(Numb. 20:17:) PLEASE LET US PASS THROUGH YOUR LAND. WE WILL NOT PASS THROUGH FIELD OR VINEYARD, NOR SHALL WE DRINK WATER FROM A WELL. Should it have said: "Water from cisterns?" By this use of the singular, A WELL, Torah has taught you proper conduct, i.e., that when one who goes to a land which is not one's own, [though he has at hand his necessities,] he should not drink from what he has on hand. Rather he should put aside what he has, and buy from the shopkeeper in order to benefit him. So also Moses said to the king of Edom: We have a well with us,¹⁵²., Numb. 1:2; Numb. R. 1:2; TSuk. 3:11; Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, Numb. 21:16-18; Frag. Jerusalem Targum, Numb. 21:17-18; Tanh., Lev. 7:7; Lev. R. 25:5; 27:6; see also Avot 5:6; Mekhilta deRabbi Ishmael, Wayassa‘ 6, on Exod. 16:32; Shab. 35a; Pes. 54a; Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, Numb. 22:28; in addition, see TSot. 11:8 (10); Ta‘an. 9a; BM 86b; Cant. R. 4:14:1; Seder ‘Olam Rabbah, 10; cf. I Corinthians 10:4. and we eat our own manna; but do not say that we are a bother to you. You will make a profit for yourselves. So also did Moses say (to king Sihon of Heshbon in Deut. 2:28): YOU SHALL SELL ME FOOD FOR MONEY.

footnotes: ¹⁵² On the tradition of Israel’s portable well for supplying them with water during their desert wanderings, see above, Lev. 7:7; Numb. 1:2; below, Numb. 6:47-50; Tanh

(Numb. 20:17, cont.:) WE SHALL GO ALONG THE KING'S HIGHWAY, since we restrain¹⁵³ The word also means “muzzle.” our cattle.

footnotes: ¹⁵³ Hosemin.

(Numb. 20:17, cont.:) WITHOUT TURNING RIGHT OR LEFT. This was the most difficult stipulation of them all, for they said: In all the lands around us we have permission to kill and plunder, but within your border WE SHALL WALK THE KING's HIGHWAY WITHOUT TURNING RIGHT OR LEFT UNTIL WE HAVE PASSED THROUGH YOUR TERRITORY.