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 will remove from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand footmen; men apart from the little ones.
And the sons of Israel will remove from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand footmen; men apart from the little ones. And also a great mixture went up with them; and sheep and oxen, very much cattle.
And they will remove from Succoth, and they will encamp in Etham, in the extremity of the desert
Speak to the sons of Israel, and they shall turn back and shall encamp before the mouth of Hahiroth, between Migdol and between the sea, before Baal-Zephon: before them shall ye encamp by the sea.
And Moses will remove Israel from the sea of sedge, and they will come forth to the desert of Shur; and they will go three days into the desert, and they found not water. And they will come to Marah, and they will not be able to drink the waters of Marah, for they are bitter: for this he called the name bitterness.
And they will come to Ailam; and twelve fountains of water there, and seventy palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.
And they will remove from Ailam, and all the assembly of the sons of Israel will come to the desert of Sin, which is between Ailam and between Sinai, the fifteenth day of the second month of their coming out of the land of Egypt
And all the assembly of the sons of Israel will remove from the desert of Sin, according to their removings by the mouth of Jehovah; and they will encamp in Rephidim; and no water for the people to drink.
And Amalek will come and will wage war with Israel, in Rephidim.
In the third month, in the coming forth of the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt, in that day they came to the desert of Sinai.
And no man shall come up with thee, and also a man shall not be seen in all the mountain: also the sheep and the cattle shall not feed before that mountain.
And it shall be in the second year, in the second month, in the twentieth of the month, the cloud was taken up from the dwelling of testimony.
And he will call the name of that place Taberah, for the fire of Jehovah burnt among them. And the scraped together which in its midst will long a longing; and the sons of Israel also will turn back and weep, and they will say, Who will feed us with flesh?
And a spirit removed from Jehovah and it will divide out the quails from the sea, and will cast upon the camp, as the way of a day hither, and the way of a day thither, round about the camp, and as two cubits upon the face of the earth. And the people will rise up all that day and all the night, and all the day of the morrow, and will gather the quails: the few gathered ten homers; and they will spread for themselves a spreading round about the camp. read more. And the flesh yet between their teeth, before it shall be withdrawn and the anger of Jehovah was kindled against the people, and Jehovah will smite upon them an exceeding great blow. And he will call the name of that place, The Graves of Longings, for there they buried the people longing.
And he will call the name of that place, The Graves of Longings, for there they buried the people longing. From the Graves of Longings the people removed to the enclosures, and they shall be in the enclosures.
And the cloud removed from the tent; and behold, Miriam being leprous as snow: and Aaron will look upon Miriam, and behold, her being leprous
And your sons shall be fed in the desert forty years, and bear your fornications till your carcasses be finished in the desert According to the number of days which ye searched out the land, forty days, a day a year, a day for a year, shall ye your iniquities; forty years, and ye knew my withdrawal. read more. I Jehovah spake, if not, I will do this to all this evil assembly setting up against me: in this desert shall they be finished, and there shall they die. And the men whom Moses sent to search out the land, and they will turn back and will murmur against him to all the assembly, to bring forth slander upon the land. And the men bringing forth evil slander of the land shall die by the blow before Jehovah. And Joshua, son of Nun, and Caleb, son of Jephunneh, lived, from those men going to search out the land. And Moses will speak these words to all the sons of Israel, and the people will mourn greatly. And they will rise early in the morning, and will go up to the head of the mountain, saying, Behold us, and we will go up to the place which Jehovah said: for we sinned.
And they will rise early in the morning, and will go up to the head of the mountain, saying, Behold us, and we will go up to the place which Jehovah said: for we sinned. And Moses will say, Wherefore this you are passing by the mouth of Jehovah? And it shall not prosper.
And Moses will say, Wherefore this you are passing by the mouth of Jehovah? And it shall not prosper. Ye shall not go up, for Jehovah is not in the midst of you; and shall ye not be struck before your enemies?
