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Following Israel's second departure from Kadesh (Num. 20) the nation set out for "the wilderness"(v. 1). This was probably the wilderness of Moab to the east of the Dead Sea. They travelled by "the way to the Red Sea"(v. 1). This probably refers to the caravan route that ran from several miles south of the Dead Sea to Elath. Elath stood at the northern tip of the Gulf of Aqabah. Then they "circled"around to the mountains of the Seir range southeast of the Arabah (v. 1).
When Israel lay camped at Kadesh, Moses had asked permission from the Edomites to pass through their land on the Arabah road (v. 8). This route ran east from Kadesh to the King's Highway, the main north-south road east of the Seir mountains (cf. Num. 20:14-21). The Edomites denied his request. Apparently later when Israel was moving north toward Edom from Elath God told Moses that they would pass through Edom (vv. 4-6). They did this through "the way of the wilderness of Moab"(v. 8), a minor route east of and roughly parallel to the King's Highway. We may assume that the Israelites did buy food and water from the Edomites at this time (v. 6).
Verse seven is a testimony to God's care for His people during their wilderness wanderings.
The sites of Elath and Ezion-geber (v. 8) seem to have been very close together.
". . . the main settlement was the oasis of Aqabah, at the northeast corner of the gulf, and . . . both names, Elath and Ezion-geber, referred to this place, perhaps to two parts of the oasis."34
God's care of Moab (v. 9) and Ammon (v. 19) as well as Edom (v. 5) is traceable to the source of these nations in Abraham's family. They were partakers in the benefits of the Abrahamic Covenant. Note that God gave these nations their lands. The thrice repeated phrase, "I have given"(vv. 5, 9, 19), indicates Yahweh's sovereign prerogative to assign His land to whomever He chose.
A later editor, under divine inspiration, may have added the parenthetic sections (vv. 10-12, 20-23) to Moses' narrative after Israel had settled in the land. They refer to events that happened after Israel crossed the Jordan (vv. 12, 23).
"The Hurrians are referred to frequently in the Old Testament as the Horites [vv. 12, 22] . . ."35
Verse 14 is a flashback. The crossing of the Zered was a benchmark event for the Israelites. It signalled the end of the wilderness wanderings as the crossing of the Red Sea had marked the end of Egyptian bondage. The crossing of the Jordan River would mark the beginning of a new era in the Promised Land.
"The reference to the demise of all the fighting men accomplishes at least two purposes: (1) it brings that whole era of desert sojourning to an end, and (2) it emphasizes more than ever that the impending victories of Israel in both the Transjordan and Canaan must be attributed not to Israel but to the Lord alone. With the heart of military capacity gone, there can be no doubt that victory is achievable only as he, the Warrior of Israel, leads them to triumph in holy war."36
The Caphtorim (v. 23) were part of the sea people who invaded Canaan from the northwest and settled in the southwest portion of that land. The Caphtorim came from Caphtor (Crete) as a result of the invasion of their northern Mediterranean homelands by the Dorians (Greeks). These people became known as the Philistines. The whole land of Canaan became known as Palestine, the land of the Philistines. The Roman Emperor Hadrian (A.D. 117-138) gave it this name.
