Reference: WANDERINGS OF THE ISRAELITES
American
See EXODUS. The following tabular view of their various encampments, so far as they are recorded in Exodus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, is from Dr. Robinson's Biblical Researches. The "great and terrible wilderness" between mount Sinai and Palestine is still known by the Arabs as Et-Tyh, or the Wanderings.
Morish
The Israelites were always directed by God as to their journeyings and when and where to pitch their tents. It was God who caused them to 'wander' because of their sin. Nu 32:13.
The accounts of the journeys of the children of Israel have not escaped the unwarrantable attacks to which many parts of scripture have been subjected. Though many of the places mentioned cannot now be identified, and therefore the actual path trodden cannot be traced, yet enough is recorded to show in the main what their route was, and to prove that the several records do not clash one with another. The passage quoted above speaks of the wanderings occupying forty years, yet it was after their first visit to Kadesh-barnea in the 2nd year that their real 'wanderings' began.
Travellers have visited the districts along which the Israelites are supposed to have travelled, and have not hesitated to say that the cattle and sheep of the Israelites could not possibly have found pasture or fodder on which to have lived.
We read that they brought out of Egypt 'flocks and herds,' and in Ex 12:38 "very much cattle" is mentioned. Before crossing the Jordan the two and a half tribes are described as having "a great multitude of cattle," but this was after the Midianites had been destroyed, and most of the cattle and sheep may have fallen to these tribes, the other tribes taking "the gold, and the silver, the brass, the iron, the tin, and the lead" with other spoils.
The Israelites were forbidden to graze their flocks and herds "before the mount." And this implies that there was pasture there for them; the Amalekites also dwelt there, and doubtless had cattle. Ex 17:8; 34:3. The actual state of the desert now is no proof of what it was then. It is well known that the Bedouins do not encourage cultivation, and they have destroyed the trees extensively in order to make charcoal, which they can always sell, and this decreases the fertility. A traveller records that "the gardens at the Wells of Moses, under the French and English agents from Suez, and the gardens in the valleys of Jebel Musa, under the care of the Greek monks of the Convent of St. Catherine" are proofs of the fertility of the ground under culture.
The barren state of the desert in general does not preclude the fact that parts of it are fertile. There are few parts of the Sinai Peninsula that do not show signs of vegetation. The numerous valleys of the Sinaitic group of mountains are full of shrubs and grass.
Much farther north, near Kadesh, the Amalekites and Canaanites were able to live in the mountain. Nu 14:40-45.
It is therefore useless and unbelieving to draw conclusions from the present aspect of the land through which the Israelites travelled. If they continued to have much cattle, God could as easily have provided for their cattle as have given them manna from heaven for themselves.
The first part of their journey from Egypt was from Rameses to the Red Sea. Rameses was on the east of the Nile, but some place it farther north than others. The western branch of the Red Sea doubtless then extended farther north than it does at present, and it cannot be ascertained at what point the sea was crossed. The stations are
Ex. 12. Num. 33.
Rameses, Ex 12:37. | Rameses, Nu 33:3.
Succoth, Ex 12:37. | Succoth, Nu 33:5.
Etham, Ex 13:20. | Etham, Nu 33:6.
Pi-hahiroth, Ex 14:2. | Pi-hahiroth, Nu 33:7.
Passage through the Red Sea, | Passage through the Red Sea
Ex 14:22, and three days' march | and three days' march in the
into the desert of Shur, Ex 15:22 | desert of Etham, Nu 33:8.
It will be noticed that in Numbers, Etham is mentioned on both sides of the Red Sea. The word has been interpreted 'boundary of the sea' (a meaning which F?rst thinks doubtful, but gives no other): if so, it might apply to either side. The desert of Etham may have swept round the end of the Gulf of Suez, as in some maps.
The second part of their journey was from the Red Sea to Mount Sinai, on the east side of the Gulf of Suez. The wilderness of Sin, Mount Sinai, and Horeb are in the main identified. The stations are
Marah Ex 15:23. | Marah, Nu 33:8.
Elim, Ex 15:27. | Elim, Nu 33:9.
| Encampment by the Red Sea,
| Nu 33:10.
Desert of Sin, Ex 16:1. | Desert of Sin, Nu 33:11.
| Dophkah, Nu 33:12.
| Alush. Nu 33:13.