Ye shall not go up, for Jehovah is not in the midst of you; and shall ye not be struck before your enemies? For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and ye fell by the sword: for ye turned back from after Jehovah, and Jehovah will not be with you.
For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and ye fell by the sword: for ye turned back from after Jehovah, and Jehovah will not be with you. And they will act proudly to go up to the head of the mountain: mid the ark of the covenant of Jehovah and Moses departed not out of the midst of the camp.
And they will act proudly to go up to the head of the mountain: mid the ark of the covenant of Jehovah and Moses departed not out of the midst of the camp. And Amalek came down, and the Canaanite, he dwelling in the mountain, and he will smite them, and will beat them, even to Hormah.
And Amalek came down, and the Canaanite, he dwelling in the mountain, and he will smite them, and will beat them, even to Hormah.
And the sons of Israel will come, all the assembly, to the desert of Zin, in the first month; and the people will dwell in Kadesh; and Miriam will die there and be buried there. And there was not water for the assembly: and they will gather together against Moses and against Aaron. read more. And they will contend with Moses, and will speak, saying, Would that we died in the dying of our brethren before Jehovah! And for what brought ye the gathering of Jehovah into this desert to die there, we and our cattle And for what brought ye us up out of Egypt to bring us to this evil place? Not a place of seed, and figs, and the vine and the pomegranate; and not water to drink. And Moses will go, and Aaron, from the face of the gathering to the door of the tent of appointment, and they will fall upon their faces: and the glory of Jehovah shall be seen to them. And Jehovah will speak to Moses, saying, Take the rod and gather the assembly together, thou and Aaron thy brother, and speak to the rock before their eyes; and it gave water; and brought to them water from the rock, and gave drink to the assembly, and their cattle. And Moses will take the rod from before Jehovah, as he commanded him. And Moses and Aaron will gather together the gathering before the rock, and he will say to them, Hear, now, ye rebellious: from this rock shall we bring forth to you water? And Moses will lift up his hand and will smite the rock with the rod twice, and many waters will come forth, and the assembly will drink and their cattle. And Jehovah will say to Moses, and to Aaron, Because ye believed not in me, to consecrate me before the eyes of the sons of Israel, for this, ye shall not bring in this gathering to the land which I gave to them. These the Waters of Strife, because the sons of Israel strove with Jehovah, and he will be consecrated in them. And Moses will send messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, Thus said thy brother Israel, Thou knewest all the distress which found us: And our fathers will go down to Egypt and will dwell in Egypt many days; and the Egyptians will do evil to us and to our fathers. And we shall cry to Jehovah, and he will hear our voice, and he will send a messenger and he will bring us forth out of Egypt: and behold us in Kadesh, a city the end of thy boundary. Now we will pass over in thy land: we will not pass through in the field and in the vineyard, and we will not drink the water of the well: the way of the king we will go; we will not incline to the right or to the left till we shall pass over thy boundary. And Edom will say to him, Thou shalt not pass by me, lest with the sword I shall come out to thy meeting. And the sons of Israel will say to him, By the highway will we come up; and if we shall drink of thy waters, I and my cattle, I gave a price: only not speaking, I will pass through on my feet. . And he will say, Thou shalt not pass through. And Edom will come forth to his meeting with a heavy people, and with a strong hand. And Edom will refuse to give to Israel to pass over by his boundary; and Israel will turn away from him. And they will remove from Kadesh, and the sons of Israel, all the assembly will come to Mount Hor. And Jehovah will say to Moses and to Aaron, in mount Hor, upon the boundary of the land of Edom, saying, Aaron shall be gathered to his people; for he shall not come into the land which I gave to the sons of Israel, because that ye resisted my mouth at the Waters of Strife. Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up to mount Hor. And strip Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son: and Aaron shall be gathered and die there. And Moses will do as Jehovah commanded: and he will bring him up to mount Hor before the eyes of all the assembly. And Moses will strip Aaron of his garments, and will put them upon Eleazar his son: and Aaron will die there in the head of the mountain: and Moses will come down, and Eleazar, from the mountain. And all the assembly will see that Aaron died, and they will weep for Aaron thirty days, all the house of Israel.
