דברים, פרק ב׳, פסוק ל״ז

Following the rapid and successful conquest of the kingdoms of Sihon and Og, which included dozens of fortified cities, the Israelites brought their military campaign to a sudden halt [ביאור שטיינזלץ, ביאור יש״ר, רלב״ג]. They carefully remained outside the land of Ammon. This decision to stay away from the Ammonite border was not driven by any fear of military strength or defensive fortifications. Rather, it was an act of absolute obedience to God's direct prohibition [מלבי״ם]. The Israelites intentionally kept their distance to prevent any accidental friction that could escalate into a provocation and subsequent war [העמק דבר].

This divine restriction applied specifically to territories that were actively held by the Ammonites at that time [אבן עזרא, חזקוני]. Lands that the Ammonites had previously lost in battle to Sihon, the Amorite king, were considered part of Sihon's estate and were therefore legally conquered by the Israelites. Consequently, the precise boundary line was drawn at the Jabbok River, marking the exact point where the Israelite advance ended [ביאור יש״ר].

When detailing the specific areas the Israelites avoided, the historical account uses a term that translates to a "hand." Some commentators explain this simply refers to the physical location of the Jabbok River [אבן עזרא, אבי עזר, ביאור שטיינזלץ] or its riverbank [ביאור יש״ר]. Another approach suggests that the term represents the entire expanse of land immediately adjacent to the river. This relies on a physical metaphor, comparing the land bordering the river to a person's hand, which naturally rests right next to their body [רש״י, מזרחי, שפתי חכמים, גור אריה].

The record of this journey concludes by noting the people's adherence to all that God commanded. This does not imply that God forbade them from merely being in close proximity to the Ammonites, as simply approaching the border was never outlawed. The true restriction was strictly against initiating a war. Ultimately, the narrative confirms that in every specific location God commanded the Israelites not to conquer, they showed complete obedience, leaving those territories entirely untouched [רש״י, גור אריה, שפתי חכמים, ביאור יש״ר].