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 {Israelites} set out from Rameses to Succoth; the men [were] about six hundred thousand on foot, besides dependents.
And the {Israelites} set out from Rameses to Succoth; the men [were] about six hundred thousand on foot, besides dependents. And also a {mixed multitude} went up with them and sheep and goats and cattle, very numerous livestock.
And they set out from Succoth, and they encamped at Etham on the edge of the desert.
"Speak to the {Israelites} so that they turn and encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol {and the sea}; before Baal Zephon, [which is] opposite it, you will camp by the sea.
And Moses caused Israel to set out from the {Red Sea}, and they went out into the desert of Shur, and they traveled three days in the desert, and they did not find water. And they came to Marah, and they were not able to drink water from Marah because it was bitter. Therefore {it was named} Marah.
And they came to Elim, and twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees were there, and they encamped there at the water.
And they set out from Elim, and all the community of the {Israelites} came to the desert of Sin, which [is] between Elim {and Sinai}, in the fifteenth day of the second month of their going out from the land of Egypt.
And all the community of the {Israelites} set out from the desert of Sin for their journeys according to the command of Yahweh, and they camped in Rephidim, and there was no water for the people to drink.
And Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim.
In the third month after the {Israelites} went out from the land of Egypt, on this day they came to the Sinai desert.
And no one will go up with you, and neither let anyone be seen on all the mountain, nor let the sheep and goats and the cattle graze {opposite} that mountain."
And it happened, in the second year, in the second month, on [the] twentieth of the month the cloud was lifted from upon the tabernacle of the testimony.
And he called the name of that place Taberah because the fire of Yahweh burned among them. The riff-raff that [were] in their midst {had a strong desire}; and the {Israelites} turned back and also wept, and they said, "Who will feed us meat?
Then a wind set out from Yahweh, and it drove quails from the west, and he spread [them] out on the camp about a day's journey on one side and about a day's journey on the other, all around the camp, about two cubits on the surface of the land. And so the people {worked} all day and all night and all the next day, and they gathered the quail (the least of the ones collecting gathered ten homers). read more. While the meat [was] still between their teeth, before it was consumed, Yahweh was angry with the people, and Yahweh struck a very great plague among the people. And he called the name of that place Kibroth Hattaavah because they buried the people that {were greedy}.
And he called the name of that place Kibroth Hattaavah because they buried the people that {were greedy}. From Kibroth Hattaavah the people set out [to] Hazeroth; and they stayed in Hazeroth.
And the cloud departed from on the tent, and behold, Miriam [was] infected with {a skin disease} white like snow; when Aaron turned toward Miriam, behold, [she was] afflicted with a skin disease.
And your children will be shepherds in the desert forty years, and you will bear your unfaithfulness until {all your corpses have fallen} in the desert. According to the number of the days that you explored the land, forty days, {a day for each year}, you will bear your sins forty years, and you will know my opposition.' read more. I, Yahweh, have spoken; I will surely do this to all this evil community who has banded together against me. In this desert they will come to an end, and there they will die." As for the men whom Moses sent to explore the land, who returned and made the community grumble against him by spreading a report over the land, the men who spread the evil report of the land died by the plague {before Yahweh}. But Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh lived from [among] the men who went to explore the land. And Moses spoke words to all the {Israelites}, and the people mourned greatly. They rose early in the morning and went to the top of the mount, saying, "Here we are. We will go up to the place that Yahweh said, because we have sinned."
They rose early in the morning and went to the top of the mount, saying, "Here we are. We will go up to the place that Yahweh said, because we have sinned." But Moses said, "Why [are] you going against the command of Yahweh? It will not succeed.
But Moses said, "Why [are] you going against the command of Yahweh? It will not succeed. You should not go up because Yahweh is not in your midst; do not let yourselves be defeated in the presence of your enemies,
You should not go up because Yahweh is not in your midst; do not let yourselves be defeated in the presence of your enemies, because the Amalekites and the Canaanites [are] there {before you}, and you will fall by the sword; because you have turned [back] from Yahweh, and Yahweh will not be with you."
because the Amalekites and the Canaanites [are] there {before you}, and you will fall by the sword; because you have turned [back] from Yahweh, and Yahweh will not be with you." But they dared to go to the top of the mountain, and the ark of the covenant of Yahweh and Moses did not depart from the midst of the camp.
But they dared to go to the top of the mountain, and the ark of the covenant of Yahweh and Moses did not depart from the midst of the camp. So the Amalekites and the Canaanites who were living on the mountain descended, and they beat them down, up to Hormah.
So the Amalekites and the Canaanites who were living on the mountain descended, and they beat them down, up to Hormah.