Rephidim, Ex 17:1. | Rephidim, Nu 33:14.
Desert of Sinai, Ex 19:1, in the | Desert of Sinai, Nu 33:15.
third month of the first year. |
In the wilderness of Sinai the Israelites remained until the second month of the second year, during which period the law was given. Nu 10:11; 33:16.
The third part of their journey was from Sinai to Kadesh-barnea, some eighty miles farther north. In this journey only three intermediate stations are mentioned.
Taberah, Nu 11:3; De 9:22 |
Kibroth-hattaavah, Nu 11:34. | Kibroth-hattaavah, Nu 33:16.
Hazeroth, Nu 11:35. | Hazeroth, Nu 33:17.
Kadesh in the wilderness of Paran | Rithmah, Nu 33:18.
Num., 12:16; Num.13:1-26. |
At Taberah the fire of the Lord burnt among them. At Kibroth-hattaavah the people lusted for flesh: quails were given them, and then God sent upon them a very great plague. Nu 11:4,31-34. At Hazeroth Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses, and Miriam was smitten with leprosy. Nu 12:10. The above shows that Kadesh is in the same locality as Rithmah, from whence the spies were despatched. The spies are not mentioned in Num. 33.
There was a prolonged stay at Kadesh or Rithmah in the wilderness of Paran. The return of the spies was waited for. The rebellion broke out on the report of the faithless spies, and God sware they should not enter the land, but should wander in the wilderness that all the men who came out of Egypt might die except Caleb and Joshua. In defiance of this they invaded the land, and were attacked by the Amalekites. Nu 14:33-45. Then followed the rebellion of Korah. Num. 16.
Apparently the Israelites spent about thirty-seven years in travelling three times between Kadesh and Ezion-gaber, at the corner of the Gulf of Akaba, but many of the stations cannot be identified; some may have been situated farther to the west. It is not, however, recorded how long they remained at the various places, and it is possible that some of them are not included in the lists.
By comparing Nu 20:22-29 with De 10:6 it will be seen that Mosera and Mount Hor are regarded as the same place, Mosera, or Moseroth, being situated at the foot of Mount Hor. Mosera is therefore a recognised place to which they travelled when the real 'wanderings' began. They removed from Kadesh, or Rithmah, to Rimmon-parez, and then to other stations till they arrived at Mosera, or Mount Hor, the first time, though it seems but a short distance. Nu 33:19-30.
From Mosera they travelled southward to Ezion-gaber, there being four stations between. Nu 33:31-35.
From Ezion-gaber they turned and travelled northward again and arrived at Kadesh or Kadesh-barnea a second time, no stations being mentioned between those two distant places. At Kadesh Miriam died. The people murmured, and the rock was smitten, on which occasion Moses and Aaron offended. Nu 20:1-13.
From Kadesh they travelled to Mount Hor, without any station being mentioned between them, unless Beeroth in De 10:6 comes in here. At Mount Hor Aaron died and was buried. Nu 33:37-38. They were attacked by King Arad the Canaanite, who was defeated and his cities destroyed. Nu 21:1-3.
The King of Edom having refused to let the Israelites pass through his land necessitated their journeying again to the Red Sea in order to compass the land of Edom (perhaps passing Gudgodah and Jotbath, De 10:7, in the route). Nu 20:14-21; 21:4. From the Red Sea their route is plainly on the east of Edom and the Salt Sea until they arrived opposite Jericho, where their wanderings ended.
From Mount Hor by the way of the | By Elath and Ezion-gaber, De 2:8.
Red Sea, Nu 21:4. |
| Zalmonah, Nu 33:41.
| Punon, Nu 33:42.
Oboth. Nu 21:10. | Oboth, Nu 33:43.
Ije-abarim, Nu 21:11. | Ije-abarim, or Iim, Nu 33:44-45.
De 2:13-14. |
De 2:24. |
| Dibon-gad, Nu 33:45,
Beer, in the desert, Nu 21:1
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And the sons of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, not counting the children.
And the sons of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, not counting the children. And a mixed multitude went up also with them and many sheep and cows.
And they took their journey from Succoth and encamped in Etham in the edge of the wilderness.
Speak unto the sons of Israel that they turn and set up their camp before Pihahiroth between Migdol and the sea over against Baalzephon; before it shall ye set up camp by the sea.
