Wanderings of the Israelites

Narrator: Chris Genthree
 •  8 min. read  •  grade level: 8
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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 (Num. 32:1313And the Lord's anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, that had done evil in the sight of the Lord, was consumed. (Numbers 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.
Travelers have visited the districts along which the Israelites are supposed to have traveled, 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 Exodus 12:3838And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very much cattle. (Exodus 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. 17:88Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. (Exodus 17:8); Ex. 34:33And no man shall come up with thee, neither let any man be seen throughout all the mount; neither let the flocks nor herds feed before that mount. (Exodus 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 traveler 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.
It is therefore useless and unbelieving to draw conclusions from the present aspect of the land through which the Israelites traveled. 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
Exodus 1. Rameses (Ex. 12:3737And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot that were men, beside children. (Exodus 12:37)). 2. Succoth (Ex. 12:3737And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot that were men, beside children. (Exodus 12:37)). 3. Etham (Ex. 13:2020And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness. (Exodus 13:20)). 4. Pi-hahiroth (Ex. 14:22Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baal-zephon: before it shall ye encamp by the sea. (Exodus 14:2)). 5. Passage through the Red Sea (Ex. 14:2222And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left. (Exodus 14:22)), and three days’ march into the desert of Shur (Ex. 15:2222So 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. (Exodus 15:22)).Numbers 1. Rameses (Num. 33:33And they departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the morrow after the passover the children of Israel went out with an high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians. (Numbers 33:3)). 2. Succoth (Num. 33:55And the children of Israel removed from Rameses, and pitched in Succoth. (Numbers 33:5)). 3. Etham (Num. 33:66And they departed from Succoth, and pitched in Etham, which is in the edge of the wilderness. (Numbers 33:6)). 4. Pi-hahiroth (Num. 33:77And they removed from Etham, and turned again unto Pi-hahiroth, which is before Baal-zephon: and they pitched before Migdol. (Numbers 33:7)). 5. Passage through the Red Sea and three days’ march in the desert of Etham (Num. 33:88And they departed from before Pi-hahiroth, and passed through the midst of the sea into the wilderness, and went three days' journey in the wilderness of Etham, and pitched in Marah. (Numbers 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 Furst 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, as in the map. The wilderness of Sin, Mount Sinai, and Horeb are in the main identified. The stations are
Exodus 1. Marah (Ex. 15:2323And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah. (Exodus 15:23)). 2. Elim (Ex. 15:2727And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters. (Exodus 15:27)). 3. 4. Desert of Sin (Ex. 16:11And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt. (Exodus 16:1)). 5. 6. 7. Rephidim (Ex. 17:11And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the Lord, and pitched in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drink. (Exodus 17:1)). 8. Desert of Sinai (Ex. 19:11In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai. (Exodus 19:1)), in the third month of the first year.Numbers 1. Marah (Num. 33:88And they departed from before Pi-hahiroth, and passed through the midst of the sea into the wilderness, and went three days' journey in the wilderness of Etham, and pitched in Marah. (Numbers 33:8)). 2. Elim (Num. 33:99And they removed from Marah, and came unto Elim: and in Elim were twelve fountains of water, and threescore and ten palm trees; and they pitched there. (Numbers 33:9)). 3. Encampment by the Red Sea (Num. 33:1010And they removed from Elim, and encamped by the Red sea. (Numbers 33:10)). 4. Desert of Sin (Num. 33:1111And they removed from the Red sea, and encamped in the wilderness of Sin. (Numbers 33:11)). 5. Dophkah (Num. 33:1212And they took their journey out of the wilderness of Sin, and encamped in Dophkah. (Numbers 33:12)). 6. Alush (Num. 33:1313And they departed from Dophkah, and encamped in Alush. (Numbers 33:13)). 7. Rephidim (Num. 33:1414And they removed from Alush, and encamped at Rephidim, where was no water for the people to drink. (Numbers 33:14)). 8. Desert of Sinai (Num. 33:1515And they departed from Rephidim, and pitched in the wilderness of Sinai. (Numbers 33:15)).
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.