And the Canaanite, King Arad, dwelling to the south, will hear that Israel came the way of the places, and he will fight against Israel, and he will carry off from him a captivity. And Israel will vow a vow to Jehovah, and will say, If giving, thou wilt give this people into my hand, and I exterminated their cities. read more. And Jehovah will hear to the voice of Israel, and he will give the Canaanite, and he will exterminate them and their cities: and he will call the name of the place Hormah. And they will remove from mount Hor, the way of the sea of sedge, to encompass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people will be shortened in the way.
And they will remove from mount Hor, the way of the sea of sedge, to encompass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people will be shortened in the way.
And the sons of Israel will remove, and will encamp in Oboth. And they will remove from Oboth and will encamp in Ije-Abarim, in the desert which is upon the face of Moab, from the rising of the sun. read more. From thence they removed, and they will encamp in the valley of Zared. From thence they removed, and they will encamp from the other side of Amon, which is in the desert coming forth from the boundary of the Amorites: for Arnon is the boundary of Moab, between Moab and between the Amorites.
And from thence the well; it is the well of which Jehovah said to Moses, Gather the people together and I will give to them water.
The leaders dug it, the nobles of the people dug it, by cutting in by their props. And from the desert to Mattanah.
The leaders dug it, the nobles of the people dug it, by cutting in by their props. And from the desert to Mattanah. And from Mattanah to the Valley of God; and from the Valley of God to Bamoth.
And from Mattanah to the Valley of God; and from the Valley of God to Bamoth. And from Bamoth, the valley which is in the field of Moab, the head of Pisgah, and looking upon the face of Jeshimon.
And the sons of Israel will remove and will encamp in the deserts of Moab, from the other side of Jordan at Jericho.
And the anger of Jehovah will kindle against Israel, and he will cause them to wander in the desert forty years, till the finishing of all the generation having done evil in the eyes of Jehovah.
And they will remove from Rameses in the first month, in the fifteenth day to the first month: on the morrow of the passover and the sons of Israel went forth with a high hand before the eyes of all the Egyptians.
And the sons of Israel will remove from Rameses, and they will encamp in Succoth. And they will remove from Succoth, and encamp in Etham, which is in the extremity of the desert read more. And they will remove from Etham, and dwell upon the mouth of Hiroth, which is before Baal-Zephon: and they will encamp before Migdol. And they will remove from before Hiroth, and they will pass through the midst of the sea of the desert, and they will go a way of three days in the desert of Etham, and they will encamp in Marah.
And they will remove from before Hiroth, and they will pass through the midst of the sea of the desert, and they will go a way of three days in the desert of Etham, and they will encamp in Marah. And they will remove from Marah and will come to Elim: and in Elim twelve fountains of water, and seventy palm trees; and they will encamp there. read more. And they will remove from Elim, and encamp by the sea of sedge. And they will remove from the sea of sedge, and encamp in the desert of Sin. And they will remove from the desert of Sin, and encamp in Dophkah. And they will remove from Dophkah, and encamp in Alush. And they will remove from Alush, and encamp in Rephidim; and no water was there for the people to drink. And they will remove from Rephidim, and encamp in the desert of Sinai. And they will remove from the desert of Sinai, and encamp in the Sepulchres of Longing.