So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness and found no water. And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter; therefore the name of it was called Marah.
And they came to Elim, where there were twelve fountains of water and seventy palm trees; and they encamped there by the waters.
And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the sons of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt.
And all the congregation of the sons of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the LORD, and set up camp in Rephidim; and there was no water for the people to drink.
Then Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim.
In the third month from when the sons of Israel had gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day they came into the wilderness of Sinai.
And no man shall come up with thee; neither let anyone be seen throughout all the mount; neither let the sheep nor the cows feed before the mount.
And it came to pass on the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, that the cloud was taken up from off the tabernacle of the testimony.
And he called the name of the place Taberah because the fire of the LORD burnt among them. And the vulgar who were mixed in among them returned to their lust; and even the sons of Israel wept and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat?
And there went forth a wind from the LORD and brought quail from the sea and left them upon the camp, a day's journey on this side and a day's journey on the other side, round about the camp and almost two cubits high upon the face of the earth. Then the people stood up all that day and all that night and all the next day, and they gathered the quail; he that gathered least gathered ten heaps, and they spread them all abroad for themselves round about the camp. read more. And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, before it was chewed, the wrath of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD smote the people with a very great plague. And he called the name of that place Kibrothhattaavah because there they buried the people that lusted.
And he called the name of that place Kibrothhattaavah because there they buried the people that lusted. From Kibrothhattaavah he moved the people unto Hazeroth, and they abode at Hazeroth.
And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle, and, behold, Miriam was leprous as the snow; and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous.
And your children shall be shepherded in the wilderness forty years and bear your fornications until your carcasses are wasted in the wilderness. After the number of the days in which ye spied out the land, even forty days, each day for a year, ye shall bear your iniquities forty years, and ye shall know my reason for annulling my promise. read more. I, the LORD, have spoken, I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation that are gathered together against me; in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die. And the men, whom Moses had sent to spy out the land, who returned and made all the congregation to murmur against him by bringing up a slander upon the land, even those men that brought an evil report of the land, died by the plague before the LORD. But Joshua, the son of Nun, and Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, remained alive of the men that went to spy out the land. And Moses told these things unto all the sons of Israel, and the people mourned greatly. And they rose up early in the morning and climbed up into the top of the mountain, saying, Here we are prepared to go up unto the place of which the LORD has spoken; for we have sinned.
And they rose up early in the morning and climbed up into the top of the mountain, saying, Here we are prepared to go up unto the place of which the LORD has spoken; for we have sinned. And Moses said, Why do ye break the commandment of the LORD? This also shall not prosper.
And Moses said, Why do ye break the commandment of the LORD? This also shall not prosper. Do not go up, for the LORD is not among you; do not be smitten before your enemies.
Do not go up, for the LORD is not among you; do not be smitten before your enemies. For the Amalekite and the Canaanite are there before you, and ye shall fall by the sword; because ye are turned away from following the LORD, therefore, the LORD will not be with you.
For the Amalekite and the Canaanite are there before you, and ye shall fall by the sword; because ye are turned away from following the LORD, therefore, the LORD will not be with you. But they presumed to go up unto the hill top; nevertheless, the ark of the covenant of the LORD and Moses, did not depart out of the camp.
But they presumed to go up unto the hill top; nevertheless, the ark of the covenant of the LORD and Moses, did not depart out of the camp. Then the Amalekite came down and the Canaanite who dwelt in that hill and smote them and defeated them, pursuing them unto Hormah.
Then the Amalekite came down and the Canaanite who dwelt in that hill and smote them and defeated them, pursuing them unto Hormah.
