Joshua son of Nun, who attends you, he shall enter it. Imbue him with strength, for he shall allot it to Israel.—
Moreover, your little ones who you said would be carried off, your children who do not yet know good from bad, they shall enter it; to them will I give it and they shall possess it.
As for you, turn about and march into the wilderness by the way of the Sea of Reeds.
You replied to me, saying, “We stand guilty before יהוה. We will go up now and fight, just as our God יהוה commanded us.” And [the men among] you each girded yourselves with war gear and recklessly started for the hill country.
But יהוה said to me, “Warn them: Do not go up and do not fight, since I am not in your midst; else you will be routed by your enemies.”
I spoke to you, but you would not listen; you flouted יהוה’s command and willfully marched into the hill country.
Then the Amorites who lived in those hills came out against you like so many bees and chased you, and they crushed you at Hormah in Seir.
Again you wept before יהוה; but יהוה would not heed your cry or give ear to you.
Thus, after you had remained at Kadesh all that long time,
we marched back into the wilderness by the way of the Sea of Reeds, as יהוה had spoken to me, and skirted the hill country of Seir a long time.
Then יהוה said to me:
You have been skirting this hill country long enough; now turn north.
And charge the people as follows: You will be passing through the territory of your kin, the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir. Though they will be afraid of you, be very careful
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 possession to Esau.
What food you eat you shall obtain from them for money; even the water you drink you shall procure from them for money.