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, the men being about six hundred thousand men on foot, apart from little ones.
And the sons of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, the men being about six hundred thousand men on foot, apart from little ones. And also a mixed multitude went up with them, and flocks, and herds, very much cattle.
And they moved from Succoth and camped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness.
Speak to the sons of Israel that they turn and camp before Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baal-zephon. You shall camp before it, by the sea.
And 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, because it was bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah.
And they came to Elim, where there were twelve wells of water, and seventy palm trees. And they camped there by the waters.
And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the sons of Israel came into 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 command of the Lord, and pitched 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 when the sons of Israel had gone forth out of the land of Egypt, on this day they came to the wilderness of Sinai.
And no man shall come up with you, neither let any man be seen throughout all the mountain. Also do not let the flocks nor herds feed before that mountain.
And on the twentieth of the second month, in the second year, the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle of the testimony.
And he called the name of the place Taberah, because the fire of Jehovah burned among them. And the mixed multitude in their midst lusted with great lust. And the sons of Israel also turned and wept, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat?
And a wind went forth from Jehovah. And it cut off quails from the sea and let them fall by the camp, about a day's journey on this side, and about a day's journey on the other side, all around the camp, and about two cubits high upon the face of the earth. And the people stood up all that day and all night, and all the next day, and they gathered the quails. And he that gathered least gathered ten homers. And they spread them out for themselves all around the camp. read more. And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, before it was chewed, the wrath of Jehovah was kindled against the people, and Jehovah struck the people with a very great plague. And he called the name of that place Graves of Lust, because there they buried the people that lusted.
And he called the name of that place Graves of Lust, because there they buried the people that lusted. And the people pulled up stakes from the Graves of Lust to Hazeroth, and stayed at Hazeroth.
And the cloud moved from the tabernacle. And behold! Miriam became leprous, as snow. And Aaron looked on Miriam, and behold, she was leprous.
And your sons shall feed in the wilderness forty years and bear your fornications, until your dead bodies have wasted in the wilderness. According to the number of the days in which you searched the land, forty days, each day for a year you shall bear your iniquities, forty years; and you shall know My alienation. read more. I Jehovah have spoken; I will surely do it to all this evil congregation who are gathered together against Me. They shall be destroyed in this wilderness, and there they shall die. And the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land, who returned and made all the congregation to murmur against him, by bringing up an evil report upon the land, even those men that brought up the evil report upon the land died by the plague before Jehovah. But Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, of the men that went to spy out the land, lived. And Moses told these sayings to all the sons of Israel. And the people mourned greatly. And they rose up early in the morning and went up to the top of the mountain, saying, Lo, we are here, and will go up to the place which Jehovah has promised, for we have sinned.
And they rose up early in the morning and went up to the top of the mountain, saying, Lo, we are here, and will go up to the place which Jehovah has promised, for we have sinned. And Moses said, Why do you now go beyond the command of Jehovah, since it shall not be blessed?
And Moses said, Why do you now go beyond the command of Jehovah, since it shall not be blessed? Do not go up, for Jehovah is not among you. And shall you not be beaten before your enemies?
Do not go up, for Jehovah is not among you. And shall you not be beaten before your enemies? For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and you shall fall by the sword. Because you have turned away from Jehovah, therefore Jehovah will not be with you.
For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and you shall fall by the sword. Because you have turned away from Jehovah, therefore Jehovah will not be with you. But they presumed to go up to the hill top. But the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, and Moses, did not leave the camp.
But they presumed to go up to the hill top. But the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, and Moses, did not leave the camp. And the Amalekites and the Canaanites who were living in that mountain came down and struck them, and beat them down, to Hormah.
And the Amalekites and the Canaanites who were living in that mountain came down and struck them, and beat them down, to Hormah.
