14 And Moses sendeth messengers from Kadesh unto the king of Edom, `Thus said thy brother Israel, Thou--thou hast known all the travail which hath found us;
15 that our fathers go down to Egypt, and we dwell in Egypt many days, and the Egyptians do evil to us and to our fathers;
16 and we cry unto Jehovah, and He heareth our voice, and sendeth a messenger, and is bringing us out of Egypt; and lo, we [are] in Kadesh, a city [in] the extremity of thy border.
17 Let us pass over, we pray thee, through thy land; we pass not over through a field, or through a vineyard, nor do we drink waters of a well; the way of the king we go, we turn not aside--right or left--till that we pass over thy border.'
18 And Edom saith unto him, `Thou dost not pass over through me, lest with sword I come out to meet thee.'
19 And the sons of Israel say unto him, `In the highway we go, and if of thy waters we drink--I and my cattle--then I have given their price; only (it is nothing) on my feet I pass over.'
20 And he saith, `Thou dost not pass over;' and Edom cometh out to meet him with much people, and with a strong hand;