Verse 19
And the children of Israel said unto him ,.... The messengers sent by the children of Israel made answer to the king of Edom:
we will go by the highway ; we desire no other favour but that of the public road; we propose not to go through any part of the country that is enclosed and cultivated, to do any damage to it:
if I and my cattle drink of thy water, then I will pay for it ; as it was usual, and still is, to buy water in those countries near the Red sea, where it is scarce. We are told F4 See a Journal from Cairo to Mount Sinai, p. 10,11. Ed. 2. , that at Suess, a city on the extremity of the Red sea, there is no water nearer than six or seven hours journey towards the north east, which is brought from thence on camels; and a small vessel of it is sold for three or four medinas, and a larger vessel for eight or ten, according to the demand for it; a medina is an Egyptian piece of money, worth about three halfpence of our English money:
I will only (without doing anything else) go through on my feet ; as fast as I can, without saying anything to the inhabitants to terrify and distress them, and without doing them any injury. Some render it, I will only go "with my footmen" F5 ברגלי "cum meo exercitu pedestri"; so some in Fagius & Vatablus. ; foot soldiers, an army on foot, as Israel were.
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