Deuteronomy 2

“Then we turned, and took our journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea, as the LORD spake unto me: and we…” Naming Red and Seir keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And the LORD spake unto me, saying,” The line’s distinctive content terms include LORD, spake. Its relationship to verses 1 and 3 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Ye have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you northward.” The line’s distinctive content terms include compassed, enough, long. Its relationship to verses 2 and 4 shows what work it does in this passage.

“And command thou the people, saying, Ye are to pass through the coast of your brethren the children of Esau, which…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Meddle not with them; for I will not give you of their land, no, not so much as a foot breadth; because I have given…” Naming Esau and Meddle keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Ye shall buy meat of them for money, that ye may eat; and ye shall also buy water of them for money, that ye may…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“For the LORD thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand: he knoweth thy walking through this great…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“And when we passed by from our brethren the children of Esau, which dwelt in Seir, through the way of the plain from…” Naming Elath and Esau keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And the LORD said unto me, Distress not the Moabites, neither contend with them in battle: for I will not give thee of…” Naming Distress and Lot keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“The Emims dwelt therein in times past, a people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims;” Naming Anakims and Emims keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Which also were accounted giants, as the Anakims; but the Moabites call them Emims.” Naming Anakims and Emims keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“The Horims also dwelt in Seir beforetime; but the children of Esau succeeded them, when they had destroyed them from…” Naming Esau and Horims keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Now rise up, said I, and get you over the brook Zered. And we went over the brook Zered.” Naming Zered keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And the space in which we came from Kadesh-barnea, until we were come over the brook Zered, was thirty and eight…” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.

“For indeed the hand of the LORD was against them, to destroy them from among the host, until they were consumed.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“So it came to pass, when all the men of war were consumed and dead from among the people,” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“That the LORD spake unto me, saying,” The line’s distinctive content terms include LORD, spake. Its relationship to verses 18 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Thou art to pass over through Ar, the coast of Moab, this day:” Naming Moab and Thou keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And when thou comest nigh over against the children of Ammon, distress them not, nor meddle with them: for I will not…” Naming Ammon and Lot keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“(That also was accounted a land of giants: giants dwelt therein in old time; and the Ammonites call them Zamzummims;” Naming Ammonites and Zamzummims keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“A people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims; but the LORD destroyed them before them; and they succeeded them…” Naming Anakims keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“As he did to the children of Esau, which dwelt in Seir, when he destroyed the Horims from before them; and they…” Naming Esau and Horims keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And the Avims which dwelt in Hazerim, even unto Azzah, the Caphtorims, which came forth out of Caphtor, destroyed…” Naming Avims and Azzah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Rise ye up, take your journey, and pass over the river Arnon: behold, I have given into thine hand Sihon the Amorite…” Naming Amorite and Arnon keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“This day will I begin to put the dread of thee and the fear of thee upon the nations that are under the whole heaven…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“And I sent messengers out of the wilderness of Kedemoth unto Sihon king of Heshbon with words of peace, saying,” Naming Heshbon and Kedemoth keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Let me pass through thy land: I will go along by the high way, I will neither turn unto the right hand nor to the…” The line’s distinctive content terms include hand, high, land. Its relationship to verses 26 and 28 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Thou shalt sell me meat for money, that I may eat; and give me water for money, that I may drink: only I will pass…” Naming Thou keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“(As the children of Esau which dwell in Seir, and the Moabites which dwell in Ar, did unto me;) until I shall pass…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him: for the LORD thy God hardened his spirit, and made his heart…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have begun to give Sihon and his land before thee: begin to possess, that thou…” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.

“Then Sihon came out against us, he and all his people, to fight at Jahaz.” Naming Jahaz and Sihon keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And the LORD our God delivered him before us; and we smote him, and his sons, and all his people.” The verse names God rather than leaving the action without a source. Watch whether the next line continues, answers, or contrasts that action.

“And we took all his cities at that time, and utterly destroyed the men, and the women, and the little ones, of every…” The line’s distinctive content terms include cities, city, destroyed. Its relationship to verses 33 and 35 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Only the cattle we took for a prey unto ourselves, and the spoil of the cities which we took.” Naming Only keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“From Aroer, which is by the brink of the river of Arnon, and from the city that is by the river, even unto Gilead…” The number one makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

“Only unto the land of the children of Ammon thou camest not, nor unto any place of the river Jabbok, nor unto the…” Naming Ammon keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.