Horites: New Revised Standard Version has “Horim,” which is closer to the Hebrew form. The name probably means “cave dwellers,” but this cannot be proved; it does not mean “people of Hor” or “descendants of Hor.” The name should be transliterated: “the people called Horites….”

Seir is Edom. The sons of Esau are Esau’s descendants, that is, the Edomites (see verses 4-5).

Dispossessed them: that is, “drove them out of their country.”

Destroyed them from before them, and settled in their stead: this means that the Edomites completely defeated and killed the Horites and took possession of their territory, making it their own country.

As Israel did to the land of their possession: the Edomites did what the Israelites were to do later in their conquest of Canaan. Even though the Israelites, like the Edomites, conquered the country by force, the point is always made that it was Yahweh who gave them the land for them to possess.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .