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
The Israelites journeyed from Rameses to Sukkoth. There were about 600,000 men on foot, plus their dependants.
The Israelites journeyed from Rameses to Sukkoth. There were about 600,000 men on foot, plus their dependants. A mixed multitude also went up with them, and flocks and herds -- a very large number of cattle.
They journeyed from Sukkoth and camped in Etham, on the edge of the desert.
"Tell the Israelites that they must turn and camp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea; you are to camp by the sea before Baal Zephon opposite it.
Then Moses led Israel to journey away from the Red Sea. They went out to the Desert of Shur, walked for three days into the desert, and found no water. Then they came to Marah, but they were not able to drink the waters of Marah, because they were bitter. (That is why its name was Marah.)
Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees, and they camped there by the water.
When they journeyed from Elim, the entire company of Israelites came to the Desert of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their exodus from the land of Egypt.
The whole community of the Israelites traveled on their journey from the Desert of Sin according to the Lord's instruction, and they pitched camp in Rephidim. Now there was no water for the people to drink.
Amalek came and attacked Israel in Rephidim.
In the third month after the Israelites went out from the land of Egypt, on the very day, they came to the Desert of Sinai.
No one is to come up with you; do not let anyone be seen anywhere on the mountain; not even the flocks or the herds may graze in front of that mountain."
On the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle of the testimony.
So he called the name of that place Taberah because there the fire of the Lord burned among them. Now the mixed multitude who were among them craved more desirable foods, and so the Israelites wept again and said, "If only we had meat to eat!
Now a wind went out from the Lord and brought quail from the sea, and let them fall near 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 three feet high on the surface of the ground. And the people stayed up all that day, all that night, and all the next day, and gathered the quail. The one who gathered the least gathered ten homers, and they spread them out for themselves all around the camp. read more. But while the meat was still between their teeth, before they chewed it, the anger of the Lord burned against the people, and the Lord struck the people with a very great plague. So the name of that place was called Kibroth Hattaavah, because there they buried the people that craved different food.
So the name of that place was called Kibroth Hattaavah, because there they buried the people that craved different food. The people traveled from Kibroth Hattaavah to Hazeroth, and they stayed at Hazeroth.
When the cloud departed from above the tent, Miriam became leprous as snow. Then Aaron looked at Miriam, and she was leprous!
and your children will wander in the wilderness forty years and suffer for your unfaithfulness, until your dead bodies lie finished in the wilderness. According to the number of the days you have investigated this land, forty days -- one day for a year -- you will suffer for your iniquities, forty years, and you will know what it means to thwart me. read more. I, the Lord, have said, "I will surely do so to all this evil congregation that has gathered together against me. In this wilderness they will be finished, and there they will die!"'" The men whom Moses sent to investigate the land, who returned and made the whole community murmur against him by producing an evil report about the land, those men who produced the evil report about the land, died by the plague before the Lord. But Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among the men who went to investigate the land, lived. When Moses told these things to all the Israelites, the people mourned greatly. And early in the morning they went up to the crest of the hill country, saying, "Here we are, and we will go up to the place that the Lord commanded, for we have sinned."
And early in the morning they went up to the crest of the hill country, saying, "Here we are, and we will go up to the place that the Lord commanded, for we have sinned." But Moses said, "Why are you now transgressing the commandment of the Lord? It will not succeed!
But Moses said, "Why are you now transgressing the commandment of the Lord? It will not succeed! Do not go up, for the Lord is not among you, and you will be defeated before your enemies.
Do not go up, for the Lord is not among you, and you will be defeated before your enemies. For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and you will fall by the sword. Because you have turned away from the Lord, the Lord will not be with you."
For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and you will fall by the sword. Because you have turned away from the Lord, the Lord will not be with you." But they dared to go up to the crest of the hill, although neither the ark of the covenant of the Lord nor Moses departed from the camp.
But they dared to go up to the crest of the hill, although neither the ark of the covenant of the Lord nor Moses departed from the camp. So the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in that hill country swooped down and attacked them as far as Hormah.
So the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in that hill country swooped down and attacked them as far as Hormah.