Numbers 11-13 1. Taberah (Num. 11:33And he called the name of the place Taberah: because the fire of the Lord burnt among them. (Numbers 11:3); Deut. 9:2222And at Taberah, and at Massah, and at Kibroth-hattaavah, ye provoked the Lord to wrath. (Deuteronomy 9:22)). 2. Kibroth-hattaavah (Num. 11:3434And he called the name of that place Kibroth-hattaavah: because there they buried the people that lusted. (Numbers 11:34)). 3. Hazeroth (Num. 11:3535And the people journeyed from Kibroth-hattaavah unto Hazeroth; and abode at Hazeroth. (Numbers 11:35)). 4. Kadesh in the wilderness of Paran (Num. 12:1616And afterward the people removed from Hazeroth, and pitched in the wilderness of Paran. (Numbers 12:16); Num. 13:1-261And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 2Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them. 3And Moses by the commandment of the Lord sent them from the wilderness of Paran: all those men were heads of the children of Israel. 4And these were their names: of the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur. 5Of the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori. 6Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh. 7Of the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph. 8Of the tribe of Ephraim, Oshea the son of Nun. 9Of the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Raphu. 10Of the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi. 11Of the tribe of Joseph, namely, of the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi. 12Of the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son of Gemalli. 13Of the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael. 14Of the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi the son of Vophsi. 15Of the tribe of Gad, Geuel the son of Machi. 16These are the names of the men which Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses called Oshea the son of Nun Jehoshua. 17And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, Get you up this way southward, and go up into the mountain: 18And see the land, what it is; and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many; 19And what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad; and what cities they be that they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strong holds; 20And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the firstripe grapes. 21So they went up, and searched the land from the wilderness of Zin unto Rehob, as men come to Hamath. 22And they ascended by the south, and came unto Hebron; where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of Anak, were. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) 23And they came unto the brook of Eshcol, and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it between two upon a staff; and they brought of the pomegranates, and of the figs. 24The place was called the brook Eshcol, because of the cluster of grapes which the children of Israel cut down from thence. 25And they returned from searching of the land after forty days. 26And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. (Numbers 13:1‑26)).Numbers 33 1. 2. Kibroth-hattaavah (Num. 33:1616And they removed from the desert of Sinai, and pitched at Kibroth-hattaavah. (Numbers 33:16)). 3. Hazeroth (Num. 33:1717And they departed from Kibroth-hattaavah, and encamped at Hazeroth. (Numbers 33:17)). 4. Rithmah (Num. 33:1818And they departed from Hazeroth, and pitched in Rithmah. (Numbers 33:18)).
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 (Num. 11:4, 31-344And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? (Numbers 11:4)
31And there went forth a wind from the Lord, and brought quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, as it were a day's journey on this side, and as it were a day's journey on the other side, round about the camp, and as it were two cubits high upon the face of the earth. 32And the people stood up all that day, and all that night, and all the next day, and they gathered the quails: he that gathered least gathered ten homers: and they spread them all abroad for themselves round about the camp. 33And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord smote the people with a very great plague. 34And he called the name of that place Kibroth-hattaavah: because there they buried the people that lusted. (Numbers 11:31‑34)). At Hazeroth Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses, and Miriam was smitten with leprosy (Num. 12:1010And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous. (Numbers 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 Numbers 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 (Num. 14:33-4533And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness. 34After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise. 35I the Lord have said, I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation, that are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die. 36And the men, which Moses sent to search the land, who returned, and made all the congregation to murmur against him, by bringing up a slander upon the land, 37Even those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land, died by the plague before the Lord. 38But Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of the men that went to search the land, lived still. 39And Moses told these sayings unto all the children of Israel: and the people mourned greatly. 40And they rose up early in the morning, and gat them up into the top of the mountain, saying, Lo, we be here, and will go up unto the place which the Lord hath promised: for we have sinned. 41And Moses said, Wherefore now do ye transgress the commandment of the Lord? but it shall not prosper. 42Go not up, for the Lord is not among you; that ye be not smitten before your enemies. 43For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and ye shall fall by the sword: because ye are turned away from the Lord, therefore the Lord will not be with you. 44But they presumed to go up unto the hill top: nevertheless the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and Moses, departed not out of the camp. 45Then the Amalekites came down, and the Canaanites which dwelt in that hill, and smote them, and discomfited them, even unto Hormah. (Numbers 14:33‑45)). Then followed the rebellion of Korah (Num. 16).
