Deuteronomy 2:22 - Divine justice for Esav's descendants?

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Hebrew Text

כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה לִבְנֵי עֵשָׂו הַיֹּשְׁבִים בְּשֵׂעִיר אֲשֶׁר הִשְׁמִיד אֶת־הַחֹרִי מִפְּנֵיהֶם וַיִּירָשֻׁם וַיֵּשְׁבוּ תַחְתָּם עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה׃

English Translation

as he did to the children of ῾Esav, who dwelt in Se῾ir, when he destroyed the Ḥorim from before them; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead until this very day:

Transliteration

Ka'asher asah livnei Esav hayoshvim b'Seir asher hishmid et haChori mipneihem vayirashum vayeshvu tachtam ad hayom hazeh.

Hebrew Leining Text

כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר עָשָׂה֙ לִבְנֵ֣י עֵשָׂ֔ו הַיֹּשְׁבִ֖ים בְּשֵׂעִ֑יר אֲשֶׁ֨ר הִשְׁמִ֤יד אֶת־הַחֹרִי֙ מִפְּנֵיהֶ֔ם וַיִּֽירָשֻׁם֙ וַיֵּשְׁב֣וּ תַחְתָּ֔ם עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃

Parasha Commentary

Context in Sefer Devarim

The verse (Devarim 2:22) recounts Hashem's role in facilitating the displacement of the Chori people by the descendants of Esav (Edomites) in Se'ir. This serves as a historical precedent for Bnei Yisrael's impending conquest of Eretz Canaan, demonstrating Divine orchestration of territorial inheritances.

Rashi's Commentary

Divine Authorization: Rashi emphasizes that Esav's conquest was sanctioned by Hashem, as Se'ir was part of their allotted territory (based on Bereishit 36:20-21). This parallels Israel's right to Canaan.
Chori's Fate: Rashi notes the Chori were giants (like the Anakim), yet Esav triumphed through Divine intervention - a lesson for Israel facing formidable foes.

Ramban's Additional Insights

Ramban (Nachmanides) expands that this account reinforces the principle of yerushah (inheritance of land) being contingent on Divine will rather than military might alone. He connects this to Avraham's covenant (Bereishit 15:18-21) where Hashem designated territories for various nations.

Midrashic Perspectives

Sifrei Devarim: Teaches that Esav's conquest was gradual ("until this day"), contrasting with Israel's rapid conquest of Canaan to highlight the superiority of their Divine mandate.
Bereishit Rabbah: Suggests the Chori's expulsion resulted from moral corruption, paralleling the Canaanites' sins that justified their displacement.

Halachic Implications

The Mordechai (Gittin 4:44) derives from "until this day" that Edomite possession of Se'ir established permanent land rights under dina d'malchuta dina (the law of the land is binding), showing Torah recognizes Divinely-sanctioned territorial changes.

📚 Talmud Citations

This verse is not quoted in the Talmud.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Who were the Horim mentioned in Deuteronomy 2:22?
A: The Horim (or Horites) were an ancient people who originally lived in the land of Seir before being displaced by the descendants of Esav (Esau). According to Rashi, they were called 'Horim' because they lived in caves (from the Hebrew word 'hor,' meaning cave). The Torah mentions their displacement to show how lands were allotted to different nations by divine providence.

Q: Why does the Torah mention what happened to Esav's descendants in Seir?
A: The Torah mentions this historical event to teach that just as Hashem gave the land of Seir to Esav's descendants as their rightful inheritance, so too did He designate the land of Canaan for the children of Israel. Ramban explains this demonstrates that nations only conquer lands when it is divinely ordained for them to do so.

Q: What lesson can we learn from Deuteronomy 2:22 today?
A: This verse teaches that Hashem directs history and assigns lands to nations according to His plan. The Sforno notes this shows we must recognize divine providence in world events. Just as Esav's descendants inherited Seir at the proper time, we learn to trust in Hashem's timing and judgments regarding all matters of territory and nationhood.