20:20 But he said, “You may not pass through.” Then Edom came out against them 1 with a large and powerful force. 2 20:21 So Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border; therefore Israel turned away from him.
1 tn Heb “to meet him.”
2 tn Heb “with many [heavy] people and with a strong hand.” The translation presented above is interpretive, but that is what the line means. It was a show of force, numbers and weapons, to intimidate the Israelites.