Edom was not to be injured, because of the ancient grant, Genesis 32:3. So with Moab. The gifts and calling of God are without repentance. He will remember His Abrahams and His Lots long after they have passed from this mortal sphere, and will care for their children and children's children. See Isaiah 59:21. [source]

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 2

1  The story is continued, that they were not to meddle with the Edomites
9  nor with the Moabites
16  nor with the Ammonites
24  but Sihon the Amorite was subdued by them

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 2:4 mean?

And the people command saying You [are about to] pass through the territory of your brothers the descendants of Esau who live in Seir and they will be afraid of you therefore watch yourselves carefully
וְאֶת־ הָעָם֮ צַ֣ו לֵאמֹר֒ אַתֶּ֣ם עֹֽבְרִ֗ים בִּגְבוּל֙ אֲחֵיכֶ֣ם בְּנֵי־ עֵשָׂ֔ו הַיֹּשְׁבִ֖ים בְּשֵׂעִ֑יר וְיִֽירְא֣וּ מִכֶּ֔ם וְנִשְׁמַרְתֶּ֖ם מְאֹֽד

הָעָם֮  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
צַ֣ו  command 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: צָוָה  
Sense: to command, charge, give orders, lay charge, give charge to, order.
לֵאמֹר֒  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
עֹֽבְרִ֗ים  [are  about  to]  pass  through 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: עָבַר 
Sense: to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress.
בִּגְבוּל֙  the  territory 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: גְּבוּל  
Sense: border, territory.
אֲחֵיכֶ֣ם  of  your  brothers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.
בְּנֵי־  the  descendants 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
עֵשָׂ֔ו  of  Esau 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֵשָׂו  
Sense: eldest son of Isaac and Rebecca and twin brother of Jacob; sold the birthright for food when he was hungry and the divine blessing went to Jacob; progenitor of the Arab peoples.
הַיֹּשְׁבִ֖ים  who  live 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
בְּשֵׂעִ֑יר  in  Seir 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: שֵׂעִיר 
Sense: patriarch of the Horites, the inhabitants of Edom before the descendants of Esau, the Edomites.
וְיִֽירְא֣וּ  and  they  will  be  afraid 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: יָרֵא 
Sense: to fear, revere, be afraid.
מִכֶּ֔ם  of  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
Root: מִן 
Sense: from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than.
וְנִשְׁמַרְתֶּ֖ם  therefore  watch  yourselves 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
מְאֹֽד  carefully 
Parse: Adverb
Root: מְאֹד  
Sense: exceedingly, much subst.