Deuteronomy 2:9
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
Even though Moab is described as a wicked nation, God forbids Israel from harming them because their land was originally granted to them by God, honoring Lot's legacy. This highlights that God's possession and allocation of land isn't always based on a people's righteousness, but on His sovereign decree.
And the LORD said to me, ‘Do not harass Moab or contend with them in battle, for I will not give you any of their land for a possession, because I have given Ar to the people of Lot for a possession.’
English Standard Version (ESV)
As the Israelites approach the borders of Moab after their wanderings, God instructs Moses not to provoke or attack the Moabites, explaining that this land, including its capital city Ar, has been divinely given to them as descendants of Lot. This command comes as part of a larger narrative about Israel navigating territories of related peoples, reiterating their dependence on God's guidance and specific instructions for their conquest of Canaan. The prohibition highlights God's sovereign right to assign lands and His intention to preserve certain nations, even those not directly in the lineage of Israel's promised inheritance.
Why did God specifically tell Israel not to bother the Moabites? It wasn't because Moab was a particularly good or godly nation, but because God had already set aside their land.
God's sovereign hand is evident in how He allocates territory. In this passage, God instructs Moses and the Israelites to avoid conflict with the Moabites and Ammonites.
A Divine Allocation
The reason given is crucial: 'because I have given Ar [the land of Moab] to the children of Lot for a possession.' This highlights that God, as the Creator and owner of all land, has the right to assign it to whomever He chooses.
Honoring a Covenant Promise (Indirectly)
While the Moabites and Ammonites were not direct descendants of Abraham, they were related through Lot, Abraham's nephew. God's decision to give them this land was, in part, a way of honoring His covenant with Abraham and remembering His relationship with Lot, even though Lot's descendants were not His chosen people for the covenant line. This shows God's faithfulness extends beyond the immediate focus of His redemptive plan.
God commanded Israel to pass by Moab without fighting. This wasn't about Israel's military strength, but about God's specific instructions for His people's journey.
This encounter with Moab reveals a key principle for Israel's journey: obedience to God's specific directives, even when they seem counterintuitive.
Ask a follow-up
Respecting God's Appointed Times and Peoples
God explicitly stated, 'Do not harass Moab or contend with them in battle.' This was not a blanket command for all time, but a specific instruction for that moment in their journey. God had a plan and a timing for dealing with the nations in the land, and Israel was to trust His timing and His methods.
A Test of Faith and Obedience
Passing through a land without taking possession or engaging in conflict would have required immense trust and restraint from the Israelites. It demonstrated that their conquest of Canaan was not about indiscriminate aggression, but about fulfilling God's specific commission in His designated way. Their focus was on God's provision and protection for their journey, not on seizing opportunities for battle that God had not sanctioned.
Understand the original words
tsur · Hebrew Verb
To provoke, stress, or afflict someone in a way that causes distress or antagonism. In this context, it refers to the prohibition against initiating conflict or hostile encroachment against a neighboring people.
gārāh · Hebrew Verb
To engage in strife, legal dispute, or physical combat against someone. It implies an active, confrontational effort to defeat or displace an opponent.
yerushshah · Hebrew Noun
An inherited holding, territory, or domain given by divine grant. It represents a secure place granted by God for a people to dwell and establish their legacy.
This command highlights how God sovereignly distributes land and kingdoms, and how Israel's inheritance was not to be taken by force from other peoples, even when those peoples were later judged.
~1800 BC
Lot's Descendants Settle Moab
Following the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot and his daughters settled east of the Jordan River. His older daughter gave birth to Moab, the ancestor of the Moabite people, who eventually established themselves in the land previously inhabited by giants known as the Emim.
~1400 BC
Abrahamic Covenant Established
God establishes His covenant with Abraham, promising land and descendants. This covenantal relationship informs God's later dealings with Abraham's descendants, including the Israelites and their kinsmen like the Moabites.
c. 1446-1406 BC
Israel's Wilderness Wanderings Begin
After the Exodus from Egypt, the Israelites began their 40-year journey through the wilderness. This period was marked by disobedience and judgment, leading to the death of the generation that left Egypt.
c. 1406 BC— this verse
Israel Arrives at Moab's Border
After the death of Moses' generation, the Israelites, now led by Joshua, approached the borders of the Promised Land. They were on the east side of the Jordan River, near Moab.
c. 1406 BC
Divine Instruction: Bypass Moab
The LORD specifically instructs Moses and the Israelites not to provoke or attack the Moabites, recognizing that God had already given their land to them as an inheritance from Lot.
This passage directly explains the origin of the Moabites as descendants of Lot, which is the reason God gives for Israel to avoid harassing them in Deuteronomy 2:9.
Numbers 21:15This verse names 'Ar' as a prominent city of Moab, clarifying what 'Ar' refers to in Deuteronomy 2:9 and showing its significance in Moabite territory.
Psalm 83:8This psalm lists Moabites alongside other nations that conspired against Israel, highlighting their historical and ongoing adversarial relationship, which makes God's command to show them restraint in Deuteronomy 2:9 particularly noteworthy.
Romans 12:18This New Testament passage echoes the principle found in Deuteronomy 2:9 by urging believers to 'live peaceably with all' and to 'never avenge yourselves.' It shows the enduring biblical value of restraint and peace, even when provoked.
gillDeuteronomy 2:9: "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."
And the Lord said unto me,.... When upon the borders of Moab: distress not the Moabites, neither contend with than in battle; besiege not any of their cities, nor draw them into a battle, or provoke them to fight: for I will not give thee of their land for a posses…
wesleyDeuteronomy 2:9: "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."
2:9 Ar - The chief city of the Moabites, here put for the whole country which depended upon it. The children of Lot - So called to signify that this preservation, was not for their sakes, for they were a wicked people, but for Lot's sake whose memory God yet honour…
Even though Moab is described as a wicked nation, God forbids Israel from harming them because their land was originally granted to them by God, honoring Lot's legacy. This highlights that God's possession and allocation of land isn't always based on a people's righteousness, but on His sovereign decree.
As the Israelites approach the borders of Moab after their wanderings, God instructs Moses not to provoke or attack the Moabites, explaining that this land, including its capital city Ar, has been divinely given to them as descendants of Lot. This command comes as part of a larger narrative about Israel navigating territories of related peoples, reiterating their dependence on God's guidance and specific instructions for their conquest of Canaan. The prohibition highlights God's sovereign right to assign lands and His intention to preserve certain nations, even those not directly in the lineage of Israel's promised inheritance.
As the Israelites approach the borders of Moab after their wanderings, God instructs Moses not to provoke or attack the Moabites, explaining that this land, including its capital city Ar, has been divinely given to them as descendants of Lot. This command comes as part of a larger narrative about Israel navigating territories of related peoples, reiterating their dependence on God's guidance and specific instructions for their conquest of Canaan. The prohibition highlights God's sovereign right to assign lands and His intention to preserve certain nations, even those not directly in the lineage of Israel's promised inheritance.
"And the LORD said to me, ‘Do not harass Moab or contend with them in battle, for I will not give you any of their land for a possession, because I have given Ar to the people of Lot for a possession.’" — Even though Moab is described as a wicked nation, God forbids Israel from harming them because their land was originally granted to them by God, honoring Lot's legacy. This highlights that God's poss…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026