And they will remove from the desert of Sinai, and encamp in the Sepulchres of Longing. And they will remove from the Sepulchres of Longing, and encamp in Hazeroth. read more. And they will remove from Hazeroth, and encamp in Rithmah. . And they will remove from Rithmah, and encamp in Rimmon-Parez. And they will remove from Rimmon-Parez, and encamp in Libnah. And they will remove from Libnah, and encamp in Rissah. And they will remove from Rissah, and encamp in Kehelathah. And they will remove from Kehelathah, and encamp in mount Shapher. And they will remove from mount Shapher and encamp in Haradah. And they will remove from Haradah, and encamp in Makheloth. And they will remove from Makheloth, and encamp in Tahath. And they will remove from Tahath, and encamp in Tarah. And they will remove from Tarah, and encamp in Mithcah. And they will remove from Mithcah, and encamp in Hashmonah. And they will remove from Hashmonah, and encamp in Moseroth. And they will remove from Moseroth, and encamp among the sons of Jakan. And they will remove from the sons of Jakan, and encamp in the mount of Gidgad. And they will remove from the mount of Gidgad, and encamp in Jotbathah. And they will remove from Jotbathah, and encamp in Ebionah. And they will remove from Ebionah, and encamp in Ezion-Gaber.
And they will remove from Kadesh, and encamp in mount Hor, in the extremity of the land of Edom. And Aaron the priest will go up to mount Hor by the mouth of Jehovah, and will die there in the fortieth year to the coming out of the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt., in the fifth month, in one to the month.
And they will remove from mount Hor, and encamp in Zalmonah. And they will remove from Zalmonah, and encamp in Punon. read more. And they will remove from Pinion, and encamp in Oboth. And they will remove from Oboth, and encamp in the heaps of Abarim, in the bound of Moab. And they will remove from the heaps, and encamp in DibonGad.
And they will remove from the heaps, and encamp in DibonGad. And they will remove from DibonGad, and encamp in Almon-Diblathaim. read more. And they will remove from Almon-Diblathaim, and encamp in the mountains of Abarim before Nebo. And they will remove from the mountains of Abarim, and encamp in the desert of Moab by Jordan of Jericho.
And we shall pass by our brethren the sons of Esau, dwelling in Seir, from the way of the sterile region from Elath, and from Ezion-Gaber, we shall turn and shall pass over the way of the desert of Moab.
Now rise up and pass over for yourselves the valley Zered; and we shall pass through the torrent Zered. And the days which we came from Kadesh-Barnea till we passed over the valley Zered, thirty and eight years; till all the generation of men of war was finished from the midst of the camp, as Jehovah sware to them.
Rise ye up, remove and pass through the torrent Arnon: see, I gave into thy hand Sihon, king of Heshbon, the Amorite, and his land: begin and possess and thou shalt contend with him in war.
And in Taberah and in Massah, and in Kibroth Hatavah, ye were provoking Jehovah to anger.
And the sons of Israel removed from Beeroth of the sons of Jaakan, to Moseroth: there Aaron died, and he will be buried there; and Eleazar his son will be priest in his stead.
And the sons of Israel removed from Beeroth of the sons of Jaakan, to Moseroth: there Aaron died, and he will be buried there; and Eleazar his son will be priest in his stead. From there they removed to Gudgodah; and from Gudgodah to Jotbah, a land of torrents of water.
And I will not ye be ignorant, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all immersed into Moses in the cloud, and in the sea; read more. And they all ate the same spiritual food And all drank the same spiritual drink: for they drank of the spiritual Rock following; and the Rock was Christ. But God was not contented with the most of them: for they were overthrown in the desert. And these things were our types, that we be not eagerly desirous of evil things, as they also eagerly desired. Neither be ye idolaters, as some of them; as has been written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. Neither should we commit fornication, as some of them committed fornication, and there fell in one day twenty-three thousand. Neither should we tempt Christ, as also some of them tempted, and were destroyed by serpents. Neither do ye murmur, as also some of them murmured, and were destroyed by the destroyer. And all those happened types to them; and it was written for our reminding, to whom the ends of the times have arrived. Therefore let him seeming to stand see that he fall not. No temptation except human has taken you and God faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above what ye are able; but with the temptation will he also make an escape, that ye may be able to bear. Wherefore, my beloved, do ye flee from idolatry.