Moses commanded Israel not to attack the Edomites, Moabites, or Ammonites because of their familial connections and God’s previous dealings with them. These instructions are found in Deuteronomy 2. The Edomites were descendants of Esau, Jacob’s brother. Moab and Ammon were descendants of Lot, Abraham’s nephew. Though these nations were not part of the covenant, they were still under God’s providential oversight.
“And command the people, saying, ‘You are about to pass through the territory of your brethren, the descendants of Esau… do not meddle with them, for I will not give you any of their land.'” (Deuteronomy 2:4–5)
“Then the Lord said to me, ‘Do not harass Moab, nor contend with them in battle, for I will not give you any of their land as a possession, because I have given Ar to the descendants of Lot as a possession.'” (Deuteronomy 2:9)
“And when you come near the people of Ammon, do not harass them or meddle with them, for I will not give you any of the land… because I have given it to the descendants of Lot as a possession.” (Deuteronomy 2:19)
These prohibitions underscored that the land was not Israel’s to claim by force if God had not assigned it to them. Israel was to act under God’s direction, not personal ambition. The restraint taught Israel to honor God’s distribution of lands and to respect their kin, even if those relatives were outside the covenant.
