The Meaning of Deuteronomy 2:9 Explained

Deuteronomy 2:9

KJV: 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.

YLT: and Jehovah saith unto me, Do not distress Moab, nor stir thyself up against them in battle, for I do not give to thee of their land for a possession; for to the sons of Lot I have given Ar for a possession.'

Darby: And Jehovah said to me, Distress not the Moabites, neither engage with them in battle; for I will not give thee of their land a possession; for unto the children of Lot have I given Ar as a possession.

ASV: And Jehovah said unto me, Vex not Moab, neither contend with them in battle; for I will not give thee of his land for a possession; because I have given Ar unto the children of Lot for a possession.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Deuteronomy 2:9 Mean?

Study Notes

given Ar
A region east of the Dead Sea.

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 2:9 mean?

And said Yahweh to me not do harass - Moab nor contend with them in battle for not I will give [any] you of their land [as] a possession because to the descendants of Lot I have given Ar [as] a possession
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֵלַ֗י אֶל־ תָּ֙צַר֙‪‬ אֶת־ מוֹאָ֔ב וְאַל־ תִּתְגָּ֥ר בָּ֖ם מִלְחָמָ֑ה כִּ֠י לֹֽא־ אֶתֵּ֨ן לְךָ֤ מֵֽאַרְצוֹ֙ יְרֻשָּׁ֔ה כִּ֣י לִבְנֵי־ ל֔וֹט נָתַ֥תִּי עָ֖ר יְרֻשָּֽׁה

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָ֜ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֵלַ֗י  to  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
תָּ֙צַר֙‪‬  do  harass 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect Jussive, second person masculine singular
Root: צוּר 
Sense: to bind, besiege, confine, cramp.
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.
מוֹאָ֔ב  Moab 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מֹואָב 
Sense: a son of Lot by his eldest daughter.
וְאַל־  nor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: אַל  
Sense: not, no, nor, neither, nothing (as wish or preference).
תִּתְגָּ֥ר  contend 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Imperfect Jussive, second person masculine singular
Root: גָּרָה  
Sense: to cause strife, stir up, contend, meddle, strive, be stirred up.
בָּ֖ם  with  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
מִלְחָמָ֑ה  in  battle 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִלְחָמָה  
Sense: battle, war.
אֶתֵּ֨ן  I  will  give  [any] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
מֵֽאַרְצוֹ֙  of  their  land 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
יְרֻשָּׁ֔ה  [as]  a  possession 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: יְרֻשָּׁה  
Sense: possession, inheritance.
כִּ֣י  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
לִבְנֵי־  to  the  descendants 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
ל֔וֹט  of  Lot 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: לֹוט  
Sense: son of Haran and Abraham’s nephew who settled in Sodom and was delivered from its destruction by God.
נָתַ֥תִּי  I  have  given 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
עָ֖ר  Ar 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: עָר  
Sense: a city of Moab located south of the Arnon river; perhaps the capital.
יְרֻשָּֽׁה  [as]  a  possession 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: יְרֻשָּׁה  
Sense: possession, inheritance.