Week 9 Deuteronomy 2
Israel isn’t ‘wandering’ anymore.
Now they’re heading toward the Promised Land.
And the Lord told them three things about the tribal regions they were approaching:
First: you will pass through the country belonging to the Edomites, who live in Seir. The Edomites will feel threatened, so be careful. Do not bother them, for I have given them all the hill country around Mount Seir as their property, and I will not give you even one square foot of their land.
Second: do not bother the Moabites, or start a war with them. I have given them Ar as their property, and I will not give you any of their land.
Third: today you will enter the land of the Ammonites. But do not bother them or start a war with them. I have given the land of Ammon to them as their property, and I will not give you any of their land.
I’ve gotten pretty used to the idea of the Promised Land being earmarked for Israel. In the OT the marquee tenancy is Israel in the Promised Land.
But Deuteronomy is also saying that – since the Lord is the custodian of all land (not just Canaan) – he also allocated other specific territories for the use of other groups of people.
There’s The Promised Land for Israel.
And also a raft of other Designated Territories for other groups.
Note: quotes from Deuteronomy 2:4-5 2:9 & 2:18-19 (NLT)