Then the sons of Israel came, the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in the first month. And the people stayed in Kadesh. And Miriam died there and was buried there. And there was no water for the congregation. And they gathered themselves against Moses and against Aaron. read more. And the people contended with Moses and spoke, saying, Oh that we had died when our brothers died before Jehovah! And why have you brought up the congregation of Jehovah into this wilderness, so that we and our cattle should die there? And why have you made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us into this evil place? It is no place of seed or of figs or of vines or of pomegranates. And there is no water to drink. And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell upon their faces. And the glory of Jehovah appeared to them. And Jehovah spoke to Moses saying, Take the rod, and gather the assembly, you and Aaron your brother, and speak to the rock before their eyes. And it shall give forth its water, and you shall bring forth to them water out of the rock. So you shall give the congregation and their animals drink. And Moses took the rod from before Jehovah as He commanded him. And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said to them, Hear now you rebels. Must we bring water for you out of this rock? And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he struck the rock twice. And the water came out plentifully, and the congregation and their animals drank. And Jehovah spoke to Moses and Aaron, Because you did not believe Me, to sanctify Me in the eyes of the sons of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them. These are the Waters of Strife, because the sons of Israel fought with Jehovah, and He showed Himself holy among them. And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, So says your brother Israel, You know all the trouble that has happened to us, how our fathers went down into Egypt, and we have lived in Egypt a long time. And the Egyptians troubled us and our fathers. And when we cried to Jehovah, He heard our voice and sent an Angel, and has brought us forth out of Egypt. And behold! We are in Kadesh, a city in the outermost part of your border. Let us pass, I pray you, through your country. We will not pass through a field, nor through a vineyard, neither will we drink of the water of a well. We will go by the king's highway. We will not turn to the right hand nor to the left until we have passed your borders. And Edom said to him, You shall not pass by me, lest I come out against you with the sword. And the sons of Israel said to him, We will go by the highway. And if I and my cattle drink of your water, then I will pay for it. Without doing anything, I will only go through on my feet. And he said, You shall not go through. And Edom came out against him with many people, and with a strong hand. So Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border. Therefore Israel turned away from him. And the sons of Israel, the whole congregation, pulled up stakes from Kadesh and came to Mount Hor. And Jehovah spoke to Moses and Aaron in Mount Hor, by the border of the land of Edom, saying, Aaron shall be gathered to his people. For he shall not enter into the land which I have given to the sons of Israel, because you rebelled against My word 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 to his people, and shall die there. And Moses did as Jehovah commanded. And they went up into Mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation. And Moses stripped Aaron 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 mountain. And when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, they mourned for Aaron thirty days, all the house of Israel.
And king Arad the Canaanite, who lived in the south, heard that Israel came by the Way of the Spies, then he fought against Israel and took prisoners of them. And Israel vowed a vow to Jehovah and said, If You will indeed deliver this people into my hand, then I will completely destroy their cities. read more. And Jehovah listened to the voice of Israel and delivered up the Canaanites. And they completely destroyed them and their cities. And he called the name of the place Hormah. And they pulled up stakes from Mount Hor by the way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the soul of the people was very discouraged because of the way.
And they pulled up stakes from Mount Hor by the way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the soul of the people was very discouraged because of the way.
And the sons of Israel pulled up stakes and pitched in Oboth. And they pulled up stakes from Oboth and pitched at Ije-abarim in the wilderness before Moab, toward the sunrising. read more. From there they pulled up stakes and pitched in the valley of Zered. From there they pulled up stakes and pitched on the other side of Arnon, in the wilderness that comes out of the borders of the Amorites; for Arnon is in the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites.
And from there they went to Beer. That is the well of which Jehovah spoke to Moses, Gather the people together, and I will give them water.
The well which the rulers dug, which the nobles of the people dug with their staves by the word of the Lawgiver. And from the wilderness they went to Mattanah,
The well which the rulers dug, which the nobles of the people dug with their staves by the word of the Lawgiver. 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, in the country of Moab, they worked to the top of Pisgah, which looks toward the wilderness.
And the sons of Israel pulled up stakes and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho.
And Jehovah's anger was kindled against Israel, and He made them wander in the wilderness forty years until all the generation which had done evil in the sight of Jehovah was destroyed.
And they pulled up stakes from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month. On the next day after the Passover the sons of Israel went out with a high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians.
And the sons of Israel pulled up stakes from Rameses and pitched in Succoth. And they pulled up stakes from Succoth and pitched in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness. read more. And they pulled up stakes from Etham and turned again to Pihahiroth which is in front of Baal-zephon. And they pitched in front of Migdol. And they pulled up stakes from before Pihahiroth and passed through the middle of the Sea into the wilderness, and went three days' journey in the wilderness of Etham, and pitched in Marah.
And they pulled up stakes from before Pihahiroth and passed through the middle of the Sea into the wilderness, and went three days' journey in the wilderness of Etham, and pitched in Marah. And they pulled up stakes from Marah and came to Elim. And in Elim were twelve fountains of water, and seventy palm trees. And they pitched there. read more. And they pulled up stakes from Elim and pitched by the Red Sea. And they pulled up stakes from the Red Sea and pitched in the wilderness of Sin. And they pulled up stakes from of the wilderness of Sin and pitched in Dophkah. And they pulled up stakes from Dophkah and pitched in Alush. And they pulled up stakes from Alush and pitched at Rephidim, where there was no water for the people to drink. And they pulled up stakes from Rephidim and pitched in the wilderness of Sinai. And they pulled up stakes from the wilderness of Sinai and pitched at The Graves of Lust.