Then came the sons of Israel, even the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in the first month; and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there and was buried there. And there was no water for the congregation; and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. read more. And the people contended with Moses and spoke, saying, Oh, that we had died when our brethren died before the LORD! And why have ye caused the congregation of the LORD to come into this wilderness that we and our beasts should die here? And why have ye made us to come up out of Egypt to bring us in unto this evil place? It is not a place to plant seed or of figs or of vines or of pomegranates; there is not even any water to drink. And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the congregation unto the door of the tabernacle of the testimony, and they fell upon their faces; and the glory of the LORD appeared upon them. And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying, Take the rod and gather the congregation together, thou and Aaron, thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes, and it shall give forth its water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock; so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink. Then Moses took the rod from before the LORD as he commanded him. And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock? Then Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice; and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also. And the LORD spoke unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the sons of Israel, therefore, ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them. These are the waters of Meribah; over which the sons of Israel strove with the LORD, and he was sanctified in them. And Moses sent ambassadors from Kadesh unto the king of Edom, Thus saith thy brother Israel, Thou knowest all the travail that has befallen us: how our fathers went down into Egypt, and we were in Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians mistreated us and our fathers; and we cried unto the LORD, who heard our voice, and sent an angel and has brought us forth out of Egypt; and, behold, we are in Kadesh, a city on the edge of thy border. Let us pass, I pray thee, through thy country; we will not pass through the fields or through the vineyards, neither will we drink of the water of the wells; we will go by the king's high way, we will not turn to the right hand nor to the left until we have passed thy borders. And Edom replied unto him, Thou shalt not pass by me lest I come out against thee with the sword. And the sons of Israel said unto him, We will go by the high way; and if I and my cattle drink of thy water, then I will pay for it; I will only, without doing anything else, go through on my feet. And he said, Thou shalt not go through. And Edom came out against him with many people and with a strong hand. Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border; and thus Israel turned away from him. And the sons of Israel, even the whole congregation, journeyed from Kadesh, and came unto Mount Hor. And the LORD spoke unto Moses and Aaron in Mount Hor, on the borders of the land of Edom, saying, Aaron shall be gathered unto his peoples; for he shall not enter into the land which I have given unto the sons of Israel because ye were rebels to my word at the water of Meribah. Take Aaron and Eleazar, his son, and bring them up unto Mount Hor and cause Aaron to be stripped of his garments and put them upon Eleazar, his son; for Aaron shall be gathered unto his people and shall die there. And Moses did as the LORD commanded him; and they went up into Mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation. And Moses caused Aaron to be stripped of his garments and put them upon Eleazar, his son; and Aaron died there in the top of the mount; and Moses and Eleazar came down from the mount. And when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, they mourned for Aaron thirty days, even all the families of Israel.
And when King Arad, the Canaanite, who dwelt toward the Negev, heard tell that Israel came by the way of the sentinels; then he fought against Israel and took some of them prisoners. Then Israel vowed a vow unto the LORD and said, If thou wilt indeed deliver this people into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their cities. read more. And the LORD hearkened to the voice of Israel and delivered up the Canaanite; and they utterly destroyed them and their cities, and he called the name of the place Hormah. And they journeyed from Mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to go around the land of Edom, and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way.
And they journeyed from Mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to go around the land of Edom, and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way.
And the sons of Israel set forward and pitched camp in Oboth. And they journeyed from Oboth and pitched at Ijeabarim, in the wilderness which is before Moab, toward the rising of the sun. read more. From there they removed and pitched in the valley of Zared. From thence they removed and pitched on the other side of Arnon, which is in the wilderness that comes out of the borders of the Amorite; for Arnon is the border of Moab between Moab and the Amorite.
And from there they went to Beer; this is the well of which the LORD spoke unto Moses, Gather the people together, and I will give them water.
The princes dug the well, the willing people dug it, and the lawgiver, with their staves. And from the wilderness they went to Mattanah.
The princes dug the well, the willing people dug it, and the lawgiver, with their staves. And from the wilderness they went to Mattanah. And from Mattanah to Nahaliel, and from Nahaliel to Bamoth.
And from Mattanah to Nahaliel, and from Nahaliel to Bamoth. And from Bamoth in the valley, that is in the fields of Moab, to the top of Pisgah, which looks toward Jeshimon.
And the sons of Israel set forward and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan in front of Jericho.
And the LORD's anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years until all the generation that had done evil in the sight of the LORD was consumed.
And they departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the second day of the passover the sons of Israel went out with a high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians.
And the sons of Israel removed from Rameses and pitched in Succoth. And they departed from Succoth and pitched in Etham, which is in the edge of the wilderness. read more. And they removed from Etham and turned again unto Pihahiroth, which is before Baalzephon, and they pitched before Migdol. And they departed from before Pihahiroth and passed through the midst of the sea into the wilderness and went three days' journey in the wilderness of Etham and pitched in Marah.