Then the entire community of Israel entered the wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh. Miriam died and was buried there. And there was no water for the community, and so they gathered themselves together against Moses and Aaron. read more. The people contended with Moses, saying, "If only we had died when our brothers died before the Lord! Why have you brought up the Lord's community into this wilderness? So that we and our cattle should die here? Why have you brought us up from Egypt only to bring us to this dreadful place? It is no place for grain, or figs, or vines, or pomegranates; nor is there any water to drink!" So Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the entrance to the tent of meeting. They then threw themselves down with their faces to the ground, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them. Then the Lord spoke to Moses: "Take the staff and assemble the community, you and Aaron your brother, and then speak to the rock before their eyes. It will pour forth its water, and you will bring water out of the rock for them, and so you will give the community and their beasts water to drink." So Moses took the staff from before the Lord, just as he commanded him. Then Moses and Aaron gathered the community together in front of the rock, and he said to them, "Listen, you rebels, must we bring water out of this rock for you?" Then Moses raised his hand, and struck the rock twice with his staff. And water came out abundantly. So the community drank, and their beasts drank too. Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust me enough to show me as holy before the Israelites, therefore you will not bring this community into the land I have given them." These are the waters of Meribah, because the Israelites contended with the Lord, and his holiness was maintained among them. Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom: "Thus says your brother Israel: 'You know all the hardships we have experienced, how our ancestors went down into Egypt, and we lived in Egypt a long time, and the Egyptians treated us and our ancestors badly. So when we cried to the Lord, he heard our voice and sent a messenger, and has brought us up out of Egypt. Now we are here in Kadesh, a town on the edge of your country. Please let us pass through your country. We will not pass through the fields or through the vineyards, nor will we drink water from any well. We will go by the King's Highway; we will not turn to the right or the left until we have passed through your region.'" But Edom said to him, "You will not pass through me, or I will come out against you with the sword." Then the Israelites said to him, "We will go along the highway, and if we or our cattle drink any of your water, we will pay for it. We will only pass through on our feet, without doing anything else." But he said, "You may not pass through." Then Edom came out against them with a large and powerful force. So Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border; therefore Israel turned away from him. So the entire company of Israelites traveled from Kadesh and came to Mount Hor. And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron in Mount Hor, by the border of the land of Edom. He said: "Aaron will be gathered to his ancestors, for he will not enter into the land I have given to the Israelites because both of you rebelled against my word at the waters of Meribah. Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up on Mount Hor. Remove Aaron's priestly garments and put them on Eleazar his son, and Aaron will be gathered to his ancestors and will die there." So Moses did as the Lord commanded; and they went up Mount Hor in the sight of the whole community. And Moses removed Aaron's garments and put them on his son Eleazar. So Aaron died there on the top of the mountain. And Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain. When all the community saw that Aaron was dead, the whole house of Israel mourned for Aaron thirty days.
When the Canaanite king of Arad who lived in the Negev heard that Israel was approaching along the road to Atharim, he fought against Israel and took some of them prisoner. So Israel made a vow to the Lord and said, "If you will indeed deliver this people into our hand, then we will utterly destroy their cities." read more. The Lord listened to the voice of Israel and delivered up the Canaanites, and they utterly destroyed them and their cities. So the name of the place was called Hormah. Then they traveled from Mount Hor by the road to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom, but the people became impatient along the way.
Then they traveled from Mount Hor by the road to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom, but the people became impatient along the way.
The Israelites traveled on and camped in Oboth. Then they traveled on from Oboth and camped at Iye Abarim, in the wilderness that is before Moab, on the eastern side. read more. From there they moved on and camped in the valley of Zered. From there they moved on and camped on the other side of the Arnon, in the wilderness that extends from the regions of the Amorites, for Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites.
And from there they traveled to Beer; that is the well where the Lord spoke to Moses, "Gather the people and I will give them water."
The well which the princes dug, which the leaders of the people opened with their scepters and their staffs." And from the wilderness they traveled to Mattanah;
The well which the princes dug, which the leaders of the people opened with their scepters and their staffs." And from the wilderness they traveled 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 country of Moab, near the top of Pisgah, which overlooks the wilderness.
The Israelites traveled on and camped in the plains of Moab on the side of the Jordan River across from Jericho.
So the Lord's anger was kindled against the Israelites, and he made them wander in the wilderness for forty years, until all that generation that had done wickedly before the Lord was finished.
They departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the day after the Passover the Israelites went out defiantly in plain sight of all the Egyptians.
The Israelites traveled from Rameses and camped in Succoth. They traveled from Succoth, and camped in Etham, which is on the edge of the wilderness. read more. They traveled from Etham, and turned again to Pi-hahiroth, which is before Baal-Zephon; and they camped before Migdal. They traveled from Pi-hahiroth, and passed through the middle of the sea into the wilderness, and went three days' journey in the wilderness of Etham, and camped in Marah.