Apparently the Israelites spent about thirty-seven years in traveling 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 Numbers 20:22-2922And the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, journeyed from Kadesh, and came unto mount Hor. 23And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in mount Hor, by the coast of the land of Edom, saying, 24Aaron shall be gathered unto his people: for he shall not enter into the land which I have given unto the children of Israel, because ye rebelled against my word at the water of Meribah. 25Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up unto mount Hor: 26And strip Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son: and Aaron shall be gathered unto his people, and shall die there. 27And Moses did as the Lord commanded: and they went up into mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation. 28And 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 mount. 29And when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, they mourned for Aaron thirty days, even all the house of Israel. (Numbers 20:22‑29) with Deuteronomy 10:66And the children of Israel took their journey from Beeroth of the children of Jaakan to Mosera: there Aaron died, and there he was buried; and Eleazar his son ministered in the priest's office in his stead. (Deuteronomy 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 recognized place to which they traveled 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 (Num. 33:19-3019And they departed from Rithmah, and pitched at Rimmon-parez. 20And they departed from Rimmon-parez, and pitched in Libnah. 21And they removed from Libnah, and pitched at Rissah. 22And they journeyed from Rissah, and pitched in Kehelathah. 23And they went from Kehelathah, and pitched in mount Shapher. 24And they removed from mount Shapher, and encamped in Haradah. 25And they removed from Haradah, and pitched in Makheloth. 26And they removed from Makheloth, and encamped at Tahath. 27And they departed from Tahath, and pitched at Tarah. 28And they removed from Tarah, and pitched in Mithcah. 29And they went from Mithcah, and pitched in Hashmonah. 30And they departed from Hashmonah, and encamped at Moseroth. (Numbers 33:19‑30)).
From Ezion-gaber they turned and traveled 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 (Num. 20:1-131Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in the first month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there. 2And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. 3And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the Lord! 4And why have ye brought up the congregation of the Lord into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there? 5And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place? it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink. 6And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell upon their faces: and the glory of the Lord appeared unto them. 7And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 8Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink. 9And Moses took the rod from before the Lord, as he commanded him. 10And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock? 11And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also. 12And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them. 13This is the water of Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with the Lord, and he was sanctified in them. (Numbers 20:1‑13)).
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 (Deut. 10:77From thence they journeyed unto Gudgodah; and from Gudgodah to Jotbath, a land of rivers of waters. (Deuteronomy 10:7)), in the route—(Num. 20:14-2114And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh unto the king of Edom, Thus saith thy brother Israel, Thou knowest all the travail that hath befallen us: 15How our fathers went down into Egypt, and we have dwelt in Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians vexed us, and our fathers: 16And when we cried unto the Lord, he heard our voice, and sent an angel, and hath brought us forth out of Egypt: and, behold, we are in Kadesh, a city in the uttermost of thy border: 17Let us pass, I pray thee, through thy country: we will not pass through the fields, or through the vineyards, neither will we drink of the water of the wells: we will go by the king's high way, we will not turn to the right hand nor to the left, until we have passed thy borders. 18And Edom said unto him, Thou shalt not pass by me, lest I come out against thee with the sword. 19And the children of Israel said unto him, We will go by the high way: and if I and my cattle drink of thy water, then I will pay for it: I will only, without doing any thing else, go through on my feet. 20And he said, Thou shalt not go through. And Edom came out against him with much people, and with a strong hand. 21Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border: wherefore Israel turned away from him. (Numbers 20:14‑21); Num. 21:44And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way. (Numbers 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.