And they departed from before Pihahiroth and passed through the midst of the sea into the wilderness and went three days' journey in the wilderness of Etham and pitched in Marah. And they removed from Marah and came unto Elim, and in Elim were twelve fountains of water and seventy palm trees, and they pitched there. read more. And they removed from Elim and encamped by the Red sea. And they removed from the Red sea and encamped in the wilderness of Sin. And they took their journey out of the wilderness of Sin and encamped in Dophkah. And they departed from Dophkah and encamped in Alush. And they removed from Alush and encamped at Rephidim, where there was no water for the people to drink. And they departed from Rephidim and pitched in the wilderness of Sinai. And they removed from the desert of Sinai and pitched at Kibrothhattaavah.
And they removed from the desert of Sinai and pitched at Kibrothhattaavah. And they departed from Kibrothhattaavah and encamped at Hazeroth. read more. And they departed from Hazeroth and pitched in Rithmah. And they departed from Rithmah and pitched at Rimmonparez. And they departed from Rimmonparez and pitched in Libnah. And they removed from Libnah and pitched at Rissah. And they journeyed from Rissah and pitched in Kehelathah. And they went from Kehelathah and pitched in Mount Shapher. And they removed from Mount Shapher and encamped in Haradah. And they removed from Haradah and pitched in Makheloth. And they removed from Makheloth and encamped at Tahath. And they departed from Tahath and pitched at Tarah. And they removed from Tarah and pitched in Mithcah. And they went from Mithcah and pitched in Hashmonah. And they departed from Hashmonah and encamped at Moseroth. And they departed from Moseroth and pitched in Benejaakan. And they removed from Benejaakan and encamped at Horhagidgad. And they went from Horhagidgad and pitched in Jotbathah. And they removed from Jotbathah and encamped at Ebronah. And they departed from Ebronah and encamped at Eziongaber.
And they removed from Kadesh and pitched in Mount Hor, in the edge of the land of Edom. And Aaron, the priest, went up into Mount Hor at the commandment of the LORD and died there in the fortieth year, after the sons of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the first day of the fifth month.
And they departed from Mount Hor and pitched in Zalmonah. And they departed from Zalmonah and pitched in Punon. read more. And they departed from Punon and pitched in Oboth. And they departed from Oboth and pitched in Ijeabarim, in the border of Moab. And they departed from Iim and pitched in Dibongad.
And they departed from Iim and pitched in Dibongad. And they removed from Dibongad and encamped in Almondiblathaim. read more. And they removed from Almondiblathaim and pitched in the mountains of Abarim, before Nebo. And they departed from the mountains of Abarim and pitched in the plains of Moab by Jordan of Jericho.
And when we passed by our brethren, the sons of Esau, who dwelt in Seir, through the way of the plain from Elath and from Eziongaber, we turned and passed by the way of the wilderness of Moab.
Now rise up, said I, and pass the brook Zered. And we went over the brook Zered. And the days in which we came from Kadeshbarnea until we were come over the brook Zered, was thirty-eight years until all the generation of the men of war were wasted out from among the camp, as the LORD swore unto them.
Rise ye up, take your journey, and pass the river Arnon; behold, I have given into thine hand Sihon, the Amorite king of Heshbon, and his land; begin, take possession and contend with him in battle.
(After this, the sons of Israel took their journey from Beeroth of the sons of Jaakan to Mosera; there Aaron died, and there he was buried; and Eleazar, his son, received the priesthood in his stead.
(After this, the sons of Israel took their journey from Beeroth of the sons of Jaakan to Mosera; there Aaron died, and there he was buried; and Eleazar, his son, received the priesthood in his stead. From there they journeyed unto Gudgodah and from Gudgodah to Jotbath, a land of rivers of waters.
Moreover, brothers, I would that ye not ignore how our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea and were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea read more. and did all eat the same spiritual food and did all drink the same spiritual drink, for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them; and that Rock was the Christ. But with many of them God was not pleased; therefore, they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things became types of us, that we should not lust after evil things as they lusted. Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play. Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed and fell dead: in one day, twenty-three thousand. Neither let us tempt the Christ, as some of them also tempted and perished by the serpents. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured and perished by the destroyer. Now all these things happened unto them as types, and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come. Therefore let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has taken you but such as is common to man, but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above what ye are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. Therefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.