Photography from flickr by emdot

2:1 “Then we turned and journeyed into the wilderness in the direction of the Red Sea, as the Lord told me. And for many days we traveled around Mount Seir. 2 Then the Lord said to me, 3 ‘You have been traveling around this mountain country long enough. Turn northward 4 and command the people, “You are about to pass through the territory of your brothers, the people of Esau, who live in Seir; and they will be afraid of you. So be very careful. 5 Do not contend with them, for I will not give you any of their land, no, not so much as for the sole of the foot to tread on, because I have given Mount Seir to Esau as a possession. 6 You shall purchase food from them for money, that you may eat, and you shall also buy water of them for money, that you may drink. 7 For the Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He knows your going through this great wilderness. These forty years the Lord your God has been with you. You have lacked nothing.”’ 8 So we went on, away from our brothers, the people of Esau, who live in Seir, away from the Arabah road from Elath and Ezion-geber. (Deuteronomy; ESV)

I’m slowly meandering through Deuteronomy with the Brazos Commentary by Telford Work in hand. I enjoy Work’s midrashic approach and find it deeply devotional. In the passage above, Work writes that Israel “must learn that confessional practices include business practices.” Reflecting on this remembrance, I see how Moses’ narrative provides application for several commandments including the commands not to covet, the command not to steal and possibly the command not to bear false witness.

The Lord sustained the Children of Israel through manna from the heavens, water from the earth and birds from the air. He has provided for their needs and they must not take from the descendants of Esau but pay them for provisions. First, I see the idea of “not coveting” because the Lord is their provider. Thus they are free to pass through the region without desiring the land or materials of the people.

Secondly, the supplies they do need must be bought. So instead of stealing, they purchase materials at a fair price. The commandment not to steal reminds us to be fair and honest in all our business as well as generous in our treatment of those around us.

Thirdly, they are to honor the ancient covenant. (This idea shows up in other places as honoring the ancient landmarks.) I see a connection hear with bearing witness. They honor the witness of past covenants in their current transactions. To violate those covenants might be a form of bearing false witness since the covenant “bears witness” to a relationship between persons.

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