Numbers 21-22 1. From Mount Hor by the way of the Red Sea (Num. 21:44And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way. (Numbers 21:4)). 2. 3. 4. Oboth (Num. 21:1010And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in Oboth. (Numbers 21:10)). 5. Ije-abarim (Num. 21:1111And they journeyed from Oboth, and pitched at Ije-abarim, in the wilderness which is before Moab, toward the sunrising. (Numbers 21:11)). 6. The Brook Zared (Num. 21:1212From thence they removed, and pitched in the valley of Zared. (Numbers 21:12); Deut. 2:13-1413Now rise up, said I, and get you over the brook Zered. And we went over the brook Zered. 14And the space in which we came from Kadesh-barnea, until we were come over the brook Zered, was thirty and eight years; until all the generation of the men of war were wasted out from among the host, as the Lord sware unto them. (Deuteronomy 2:13‑14)). 7. The Brook Arnon (Num. 21:1313From thence they removed, and pitched on the other side of Arnon, which is in the wilderness that cometh out of the coasts of the Amorites: for Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites. (Numbers 21:13); Deut. 2:2424Rise ye up, take your journey, and pass over the river Arnon: behold, I have given into thine hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land: begin to possess it, and contend with him in battle. (Deuteronomy 2:24)). 8. 9. 10. Beer, in the desert (Num. 21:16, 1816And from thence they went to Beer: that is the well whereof the Lord spake unto Moses, Gather the people together, and I will give them water. (Numbers 21:16)
18The princes digged the well, the nobles of the people digged it, by the direction of the lawgiver, with their staves. And from the wilderness they went to Mattanah: (Numbers 21:18)). 11. Mattanah (Num. 21:1818The princes digged the well, the nobles of the people digged it, by the direction of the lawgiver, with their staves. And from the wilderness they went to Mattanah: (Numbers 21:18)). 12. Nahaliel (Num. 21:1919And from Mattanah to Nahaliel: and from Nahaliel to Bamoth: (Numbers 21:19)). 13. Bamoth (Num. 21:1919And from Mattanah to Nahaliel: and from Nahaliel to Bamoth: (Numbers 21:19)). 14. Pisgah (Num. 21:2020And from Bamoth in the valley, that is in the country of Moab, to the top of Pisgah, which looketh toward Jeshimon. (Numbers 21:20) on Abarim). 15. Plains of Moab, by Jordan, near Jericho (Num. 22:11And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho. (Numbers 22:1)). Numbers 33 1. By Elath and Ezion-gaber (Deut. 2:88And when we passed by from our brethren the children of Esau, which dwelt in Seir, through the way of the plain from Elath, and from Ezion-gaber, we turned and passed by the way of the wilderness of Moab. (Deuteronomy 2:8)). 2. Zalmonah (Num. 33:4141And they departed from mount Hor, and pitched in Zalmonah. (Numbers 33:41)). 3. Punon (Num. 33:4242And they departed from Zalmonah, and pitched in Punon. (Numbers 33:42)). 4. Oboth (Num. 33:4343And they departed from Punon, and pitched in Oboth. (Numbers 33:43)). 5. Ije-abarim, or Iim (Num. 33:44-4544And they departed from Oboth, and pitched in Ije-abarim, in the border of Moab. 45And they departed from Iim, and pitched in Dibon-gad. (Numbers 33:44‑45)). 6. 7. 8. Dibon-gad (Num. 33:4545And they departed from Iim, and pitched in Dibon-gad. (Numbers 33:45)). 9. Almon-diblathaim (Num. 33:4646And they removed from Dibon-gad, and encamped in Almon-diblathaim. (Numbers 33:46)). 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. Mountains of Abarim, before Nebo (Num. 33:4747And they removed from Almon-diblathaim, and pitched in the mountains of Abarim, before Nebo. (Numbers 33:47)). 15. Plains of Moab, by Jordan, near Jericho (Num. 33:4848And they departed from the mountains of Abarim, and pitched in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho. (Numbers 33:48)).
The many failings and murmurings of the Israelites are recorded in scripture, and stand as solemn warnings to the Christian, as we see in 1 Corinthians 10:1-141Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 2And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3And did all eat the same spiritual meat; 4And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. 5But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. 6Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. 7Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. 8Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. 9Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. 10Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. 11Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. 12Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. 13There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 14Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry. (1 Corinthians 10:1‑14). For the typical signification of the journey of the Israelites see under WILDERNESS.