They traveled from Pi-hahiroth, and passed through the middle of the sea into the wilderness, and went three days' journey in the wilderness of Etham, and camped in Marah. They traveled from Marah and came to Elim; in Elim there are twelve fountains of water and seventy palm trees, so they camped there. read more. They traveled from Elim, and camped by the Red Sea. They traveled from the Red Sea and camped in the wilderness of Zin. They traveled from the wilderness of Zin and camped in Dophkah. And they traveled from Dophkah, and camped in Alush. They traveled from Alush and camped at Rephidim, where there was no water for the people to drink. They traveled from Rephidim and camped in the wilderness of Sinai. They traveled from the desert of Sinai and camped at Kibroth Hattaavah.
They traveled from the desert of Sinai and camped at Kibroth Hattaavah. They traveled from Kibroth Hattaavah and camped at Hazeroth. read more. They traveled from Hazeroth and camped in Rithmah. They traveled from Rithmah and camped at Rimmon-perez. They traveled from Rimmon-perez and camped in Libnah. They traveled from Libnah and camped at Rissah. They traveled from Rissah and camped in Kehelathah. They traveled from Kehelathah and camped at Mount Shepher. They traveled from Mount Shepher and camped in Haradah. They traveled from Haradah and camped in Makheloth. They traveled from Makheloth and camped at Tahath. They traveled from Tahath and camped at Terah. They traveled from Terah and camped in Mithcah. They traveled from Mithcah and camped in Hashmonah. They traveled from Hashmonah and camped in Moseroth. They traveled from Moseroth and camped in Bene-jaakan. They traveled from Bene-jaakan and camped at Hor-haggidgad. They traveled from Hor-haggidgad and camped in Jotbathah. They traveled from Jotbathah and camped in Abronah. They traveled from Abronah and camped at Ezion-geber.
They traveled from Kadesh and camped in Mount Hor at the edge of the land of Edom. Aaron the priest ascended Mount Hor at the command of the Lord, and he died there in the fortieth year after the Israelites had come out of the land of Egypt on the first day of the fifth month.
They traveled from Mount Hor and camped in Zalmonah. They traveled from Zalmonah and camped in Punon. read more. They traveled from Punon and camped in Oboth. They traveled from Oboth and camped in Iye-abarim, on the border of Moab. They traveled from Iim and camped in Dibon-gad.
They traveled from Iim and camped in Dibon-gad. They traveled from Dibon-gad and camped in Almon-diblathaim. read more. They traveled from Almon-diblathaim and camped in the mountains of Abarim before Nebo. They traveled from the mountains of Abarim and camped in the plains of Moab by the Jordan River across from Jericho.
So we turned away from our relatives the descendants of Esau, the inhabitants of Seir, turning from the desert route, from Elat and Ezion Geber, and traveling the way of the Moab wastelands.
Now, get up and cross the Wadi Zered." So we did so. Now the length of time it took for us to go from Kadesh Barnea to the crossing of Wadi Zered was thirty-eight years, time for all the military men of that generation to die, just as the Lord had vowed to them.
Get up, make your way across Wadi Arnon. Look! I have already delivered over to you Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land. Go ahead! Take it! Engage him in war!
Moreover, you continued to provoke the Lord at Taberah, Massah, and Kibroth-Hattaavah.
"During those days the Israelites traveled from Beeroth Bene-Yaaqan to Moserah. There Aaron died and was buried, and his son Eleazar became priest in his place.
"During those days the Israelites traveled from Beeroth Bene-Yaaqan to Moserah. There Aaron died and was buried, and his son Eleazar became priest in his place. From there they traveled to Gudgodah, and from Gudgodah to Jotbathah, a place of flowing streams.
For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed 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 were all drinking from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ. But God was not pleased with most of them, for they were cut down in the wilderness. These things happened as examples for us, so that we will not crave evil things as they did. So do not be idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play." And let us not be immoral, as some of them were, and twenty-three thousand died in a single day. And let us not put Christ to the test, as some of them did, and were destroyed by snakes. And do not complain, as some of them did, and were killed by the destroying angel. These things happened to them as examples and were written for our instruction, on whom the ends of the ages have come. So let the one who thinks he is standing be careful that he does not fall. No trial has overtaken you that is not faced by others. And God is faithful: He will not let you be tried beyond what you are able to bear, but with the trial will also provide a way out so that you may be able to endure it. So then, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.