Then the entire community of the {Israelites} came [to] the desert of Zin on the first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh; Miriam died and was buried there. There was no water for the community, and they were gathered before Moses and Aaron. read more. And the people quarreled with Moses and spoke, saying, "If only we died when our brothers were dying {before} Yahweh! Why have you brought the assembly of Yahweh, us and our livestock, into this desert to die here? Why have you brought us from Egypt to bring us to this bad place? It is not a place of seed or figs or vines or pomegranate trees, and there is not water to drink." And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the doorway of the tent of assembly. They fell on their faces, and the glory of Yahweh appeared to them. Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, "Take the staff and summon the community, you and Aaron your brother, and speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will give water. Bring out for them water from the rock, and let the community and their livestock drink." So Moses took the staff from {before} Yahweh just as he command him, and Moses and Aaron summoned the assembly to the presence of the rock, and he said to them, "Please listen, you rebels; can we bring out water for you from this rock?" Then Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice. And abundant water went out, and the community and their livestock drank. But Yahweh said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you have not trusted in me, to regard me as holy {in the sight of} the {Israelites}, you will not bring this assembly into the land that I have given to them." Those [were] the waters of Meribah, where the {Israelites} quarreled with Yahweh, and he showed himself holy among them. From Kadesh Moses sent messengers to the king of Edom: "Thus your brother Israel has said, 'You know all the hardship that has found us; our ancestors went down to Egypt, and we lived in Egypt {a long time}, and the Egyptians mistreated us and our ancestors. Then we cried to Yahweh, and he heard our voice; he sent an angel and brought us out from Egypt. And look, we [are] in Kadesh, a city on the edge of your territory. Please let us go through your land. We will not go through a field or vineyard, and we will not drink water from a well. We will go along the road of the king; we will not turn aside right or left until we have gone through your territory.'" Then Edom said to him, "You will not pass through us lest {we will go out} to meet you with the sword." The {Israelites} said to him, "We will go up on the main road, and if we and our livestock drink your water, we will pay [for it]. It is only a small matter; let us pass through on our feet." But he said, "You will not go through." And Edom went out to meet {them} with a large army and a strong hand. So Edom refused to give Israel passage through his territory, and Israel turned aside from him. And they set out from Kadesh. The {Israelites}, the whole community, came [to] Mount Hor. Yahweh said to Moses and to Aaron on Mount Hor, on the boundary of the land of Edom, saying, "Let Aaron be gathered to his people; he will not come into the land that I have given to the {Israelites} because you rebelled against {my word} at the waters of Meribah. Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and take them up Mount Hor. Strip off Aaron's garments, and put them on Eleazar his son; Aaron will be gathered [to his people], and he will die there." So Moses did just as Yahweh commanded, and they went up to Mount Hor before the eyes of all the community. And Moses stripped off Aaron's garments and put them on Eleazar his son. Aaron died there on the top of the mountain; and Moses and Eleazar went down from the mountain. All the community saw that Aaron died; so all the house of Israel wept for Aaron thirty days.
The Canaanite king of Arad, who was dwelling [in] the Negev, heard that Israel came [along] the way of Atharim; he fought against Israel and took some of them captive. Israel made a vow to Yahweh, and they said, "If you will surely give this people into our hand, then we {will destroy} their cities." read more. Yahweh heard the voice of Israel; he gave [to them] the Canaanites, and {they destroyed them} and their cities. They called the name of the place Hormah. They set out from Mount Hor [by] the way of the {Red Sea} to go around the land of Edom; but {the people became impatient} along the way.
They set out from Mount Hor [by] the way of the {Red Sea} to go around the land of Edom; but {the people became impatient} along the way.
The {Israelites} set out and encamped at Oboth. They set out from Oboth and encamped at Iye Abarim in the desert, which [was] in front of Moab {toward the sunrise}. read more. From there they set out and encamped at the valley of Zered. From there they set out and encamped beyond Arnon, which [is] in the desert that goes out from the boundary of the Amorites, because Arnon [is] the boundary of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites.
From there [they went] to Beer, which is the water well where Yahweh spoke to Moses, "Gather the people, that I may give them water."
Well water that the princes dug, that the leaders of the people dug, with a staff [and] with their rods." And from [the] desert [they continued to] Mattanah,
Well water that the princes dug, that the leaders of the people dug, with a staff [and] with their rods." And from [the] desert [they continued 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 to the valley that [is] in the territory of Moab, [by] the top of Pisgah, which overlooks the surface of the wasteland.
The {Israelites} set out, and they encamped on the desert-plateau of Moab, across from Jericho beyond [the] Jordan.
And {Yahweh became angry}, and he made them wander in the desert forty years until the entire generation who did evil in the {sight of Yahweh} {had died}.
They set out from Rameses on the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the next day after the Passover the {Israelites} went out {boldly} {in the sight} of all the Egyptians
Then the {Israelites} set out from Rameses, and they camped in Succoth. They journeyed from Succoth and camped in Etham, which [is] on the edge of the desert. read more. Then they set out from Etham and returned to Pi-Hahiroth, which faces Baal Zephon, and they camped before Migdol. They set out from Pi-Hahiroth and went through the midst of the sea into the desert; and they went a journey of three days into the desert of Etham and camped at Marah.
