The Meaning of Deuteronomy 2:8 Explained

Deuteronomy 2:8

KJV: And when we passed by from our brethren the children of Esau, which dwelt in Seir, through the way of the plain from Elath, and from Eziongaber, we turned and passed by the way of the wilderness of Moab.

YLT: 'And we pass by from our brethren, sons of Esau, who are dwelling in Seir, by the way of the plain, by Elath, and by Ezion-Gaber; and we turn, and pass over the way of the wilderness of Moab;

Darby: And we passed by from our brethren the children of Esau, who dwelt in Seir, by the plain, by Elath, and by Ezion-geber, and we turned and passed by the way of the wilderness of Moab.

ASV: So we passed by from our brethren the children of Esau, that dwell in Seir, from the way of the Arabah from Elath and from Ezion-geber. And we turned and passed by the way of the wilderness of Moab.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And when we passed  by from our brethren  the children  of Esau,  which dwelt  in Seir,  through the way  of the plain  from Elath,  and from Eziongaber,  we turned  and passed  by the way  of the wilderness  of Moab. 

What does Deuteronomy 2:8 Mean?

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 2:8 mean?

And when we passed beyond our brothers the descendants of Esau who dwell in Seir away from the road of the plain away from Elath and Ezion Geber - and we turned and passed by way of the Wilderness of Moab
וַֽנַּעֲבֹ֞ר מֵאֵ֧ת אַחֵ֣ינוּ בְנֵי־ עֵשָׂ֗ו הַיֹּֽשְׁבִים֙ בְּשֵׂעִ֔יר מִדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ הָֽעֲרָבָ֔ה מֵאֵילַ֖ת וּמֵעֶצְיֹ֣ן גָּ֑בֶר ס וַנֵּ֙פֶן֙ וַֽנַּעֲבֹ֔ר דֶּ֖רֶךְ מִדְבַּ֥ר מוֹאָֽב

וַֽנַּעֲבֹ֞ר  And  when  we  passed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, first person common plural
Root: עָבַר 
Sense: to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress.
מֵאֵ֧ת  beyond 
Parse: Preposition-m
Root: אֵת 
Sense: with, near, together with.
אַחֵ֣ינוּ  our  brothers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common plural
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.
בְנֵי־  the  descendants 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
עֵשָׂ֗ו  of  Esau 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֵשָׂו  
Sense: eldest son of Isaac and Rebecca and twin brother of Jacob; sold the birthright for food when he was hungry and the divine blessing went to Jacob; progenitor of the Arab peoples.
הַיֹּֽשְׁבִים֙  who  dwell 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
בְּשֵׂעִ֔יר  in  Seir 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: שֵׂעִיר 
Sense: patriarch of the Horites, the inhabitants of Edom before the descendants of Esau, the Edomites.
מִדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙  away  from  the  road  of 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, common singular construct
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
הָֽעֲרָבָ֔ה  the  plain 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עֲרָבָה  
Sense: desert plain, steppe, desert, wilderness.
מֵאֵילַ֖ת  away  from  Elath 
Parse: Preposition-m, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֵילֹות 
Sense: a port on the north-east arm of the Red Sea.
גָּ֑בֶר  Ezion  Geber 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: עֶצְיׄון גֶּבֶר  
Sense: the last station during the exodus of the Israelites before they came to the wilderness of Zin; located near Elath at the head of the Gulf of Akaba.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation
וַנֵּ֙פֶן֙  and  we  turned 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, first person common plural
Root: פֹּונֶה 
Sense: to turn.
וַֽנַּעֲבֹ֔ר  and  passed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, first person common plural
Root: עָבַר 
Sense: to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress.
דֶּ֖רֶךְ  by  way 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
מִדְבַּ֥ר  of  the  Wilderness 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מִדְבָּר 
Sense: wilderness.
מוֹאָֽב  of  Moab 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מֹואָב 
Sense: a son of Lot by his eldest daughter.