Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Deuteronomy 2:12
The Horims also dwelt in Seir formerly; but the children of Esau succeeded them, when they had destroyed them from before them, and dwelt in their stead; as Israel did unto the land of his possession, which the LORD gave unto them.
12. The Horites ] Heb. the orm; Sam. LXX, or. Possibly cave-dwellers, cp. Heb. r, Ar. awr, cave or hole. Cave-dwelling is ascribed by Jerome (on Oba 1:6) to the Edomites of his day; and is fully verified for the Nabatean period, at least, by the remains about Petra; but it is precarious to reason back from these facts to the meaning of the name of the primitive race, which preceded ‘Esau in Mt Se‘r, especially as other etymologies of or are possible. Sayce ( Higher Criticism and the Monuments, 204) derives it from a root = white as if in contrast to the red-skinned ‘Edom. R. A. S. Macalister has discovered at Gezer the remains of a pre-Semitic, cave-dwelling race, using stone-implements, and identifies these with the orm.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 12. The Horims also dwelt in Seir] The whole of this verse was probably added by Joshua or Ezra.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Object. God had not yet given it unto them.
Answ. 1. The past tense is here put for the future, will give, after the manner of the prophets.
2. Things are oft said to be done when they are only resolved, or decreed, or attempted to be done, in which sense Reuben is said to deliver Joseph, Gen 37:21; Balak to fight against Israel, Jos 24:9; Abraham to have offered his son, Heb 11:17.
3. God may well be said to have given it, not only because he had purposed and promised to give it, but also because he was now about to give it, and had already given them some part of it, and that as an earnest of the whole.
4. This may be particularly understood of that part of Israels possession which was beyond Jordan, which God had actually given to them, that is, to some of them, for even the land of Canaan on this side Jordan was not given to all of them, but only to some of the tribes.
Of the Horims, see Gen 14:6; 36:20.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
The Horims also dwelt in Seir before time,…. Which is the name of a mount, and so of the country, from it; so called from Seir the Horite, who dwelt in it before it was possessed by Esau and his sons; but who the Horim or Horites were, from whence they had their name, is difficult to say; they were as early as the times of Chedorlaomer, Ge 14:6. They seem to be so called from their dwelling in holes and caves in rocks, which the southern part of Edom or Idumea was full of, and to be the same the Greeks call Troglodytae:
but the children of Esau succeeded them; Esau and his sons marrying among them, made way for getting the country into their possession, as appears from Ge 36:2 and in which they afterwards settled themselves by the dint of sword, since it follows:
when they had destroyed them from before them, and dwelt in their stead; even in Seir where they had dwelt, afterwards called Edom, from one of the names of Esau, Ge 36:8
as Israel did in the land of his possession, which the Lord gave unto them; because this is said before the Canaanites were drove out of their land, and it was possessed by the Israelites, some think this was written by Ezra, or some other hand; but there is no need to suppose that; Moses, by a spirit of prophecy, and in faith of the promises and prophecies of God relating to this affair, which were just now about to be fulfilled, might write this; besides, it may refer to what was already done to the kingdoms of Sihon and Og, kings of the Amorites; which had been taken from them, and given to the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh; and the above instances as well as this may be observed, to encourage the people of Israel that they should succeed in dispossessing the Canaanites, and settling in their land, in like manner as dispossessions of this kind had already been made.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Ver. 12. As Israel did unto the land of his possession Some would render this, as Israel shall do unto the land of his possession; but there seems to be no necessity for this alteration, as the sacred writer seems manifestly to refer to the conquest already made by the Israelites. The meaning plainly is, that the two last-named people possessed each his country, by expelling thence the ancient inhabitants, as the Israelites lately rooted out the two Amoritish princes, Sihon and Og, who had taken their countries from the Moabites. Houbigant is of opinion, that Moses inserts these words, not as a speaker, but as an historian. In the former character, they might be rendered, as Israel now doth, &c. but the 10th, 11th, and 12th verses, as well as from the 20th to the 23rd following, seem rather a remark of the historian, than a part of a speaker’s address.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Deu 2:12 The Horims also dwelt in Seir beforetime; but the children of Esau succeeded them, when they had destroyed them from before them, and dwelt in their stead; as Israel did unto the land of his possession, which the LORD gave unto them.
Ver. 12. As Israel did unto the land. ] This and some other parcels, scattered here and there, seem to have been added to Moses’s words, whether by Joshua or Ezra, or some other prophet, it much matters not, after the conquest of the land of Canaan.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Horims. Another race or name of the Nephilim See App-25. Compare Gen 14:6. See App-25.
destroyed = exterminated. Hebrew. shamad.
stead = room. These are the Canaanites with whom Satan had preoccupied the land to thwart God’s purpose in Abraham. Compare Gen 12:6; Gen 13:7, and see App-25. All these had to be destroyed, as the Nephilim were destroyed by the Flood. Compare Gen 6:4, which tells of a later irruption. See Gen 14:5.
possession . . . gave. See Ch. Deu 3:20, and note on Deu 2:5.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Horims: Deu 2:22, Gen 14:6, Gen 36:20-30, 1Ch 1:38-42
succeeded them: Heb. inherited them, Gen 36:31-43, 1Ch 1:43-54
stead: or, room
as Israel did: Israel had, at the time when Moses spake this, conquered Sihon and Og, and taken possession of their countries, as Edom had done to the Horims. Deu 2:22, Deu 2:32-37, Deu 3:1-11, Gen 36:20, Num 21:21-35
Reciprocal: Num 21:25 – dwelt Deu 9:2 – great 1Ch 1:39 – Hori