# Around the land of Edom Exodus & Wilderness · Reviewed · BSB Content revision: 425f03743d99c92a · Editorial review: 2026-09-23 [Citation / readable page](https://wilderness-scripture-atlas.pages.dev/reference/events/edom/) [Open interactive map](https://wilderness-scripture-atlas.pages.dev/?event=edom) [Markdown](https://wilderness-scripture-atlas.pages.dev/reference/events/edom/index.md) [JSON](https://wilderness-scripture-atlas.pages.dev/reference/events/edom/index.json) Date: c. 1407 BC · Near the end of the wilderness period. Dated from 1 Kings 6:1, which places the Exodus 480 years before Solomon began the temple (c. 966 BC). Many scholars instead date the Exodus to about 1260 BC. Israel takes the long way around Edom and travels toward Moab. Moses reminds the people that Edom, Moab, and Ammon also have lands God has given them. Numbers 20 reports Edom’s refusal of passage; Numbers 21 describes going around Edom. Deuteronomy 2 describes passing the territory of Seir and avoiding conflict. These accounts do not yield a surveyed route. ## Primary Scripture [Numbers 20:14–21 (BSB)](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers%2020%3A14%E2%80%9321&version=BSB) 20:14 From Kadesh, Moses sent messengers to tell the king of Edom, “This is what your brother Israel says: You know all the hardship that has befallen us, 20:15 how our fathers went down to Egypt, where we lived many years. The Egyptians mistreated us and our fathers, 20:16 and when we cried out to the LORD, He heard our voice, sent an angel, and brought us out of Egypt. Now look, we are in Kadesh, a city on the edge of your territory. 20:17 Please let us pass through your land. We will not go through any field or vineyard, or drink water from any well. We will stay on the King’s Highway; we will not turn to the right or to the left until we have passed through your territory.” 20:18 But Edom answered, “You may not travel through our land, or we will come out and confront you with the sword.” 20:19 “We will stay on the main road,” the Israelites replied, “and if we or our herds drink your water, we will pay for it. There will be no problem; only let us pass through on foot.” 20:20 But Edom insisted, “You may not pass through.” And they came out to confront the Israelites with a large army and a strong hand. 20:21 So Edom refused to allow Israel to pass through their territory, and Israel turned away from them. [Numbers 21:4–13 (BSB)](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers%2021%3A4%E2%80%9313&version=BSB) 21:4 Then they set out from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, in order to bypass the land of Edom. But the people grew impatient on the journey 21:5 and spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you led us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread or water, and we detest this wretched food!” 21:6 So the LORD sent venomous snakes among the people, and many of the Israelites were bitten and died. 21:7 Then the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned by speaking against the LORD and against you. Intercede with the LORD so He will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses interceded for the people. 21:8 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and mount it on a pole. When anyone who is bitten looks at it, he will live.” 21:9 So Moses made a bronze snake and mounted it on a pole. If anyone who was bitten looked at the bronze snake, he would live. 21:10 Then the Israelites set out and camped at Oboth. 21:11 They journeyed from Oboth and camped at Iye-abarim in the wilderness opposite Moab to the east. 21:12 From there they set out and camped in the Valley of Zered. 21:13 From there they moved on and camped on the other side of the Arnon, in the wilderness that extends into the Amorite territory. Now the Arnon is the border between the Moabites and the Amorites. ## Related Scripture Direct recollection: Deuteronomy 2:1–23 names Seir, Moab, Ammon, and the Zered. The land grants and commands to avoid conflict are explicit in the passage. [Deuteronomy 2:1–23 · recollection](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy%202%3A1%E2%80%9323&version=BSB) ## Location evidence This broad corridor and its connecting line are illustrative. They follow the narrative’s southern detour without claiming an exact route. Event map marker: Approximate region; \[longitude, latitude\] = \[35.48, 30.42\]. This is a teaching marker, not an exact event venue. Edom and the Arabah: Approximate region. Coordinates \[longitude, latitude\]: \[35.48, 30.42\]. Classification source: editorial. Illustrative regional extent: \[\[35.1,29.6\],\[35.9,31\]\]; not a measured confidence interval. [Numbers 21 · detour around Edom](https://ebible.org/eng-web/NUM21.htm) [Numbers 21 · detour around Edom](https://ebible.org/eng-web/NUM21.htm) ## For the class What does Israel learn about restraint as well as promise? ## Interpretation and reuse Narrative order is a reading arrangement, not a proven chronology. Dates retain their stated uncertainty. An identified locality does not establish the exact venue or prove an event. Region extents and routes are illustrative, not surveyed boundaries or ancient roads. Draft material has not completed editorial review. Record source: editorial (src/data/journey.ts) Place coordinates from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding Data, CC BY 4.0. Teaching stops, summaries and regional extents are original editorial content of this atlas. Berean Standard Bible (BSB), public domain. https://berean.bible/licensing.htm [Use this atlas with AI / data documentation](https://wilderness-scripture-atlas.pages.dev/reference/ai/)