The Edomites were descendants of Jacob's brother Esau. The
Moabites and the Ammonites were descendants of Abraham's nephew Lot (Genesis
19:37-38). Faith had existed in those three people groups' history; therefore
God allotted certain lands to them. Consequently, the Jews were forbidden from
going after them or their possessions.
However, things were altogether different with the Amorites.
God had been planning their demise for many centuries (Genesis 15:16). So, as
we read back in Numbers 21, God delivered the Amorites who lived east of the
Jordan River into the hands of Moses and Israel. It was, in a way, the
beginning of the conquest of Canaan. We usually think of Jericho as the first
conquest, but that is only true in relation to the ministry of Joshua and the
territory west of the Jordan.
So, Mt. Seir belonged to the Edomites and God refused to
give even an inch of Esau's land to Jacob. The same was true with the other
lands that had been given to Lot's descendants. Moses records some of those 3
nation's history here too. Evidently God had given them victory over the even
MORE ancient peoples who HAD lived there previously. Those nations had included
many giants, yet God delivered them over to the Edomites, Moabites and the
Ammonites. Why would Moses bring that
up? Well, if you will recall, the spies had reported earlier that Canaan was
full of giants. So, Moses was assuring the people that God was both willing and
able to give them victory over giants. He had given Israel victory over Sihon
(and Og, see Deuteronomy 3:11)... including some giants, so they were to expect
the same kinds of victories when they got into the heart of Canaan.
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