But Edom said to him: Edom does not refer to the country as a whole, but to its people (so Good News Translation and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch with “the Edomites”) or to its king (so Contemporary English Version, New Living Translation, Bible en français courant, Bijbel in Gewone Taal; see verse 14). However, there may be some significance that the king of Edom is not referred to explicitly after verse 14. It is as if Edom as an entire people/nation reacts negatively to Israel’s request for safe passage (verses 18-21). If Edom refers to the Edomites, then the pronoun him refers to the Israelites, not just Moses or his messengers.

You shall not pass through, lest I come out with the sword against you: The Hebrew pronouns for you and I are singular, so the nation of Edom speaks as an individual to Israel as an individual (so Sherwood, page 172). However, in many languages plural pronouns will be needed to avoid confusion or unnaturalness (so Good News Translation). You shall not pass through is literally “You [singular] shall not pass through me.” The Hebrew verb form here has the nuance of a strong prohibition; Edom’s response is abrupt and blunt. Bible en français courant says “You will not pass through my country!” Lest I come out with the sword refers to war (see the comments on 14.3), which Good News Translation makes clear by saying “If you try, we will march out and attack you.” Another possible model is “If you try to enter, we will come out to meet you with our army.”

Quoted with permission from de Regt, Lénart J. and Wendland, Ernst R. A Handbook on Numbers. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .