Thou shalt sell me meat for money, that I may eat; and give me water for money, that I may drink: only I will pass through on my feet;

DEUTERONOMY 2:28KJV
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Deuteronomy 2:28 (KJV)

What does Deuteronomy 2:28 mean?

Deuteronomy 2:28 records Moses asking the people of a foreign land to sell him and the Israelites food and water for money as they pass through their territory, promising not to take anything by force but to pay fairly for what they need. This verse shows a request for peaceful passage, with respect for the property and resources of others.

Moses is speaking to the descendants of Esau or the people of Sihon, king of Heshbon, as the Israelites journey toward the Promised Land. The situation is tense, as the Israelites are a large group traveling through lands not their own, and Moses emphasizes their willingness to pay ("money"—Hebrew כֶּסֶף, keseph) for both food ("meat"—Hebrew לֶחֶם, lechem, meaning bread or food in general) and water. The request to "pass through on my feet" stresses that they seek only transit, not conquest or conflict.

The Hebrew behind Deuteronomy 2:28

  • כֶּסֶף (keseph, "money"): This word appears twice in the verse, highlighting the Israelites' intention to pay fairly and not take anything by force. It underscores a peaceful, transactional approach rather than aggression.
  • לֶחֶם (lechem, "meat" in KJV, but more accurately "bread" or "food"): The Hebrew word usually means bread or food in general, not specifically meat. The request is for basic sustenance, not luxury or excess.
  • עָבַר (avar, "pass through"): The verb means to cross over or pass through, reinforcing that the Israelites are not seeking to settle or invade, but simply to travel through the land.

Why Deuteronomy 2:28 matters

  • The verse clarifies that the Israelites were not seeking to take land or resources by force, but to act honorably and pay for what they needed, which counters accusations of unjust aggression.
  • The emphasis on paying for both food and water shows a respect for the property and well-being of the people whose land they are passing through, highlighting a principle of fairness and peaceful coexistence.
  • In the wider context of Deuteronomy 2, this verse helps explain the Israelites' interactions with neighboring peoples during their journey, showing a pattern of seeking peaceful solutions before any conflict arose.

Where else these words appear

“sell” Hebrew H7666 · used in 20 verses

  • Genesis 41:56 And the famine was over all the face of the earth: And Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt.
  • Genesis 42:7 And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food.
  • Genesis 44:25 And our father said, Go again, and buy us a little food.

“meat” Hebrew H400 · used in 41 verses

  • Genesis 14:11 And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way.
  • Exodus 12:4 And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb.
  • Job 38:41 Who provideth for the raven his food? when his young ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat.