עִמְּךָ֞ יֵשֵׁ֣ב בְּקִרְבְּךָ֗ בַּמָּק֧וֹם אֲשֶׁר־יִבְחַ֛ר בְּאַחַ֥ד שְׁעָרֶ֖יךָ בַּטּ֣וֹב ל֑וֹ לֹ֖א תּוֹנֶֽנּוּ׃ (ס)
Abarbanel
"Thus says Hashem, for three sins of Gaza..." This refers to Gaza, the capital of the Phillistines that was near Jerusalem and the Phillistines also committed the sins of idolatry, adultry and murder and then added a fourth sin when they harmed Israel and therefore were wholly deserving of Gd's recompense. What was the fourth sin? The prophet says that they exiled fully. Meaning they ensured the exile was complete, by standing on the pathways and catching the refugees who were escaping from Israel and returning them to their captives. And likewise did the people of Tzur. And I think, the Radak's explanation is more correct. That the refugees from the war in Israel ran by way of the land of the Phillistines, since it is nearby to them and they had a peace treaty with them. And the Phillistines took them and returned them to Edom. And the text explains about how they sent the Israelites into exile despite the peace treaty. Can this be referring to an event that took place during the destruction of the second temple then Edom would refer to the Roman army that captured the Israelite kings. And it means that the Edomites captured the Israelites becuase often in war, one wins a battle and then the next one wins a battle and when the Edomites captured Israel, the Israelites ran from them and came to the Philistines who were at peace with them and they trusted them. But the Philistines in their wickedness would return them immediately to the Edomites which is the opposite of the halacha in the Torah (Devarim 23:17) that one is forbidden to return a servant to his master. And this made it a complete exile in that they returned them to the exile.
Rashi
לא תדרש שלמם THOU SHALT NOT SEEK THEIR PEACE [NOR THEIR GOOD] — Since it states, (v. 17) “He (the runaway slave) shall abide with you, even among you, … [where it shall be good for him]” one might think that this (a Moabite or Ammonite runaway slave) should also be treated likewise, therefore Scripture states לא תדרש שלמם THOU SHALT NOT SEEK THEIR PEACE [NOR THEIR GOOD] (Sifrei Devarim 251:2).
Ramban
THOU SHALT NOT SEEK THEIR PEACE. “Since it is written [with respect to a fugitive slave], He shall dwell with thee, in the midst of thee [where it liketh him best; thou shalt not wrong him],246Further, Verse 17. I might think that the rule also applies to this one [an Ammonite or Moabite fugitive slave]. Scripture, therefore, says, Thou shalt not seek their peace.” This is Rashi’s language. Now, this interpretation in the Sifre247Sifre, Ki Theitzei 251. is deduced from the expression [here] nor their prosperity [Thou shalt not seek their peace ‘nor their prosperity,’ and not as it might appear from the heading in our text of Rashi that it is derived from the expression their peace, for thus is the language of the Sifre]: “Since it is stated there [with respect to the fugitive slave] ‘batov lo’ (where it liketh him best); thou shalt not wrong him246Further, Verse 17. — exclude these [the Ammonite and Moabite fugitive slaves] from this tovah (good).”248Hence the language in the verse before us, Thou shalt not seek their peace ‘v’tovatham’ (nor their ‘good’). But the expression Thou shalt not seek their peace is interpreted in the Sifre as follows: “Since it is stated, When thou drawest nigh unto a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace unto it,249Above, 20:10. I might think that the same rule applies to Ammon and Moab. Scripture therefore says, Thou shalt not seek their peace. ” It is also so stated in Tanchuma.250Tanchuma, Pinchas 3. On “Tanchuma” see Vol. IV, p. 158, Note 1.
It appears to me that Scripture has forever forbidden war against Ammon and Moab, and the verse stating, neither contend with them251Above, 2:9 (Moab); 19 (Ammon). was not only a temporary command, but a negative commandment for the generations. It is for this [reason] that He said, because I have given it unto the children of Lot for a possession.252Ibid., Verse 19. Thus their land belongs to them forever because it is the possession that G-d gave them. If so, the verse here stating, Thou shalt not seek their peace commands that if we wage war against them over a city which they captured from other peoples, that we are not to proclaim peace to them. Similarly, if they invaded our Land we are permitted to pursue them and capture cities from them, to smite the inhabitants of those cities who harmed us, as Jephtah did [of whom it is said], And he smote them from Aroer until thou come to Minnith, even twenty cities.253Judges 11:33. David also did so to all the cities of the children of Ammon254II Samuel 12:31. because they “breached the fence” first and warred against him. In that event we need not to proclaim peace to them and we may smite those fighting us in every city, the men, and the women, and the little ones255Above, 2:34. if we wish. Thus the Rabbis have said in Midrash Rabbah:256Bamidbar Rabbah 21:7. “And ye shall smite every fortified city, and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree, and stop all fountains of water.257II Kings 3:19. These were the words of the prophet Elisha to Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, and Jehoram the son of Ahab, king of Israel, when they battled Moab. They [i.e., Jehoshaphat king of Judah and Jehoram king of Israel] said to him [Elisha]. ‘Scripture states, Thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof,258Above, 20:19. and you say thus [destroy them]!’ He [Elisha] said to them: ‘Scripture commanded this with respect to all peoples, but this one is minor and despised,’ as it is said, And this is but a light thing in the sight of the Eternal, and He will deliver the Moabites into your hand,259II Kings 3:18. for it is said, Thou shalt not seek their peace ‘v’tovatham’ (nor their good), this alluding to the ‘good trees.’” Now, all this is to harm them and to vex them, but the land is to remain that family’s for it is the possession which G-d gave them. This subject is mentioned in Agadoth [homilies],260See at the end of his notes to Rambam’s Sefer Hamitzvoth where Ramban quotes many of these Midrashim. Bereshith Rabbah,261Bereshith Rabbah 74:13. and in Midrash Tehilim.262Midrash Tehilim 60:1.
In line with the plain meaning of Scripture, the purport of the verse Thou shalt not seek their peace nor their prosperity is as if to say, “Although they are members of your family, and your father Abraham loved their father as his brother, that sucked the breasts of his mother,263Song of Songs 8:1. yet you should not act towards them like brothers seeking their peace and prosperity, for it is they who have broken the covenant of brotherhood;264See Zechariah 11:14. let it remain broken forever.” Thus G-d guarded for Lot’s children the merit of their father who accompanied His prophet [Abraham] on the path where G-d sent him. Therefore He gave them an inheritance from Abraham’s possession265See Ramban above, 2:10. and He punished his children for their sin that they could not become attached to Israel. Similarly He banned the Egyptians for three generations266Verse 9. I.e., the third generation of an Egyptian [or Edomite] proselyte may marry into the congregation of Israel. See text at the end of this section. because of their wickedness in bringing upon us many evils and troubles,267Further, 31:17. but He did not abhor them forever because we were strangers in their land where we found refuge with them in days of famine through the honor they showed our father [Jacob], and they appointed over themselves a chief and ruler from among us. So also did He do with the Edomites. He preserved the merit of the ancestors for them since they were of holy seed,268See Ramban above, 2:4. but he banned them for three generations266Verse 9. I.e., the third generation of an Egyptian [or Edomite] proselyte may marry into the congregation of Israel. See text at the end of this section. because they came forth against us with the sword and they remembered not the brotherly covenant.269Amos 1:9. Now, the tradition of our Rabbis270Yebamoth 78a. is that the third generation does not mean “the third generation from the days of Moses” but when one of them [Edomites or Egyptians] becomes a proselyte his third generation [i.e., his grandchild] may enter into the assembly of the Eternal.
It appears to me that Scripture has forever forbidden war against Ammon and Moab, and the verse stating, neither contend with them251Above, 2:9 (Moab); 19 (Ammon). was not only a temporary command, but a negative commandment for the generations. It is for this [reason] that He said, because I have given it unto the children of Lot for a possession.252Ibid., Verse 19. Thus their land belongs to them forever because it is the possession that G-d gave them. If so, the verse here stating, Thou shalt not seek their peace commands that if we wage war against them over a city which they captured from other peoples, that we are not to proclaim peace to them. Similarly, if they invaded our Land we are permitted to pursue them and capture cities from them, to smite the inhabitants of those cities who harmed us, as Jephtah did [of whom it is said], And he smote them from Aroer until thou come to Minnith, even twenty cities.253Judges 11:33. David also did so to all the cities of the children of Ammon254II Samuel 12:31. because they “breached the fence” first and warred against him. In that event we need not to proclaim peace to them and we may smite those fighting us in every city, the men, and the women, and the little ones255Above, 2:34. if we wish. Thus the Rabbis have said in Midrash Rabbah:256Bamidbar Rabbah 21:7. “And ye shall smite every fortified city, and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree, and stop all fountains of water.257II Kings 3:19. These were the words of the prophet Elisha to Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, and Jehoram the son of Ahab, king of Israel, when they battled Moab. They [i.e., Jehoshaphat king of Judah and Jehoram king of Israel] said to him [Elisha]. ‘Scripture states, Thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof,258Above, 20:19. and you say thus [destroy them]!’ He [Elisha] said to them: ‘Scripture commanded this with respect to all peoples, but this one is minor and despised,’ as it is said, And this is but a light thing in the sight of the Eternal, and He will deliver the Moabites into your hand,259II Kings 3:18. for it is said, Thou shalt not seek their peace ‘v’tovatham’ (nor their good), this alluding to the ‘good trees.’” Now, all this is to harm them and to vex them, but the land is to remain that family’s for it is the possession which G-d gave them. This subject is mentioned in Agadoth [homilies],260See at the end of his notes to Rambam’s Sefer Hamitzvoth where Ramban quotes many of these Midrashim. Bereshith Rabbah,261Bereshith Rabbah 74:13. and in Midrash Tehilim.262Midrash Tehilim 60:1.
In line with the plain meaning of Scripture, the purport of the verse Thou shalt not seek their peace nor their prosperity is as if to say, “Although they are members of your family, and your father Abraham loved their father as his brother, that sucked the breasts of his mother,263Song of Songs 8:1. yet you should not act towards them like brothers seeking their peace and prosperity, for it is they who have broken the covenant of brotherhood;264See Zechariah 11:14. let it remain broken forever.” Thus G-d guarded for Lot’s children the merit of their father who accompanied His prophet [Abraham] on the path where G-d sent him. Therefore He gave them an inheritance from Abraham’s possession265See Ramban above, 2:10. and He punished his children for their sin that they could not become attached to Israel. Similarly He banned the Egyptians for three generations266Verse 9. I.e., the third generation of an Egyptian [or Edomite] proselyte may marry into the congregation of Israel. See text at the end of this section. because of their wickedness in bringing upon us many evils and troubles,267Further, 31:17. but He did not abhor them forever because we were strangers in their land where we found refuge with them in days of famine through the honor they showed our father [Jacob], and they appointed over themselves a chief and ruler from among us. So also did He do with the Edomites. He preserved the merit of the ancestors for them since they were of holy seed,268See Ramban above, 2:4. but he banned them for three generations266Verse 9. I.e., the third generation of an Egyptian [or Edomite] proselyte may marry into the congregation of Israel. See text at the end of this section. because they came forth against us with the sword and they remembered not the brotherly covenant.269Amos 1:9. Now, the tradition of our Rabbis270Yebamoth 78a. is that the third generation does not mean “the third generation from the days of Moses” but when one of them [Edomites or Egyptians] becomes a proselyte his third generation [i.e., his grandchild] may enter into the assembly of the Eternal.