The Meaning of Deuteronomy 2:5 Explained

Deuteronomy 2:5

KJV: 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.

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.

Darby: attack them not; for I will not give you of their land, no, not so much as a foot-breadth; for I have given mount Seir as a possession unto Esau.

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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Deuteronomy 2:5 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 2:5 mean?

not do meddle with them for not I will give [any] you of their land no not so much as a footprint branch one footstep because [as] a possession To Esau I have given - Mount Seir
אַל־ תִּתְגָּר֣וּ בָ֔ם כִּ֠י לֹֽא־ אֶתֵּ֤ן לָכֶם֙ מֵֽאַרְצָ֔ם עַ֖ד מִדְרַ֣ךְ כַּף־ רָ֑גֶל כִּֽי־ יְרֻשָּׁ֣ה לְעֵשָׂ֔ו נָתַ֖תִּי אֶת־ הַ֥ר שֵׂעִֽיר

תִּתְגָּר֣וּ  do  meddle 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: גָּרָה  
Sense: to cause strife, stir up, contend, meddle, strive, be stirred up.
בָ֔ם  with  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
אֶתֵּ֤ן  I  will  give  [any] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
מֵֽאַרְצָ֔ם  of  their  land 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
עַ֖ד  no  not  so  much  as 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
מִדְרַ֣ךְ  a  footprint 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מִדְרָךְ  
Sense: treading or stepping place, place to tread on.
כַּף־  branch 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: כַּף  
Sense: palm, hand, sole, palm of the hand, hollow or flat of the hand.
רָ֑גֶל  one  footstep 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: רֶגֶל  
Sense: foot.
כִּֽי־  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
יְרֻשָּׁ֣ה  [as]  a  possession 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: יְרֻשָּׁה  
Sense: possession, inheritance.
לְעֵשָׂ֔ו  To  Esau 
Parse: Preposition-l, 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.
נָתַ֖תִּי  I  have  given 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַ֥ר  Mount 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: הַר  
Sense: hill, mountain, hill country, mount.
שֵׂעִֽיר  Seir 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: שֵׂעִיר 
Sense: patriarch of the Horites, the inhabitants of Edom before the descendants of Esau, the Edomites.