They set out from Pi-Hahiroth and went through the midst of the sea into the desert; and they went a journey of three days into the desert of Etham and camped at Marah. They set out from Marah and came to Elim, and in Elim [there were] twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they camped there. read more. They set out from Elim, and they camped at the {Red Sea}. They set out from the {Red Sea} and camped at the desert of Sin. They set out from the desert of Sin and camped at Dophkah. They set out from Dophkah and camped at Alush. They set out from Alush and encamped at Rephidim; and it was there [that] the people had no water to drink. They set out from Rephidim and camped in the desert of Sinai. The set out from the desert of Sinai and camped at Kibroth Hattaavah.
The set out from the desert of Sinai and camped at Kibroth Hattaavah. They set out from Kibroth Hattaavah and camped at Hazeroth. read more. They set out from Hazeroth and camped at Rithmah. They set out from Rithmah and camped at Rimmon Perez. They set out from Rimmon Perez and camped at Libnah. They set out from Libnah and camped at Rissah. They set out from Rissah and camped at Kehelathah. They set out from Kehelathah and camped at Mount Shapher. They set out from Mount Shapher and camped at Haradah. They set out from Haradah and camped at Makheloth. They set out from Makheloth and camped at Tahath. They set out from Tahath and camped at Terah. They set out from Terah and camped at Mithcah. They set out from Mithcah and camped at Hashmonah. They set out from Hashmonah and camped at Moserah. They set out from Moserah and camped at Bene-Jaakan. They set out from Bene-Jaakan and camped at Hor Haggidgad. They set out from Hor Haggidgad and camped at Jotbathah. They set out from Jotbathah and camped at Abronah. They set out from Abronah and camped at Ezion Geber.
They set out from Kadesh and camped at Mount Hor, at the edge of the land of Edom. Aaron the priest went up to Mount Hor at the {command} of Yahweh, and he died there in the fortieth year after the {Israelites} had gone out from the land of Egypt, in the fifth month on the first [day] of the month.
Then they set out from Mount Hor and camped at Zalmonah. They set out from Zalmonah and camped at Punon. read more. They set out from Punon and camped at Oboth. They set out from Oboth and camped at Iye Abarim, the boundary of Moab. They set out from Iyim and camped at Dibon Gad.
They set out from Iyim and camped at Dibon Gad. They set out from Dibon Gad and camped at Almon-Diblatayim. read more. They set out from Almon-Diblatayim and camped in the mountains of Abarim, before Nebo. They set out from the mountains of Abarim and camped on the desert-plateau of Moab by the Jordan [across] Jericho.
And so we passed by our brothers, the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir, past the road of the Arabah, from Elath and Ezion Geber, and we turned and traveled along the route of the desert of Moab.
So [now] arise and cross over the wadi of Zered yourselves; and [so] we crossed the wadi of Zered. Now the {length of time} that we had traveled from Kadesh Barnea until [the time when] we crossed the wadi of Zered [was] thirty-eight years, until the perishing of all of that generation; [that is], the men of war from the midst of the camp as Yahweh had sworn to them.
Arise, set out and cross [over] the wadi of Arnon. Look! I have given Sihon the Amorite, the king of Heshbon, and his land into your hand; begin to take possession of [it], and engage with him in battle.
"And [also] at Taberah and at Massah and at Kibroth Hattaavah you provoked Yahweh to anger.
"And the {Israelites} journeyed from [the] wells of Bene-Yaqan [to] Moserah; there Aaron died and was buried, and Eleazar, his son, served as a priest in place of him.
"And the {Israelites} journeyed from [the] wells of Bene-Yaqan [to] Moserah; there Aaron died and was buried, and Eleazar, his son, served as a priest in place of him. From there they journeyed to Gudgodah, and from Gudgodah to Jotbathah, a land [flowing with] streams of water.
For I do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all went through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, read more. and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual rock that followed [them], and the rock was Christ. But God was not pleased with the majority of them, for they were struck down in the desert. Now these [things] happened [as] examples for us, so that we should not be desirers of evil [things], just as those also desired [them], and not become idolaters, as some of them [did], just as it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink, and stood up to play," nor commit sexual immorality, as some of them committed sexual immorality, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day, nor put Christ to the test, as some of them tested [him], and were destroyed by snakes, nor grumble, just as some of them grumbled, and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now these [things] happened to those [people] as an example, but are written for our instruction, on whom the ends of the ages have come. Therefore, the one who thinks that he stands must watch out lest he fall. Temptation has not come upon you except [what is] common to humanity. But God [is] faithful, who will not permit you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but will also make a way out together with the temptation, [so that you] may be able to endure [it]. Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.