And they pulled up stakes from the wilderness of Sinai and pitched at The Graves of Lust. And they pulled up stakes from The Graves of Lust and pitched at Hazeroth. read more. And they pulled up stakes from Hazeroth and pitched in Rithmah. And they pulled up stakes from Rithmah and pitched at Rimmon-parez. And they pulled up stakes from Rimmon-parez and pitched in Libnah. And they pulled up stakes from Libnah and pitched at Rissah. And they pulled up stakes from Rissah and pitched in the Meeting Place. And they pulled up stakes from The Meeting Place and pitched in Mount Shapher. And they pulled up stakes from Mount Shapher and pitched in Haradah. And they pulled up stakes from Haradah and pitched in Makheloth And they pulled up stakes from Makheloth and pitched at Tahath. And they pulled up stakes from Tahath and pitched at Tarah. And they pulled up stakes from Tarah and pitched in Mithcah. And they pulled up stakes from Mithcah and pitched in Hashmonah. And they pulled up stakes from Hashmonah and pitched at Moseroth. And they pulled up stakes from Moseroth and pitched in Bene-jaakan. And they pulled up stakes from Bene-jaakan and pitched at the Hole of the Cleft. And they pulled up stakes from the Hole of the Cleft and pitched in Jotbathah. And they pulled up stakes from Jotbathah and pitched at Ebronah. And they pulled up stakes from Ebronah and pitched at Ezion-geber.
And they pulled up stakes from Kadesh and pitched in Mount Hor, in the edge of the land of Edom. And Aaron the priest went up to Mount Hor at the command of Jehovah and died there, in the fortieth year after the sons of Israel had come up out of the land of Egypt, in the first of the fifth month.
And they pulled up stakes from Mount Hor and pitched in Zalmonah. And they pulled up stakes from Zalmonah and pitched in Punon. read more. And they pulled up stakes from Punon and pitched in Oboth. And they pulled up stakes from Oboth and pitched in Ije-abarim, in the border of Moab. And they pulled up stakes from Iim and pitched in Dibon-gad.
And they pulled up stakes from Iim and pitched in Dibon-gad. And they pulled up stakes from Dibon-gad and pitched in Almon-diblathaim. read more. And they pulled up stakes from Almon-diblathaim and pitched in the mountains of Abarim, before Nebo. And they pulled up stakes from the mountains of Abarim and pitched in the plains of Moab by Jordan at Jericho.
And when we left our brothers the sons of Esau who lived in Seir, through the way of the Arabah from Elath, and from Ezion-geber, we turned and passed by the way of the wilderness of Moab.
Now rise up and cross over the brook Zered. And we went over the brook Zered. And the days in which we came from Kadesh-barnea, until we had come over the brook Zered were thirty-eight years; until the end of all the generation. The men of war were destroyed from the midst of the camp, as Jehovah swore to them.
Rise up, set out and cross over the river Arnon. Behold! I have given into your hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land. Begin to possess, and fight with him in battle.
And at Taberah, and at Massah, and at the Graves of Lust, you provoked Jehovah to anger.
And the sons of Israel pulled up stakes from Beeroth of the sons of Jaakan to Mosera. There Aaron died, and there he was buried. And Eleazar his son served in the priest's office in his place.
And the sons of Israel pulled up stakes from Beeroth of the sons of Jaakan to Mosera. There Aaron died, and there he was buried. And Eleazar his son served in the priest's office in his place. From there they pulled up stakes to Gudgodah, and from Gudgodah to Jotbath, a land of rivers of water brooks.
And, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea. And all were baptized to 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 of the spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. But with many of them God was not well pleased, for they were scattered in the wilderness. And these things were our examples, that we should not be lusters after evil, as they also lusted. Nor should we be idolaters, even as some of them, as it is written: "The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play." Nor let us commit fornication, as some of them fornicated, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day. Nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted Him and were destroyed by serpents. Nor murmur as some of them also murmured and were destroyed by the destroyer. And all these things happened to them as examples; and it is written for our warning on whom the ends of the world have come. So let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has taken you but what is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able, but with the temptation also will make a way to escape, so that you may be able to bear it. Therefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.