Deuteronomy 2:3 kjv
Ye have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you northward.
Deuteronomy 2:3 nkjv
'You have skirted this mountain long enough; turn northward.
Deuteronomy 2:3 niv
"You have made your way around this hill country long enough; now turn north.
Deuteronomy 2:3 esv
'You have been traveling around this mountain country long enough. Turn northward
Deuteronomy 2:3 nlt
'You have been wandering around in this hill country long enough; turn to the north.
Deuteronomy 2 3 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Dt 1:3 | ...fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month... Moses spoke to the children of Israel. | Divine timing of commands |
| Dt 1:40 | "But as for you, turn and journey into the wilderness toward the Red Sea." | Previous command for turning back/wandering |
| Num 14:33-34 | "Your sons shall be shepherds in the wilderness forty years... according to the number of days you spied out the land..." | Consequence of unbelief, wilderness wandering decreed |
| Num 32:13 | "So the Lord's anger was kindled against Israel, and He made them wander in the wilderness forty years..." | God's judgment on disobedience |
| Heb 3:7-11 | "Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of trial in the wilderness..." | Warning against stubbornness and not entering rest |
| Heb 4:1-11 | Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. | Failure to enter rest due to unbelief |
| Jos 1:2-3 | "Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan... every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon..." | God's command to move forward into the promised land |
| Exod 14:15 | And the LORD said to Moses, "Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward." | God's command to advance despite obstacles |
| Ps 32:8 | I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. | Divine guidance and instruction |
| Ps 37:23 | The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, And He delights in his way. | God directs the paths of His people |
| Prov 3:5-6 | Trust in the Lord with all your heart... In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. | Reliance on God for direction |
| Jer 29:11 | For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. | God's ultimate good purpose and direction for His people |
| Is 48:17 | Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "I am the Lord your God, Who teaches you to profit, Who leads you by the way you should go." | God leads His people beneficially |
| Rom 13:11 | And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep... | Urgency of acting in light of divine timing |
| 1 Cor 16:9 | For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries. | God opening doors for advancement |
| Phil 3:13-14 | ...one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal... | Pressing forward spiritually, leaving the past behind |
| Jas 4:13-15 | Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city... If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that." | Human planning vs. divine will and timing |
| 2 Pet 3:9 | The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us... | God's patience, yet promises fulfilled |
| Ps 119:105 | Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. | Scripture as guidance for next steps |
| 1 Sam 7:3 | Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, "If you return to the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths from among you..." | Need to put away past disobedience to move forward |
| Exod 23:20 | "Behold, I send an Angel before you to keep you in the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared." | Divine provision for the journey |
Deuteronomy 2 verses
Deuteronomy 2 3 Meaning
Deuteronomy 2:3 records God's direct command to the Israelites through Moses, signaling an end to their aimless forty-year wandering around the region of Mount Seir. The Lord declares that they have spent "long enough" in that area and it is time for them to change direction and proceed "northward" towards the land He promised them, signifying the beginning of their march towards the inheritance.
Deuteronomy 2 3 Context
Deuteronomy 2:3 is part of Moses' recounting of Israel's journey from Mount Horeb (Sinai) up to their current position on the plains of Moab. This particular verse marks a pivotal transition point in their history. For the past 38 years, following the rebellion and unbelief at Kadesh Barnea (Dt 1:34-35), Israel had been condemned to wander in the wilderness until that entire rebellious generation died out. During this time, they had "skirted" or "circled" the mountainous region of Mount Seir, which belonged to their Edomite brethren (descendants of Esau). God's declaration in this verse signifies the completion of that punitive phase. The old generation has passed away, and it is now time for the new generation to receive specific instructions and proceed with the conquest of the Promised Land, no longer wandering aimlessly, but purposefully advancing toward their inheritance under God's renewed directive.
Deuteronomy 2 3 Word analysis
- You have skirted (רַב־לָכֶם סֹב אֶת־הָהָר - rav-lakhem sov et ha-har):
- You have: Implies direct address to the nation, recognizing their collective experience.
- skirted (סֹב - sov from סָבַב - savav): This Hebrew verb means to surround, encompass, turn, or wander. In this context, it implies circling or continually going around a boundary, not truly moving forward. It describes the 38 years of purposeless, divinely imposed wandering around Edomite territory, a punishment for their unbelief. This wandering was without advancement toward their ultimate goal.
- this mountain (אֶת־הָהָר - et ha-har):
- this: Specificity implies a known geographic feature, referring to Mount Seir, the region of Edom, which they were forbidden to enter or conquer.
- mountain: Symbolizes an obstacle or boundary, around which they were confined.
- long enough (רַב־לָכֶם - rav-lakhem):
- Literally means "much for you" or "enough for you." This emphatic phrase signals God's declaration that the prescribed period of wandering and punitive delay has been completed. It implies divine patience but also a definite termination of a phase. It's a statement of timing and divine initiative for change. The time for delay is over.
- turn northward (פְּנוּ לָכֶם צָפֹנָה - pnu lakhem tzafonah):
- turn (פְּנוּ - pnu from פָּנָה - panah): An imperative verb meaning "to turn," "to face," or "to direct oneself." It's a direct command to change their orientation and trajectory, ending the previous pattern. This is an active and decisive command requiring their obedience.
- northward (צָפֹנָה - tzafonah): A specific directional command, indicating the path towards the plains of Moab and eventually across the Jordan into Canaan. This new direction symbolizes purpose and divine appointment, a stark contrast to their previous undirected circling. It marks the start of the next phase of their journey, directly ordered by God.
Deuteronomy 2 3 Bonus section
The cessation of "skirting this mountain" highlights God's strategic guidance. Even during the period of punishment, Israel was kept under divine watch and instruction (Dt 2:7). The Edomites were their kin, and God commanded Israel not to provoke them (Dt 2:4-6), showing respect for boundaries He Himself established for other nations. This also means the 38 years of wandering served a dual purpose: discipline for the old generation and preparation for the new one, instilling reliance on God's provision (manna, water) and refining their obedience for the challenges of conquest. The command to "turn northward" points towards their ultimate destiny in Canaan, which lay directly north of their current location around Seir and the Arnon Valley. This historical account foreshadows the Christian life where periods of spiritual stagnation or "wilderness experiences" must eventually give way to purposeful obedience and progression into God's plans.
Deuteronomy 2 3 Commentary
Deuteronomy 2:3 marks a divinely appointed turning point for the nation of Israel. After nearly four decades of consequences for their rebellion and unbelief at Kadesh Barnea, God declares an end to their aimless circling around Mount Seir. The phrase "long enough" highlights both the extent of their delayed obedience and God's sovereign timing; He orchestrates when one season ends and another begins. This command to "turn northward" is a direct and purposeful shift, moving them from a period of punitive stagnation to one of active advancement towards the Promised Land. It underscores that while God's discipline is certain, so is His faithfulness to fulfill His covenant. It teaches that there is a season for wandering (often due to human failure) and a time when God sovereignly commands forward movement. Spiritually, it serves as a powerful reminder for believers to move beyond cycles of sin, doubt, or past failures, responding to God's fresh commands to advance in faith and purpose. For example, individuals who have long struggled with a persistent sin may hear God's call to definitively "turn" and walk in a new direction of righteousness.