Among other things, Deuteronomy 2 gives a shout out to the territorial integrity of nations in general,
and the lands belonging to the peoples of Esau, Moab, and Ammon in particular. Regarding these three
nations, the Hebrews received clearcut instruction. Three distinct commands don’t leave room for
ambiguity:
- Esau – “Contend not with them…”
- Moab – “Be not at enmity with Moab…”
- Ammon – “Harass them not, nor contend with them…”
“And God said to me. You have spent sufficient time around this
mountain. Turn northward.”
Non-belligerence, then, is Heaven’s express desire concerning Esau, Moab, and Ammon. Abravanel puts
these commands into focus. Adopting a passive posture toward these three nations had nothing to do
with weakness on the Maker's part. Patently ludicrous. Abravanel makes plain the real reasons behind
Heaven's instruction. Here we will break down some of the rationales.
The land of Seir (Esau) had not been targeted by the Hebrews. This does not imply that they lacked
gumption or feared a fight. To the contrary. Jews were eager to take the offensive. Actually, Seir citizens
cowered to think that the Children of Israel would attack them. The Torah dictated détente, per se.
Why? The Maker deeded title of Seir to Esau. He insisted that His people contain themselves and not
incite Esau, since they are kin.
More instruction followed. "Do not vex them". Waging war was out of the question. If the Hebrews still
didn’t get the message and were hankering for a fight, Heaven suggested they take a deep breath, per
se. Deprived of a full-fledged war, some highly spirited troops wondered, Abravanel ventures, if it might
be possible to pillage a bit. God nixed even small-scale skirmishes."Because I gave Mount Seir to Esau
for an inheritance." The Jewish nation heard that any outright taking of the land was prohibited. Even
extending hegemony over Esau’s territory, with the local citizens staying put but paying a tribute to their
Jewish overlords, would not be condoned.
God was unequivocal about the Hebrews taking advantage of Esau. "Food you shall buy from them for
fair consideration, and then you can eat." Though animal fodder grows in the wild, the nation was
instructed to pay cash for it."And also, water you must purchase from them with money, and then you
may drink." While water is a natural resource, Jewish campers heard that it made no difference. They
could not take an ounce of it without paying retail.
God schooled His people in the facts of life. "Because God your Almighty blesses you in your every
endeavor. He knows your sojourns… you have not lacked for anything." That is, the bounty and wealth
they now possessed was not a function of having inherited bundles from their parents. Blessing comes
from Above, the Maker pointed out.
Hebrews also heard that battling Moab and Ammon were out of the question, as our chapter writes
explicitly. Both peoples descended from Abraham’s nephew Lot. “And God said unto me: Be not at
enmity with Moab…for I will not give you of his land for a possession, because I have given Ar unto the
children of Lot for a possession.”
The same territorial ban extends to Ammon, God demands. “…and when you come nigh over against the
children of Ammon, harass them not, nor contend with them; for I will not give you of the land of the
children of Ammon for a possession; because I have given it unto the children of Lot for a possession.”
Abravanel stresses the reasons for Heaven’s adamancy. Esau is family. God rewards him for having
honored Isaac, his father. “Do not vex them.” There is another angle – world order and territorial
integrity. Abravanel explains, that from the dawn of time, nations have been allotted a homeland. Esau's
descendants, especially, held a place close to God's heart insofar as they hailed from Abraham, the
Maker's beloved. This effectively put a kibosh on Jewish designs to snatch it away. "You are passing
through your brethren's, the children of Esau's, borders "they are Abraham's seed. And we passed by
our brethren, the children of Esau, who dwell in Seir…" Divine kindness for Esau was a direct by-product
of their distinguished lineage, and link to the patriarch.
Protection from Above also went out to Ammon's and Moab's progeny. Both share a common
progenitor – Lot – Abraham's disciple manqué. The Jews were ordered to keep their hands off of
Ammon's and Moab's territories.
Axiomatically, divine providence watches over each nation. As an auxiliary to that principle, it provides
that each nation shall dwell in peace and security within its above-designated territory. Crucially, there
is one condition: the nation must conduct itself in accordance with basic, inalienable human rights and
obligations. Despite the fact that the Gentile nations do not have Torah, they are not exempt from
promulgating fair laws. Common sense and decency are inherent to man.
Abravanel probes deeper: What happens if a nation tosses its responsibilities and acts injudiciously?
Under those circumstances, it is apt that they will forfeit the right to their lands; others will occupy
them. In sum, God Almighty judges His world, sure to punish those who betray their destinies through
treachery. The Canaanites are a case in point. They polluted their land, at their peril. “And the land
vomited out its residents."
In overview, Abravanel advances two reasons to explain why the Jews were forbidden to infringe upon
Esau's, Ammon's, and Moab's lands' integrity. One, these nations benefitted from their illustrious
forebears, Abraham and Lot. Two, these peoples acted decently and oversaw well-run states. Hence,
Jews were told to avoid confrontation with them – for now. What the future will hold, well, that’s a
topic for another blog as the major prophets foresaw.
