Numbers — Chapter 33
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1These are the journeys of the Israelites when they came out of the land of Egypt by their divisions under the leadership of Moses and Aaron.
2At the LORD’s command, Moses recorded the stages of their journey. These are the stages listed by their starting points:
3On the fifteenth day of the first month, on the day after the Passover, the Israelites set out from Rameses. They marched out defiantly in full view of all the Egyptians,
4who were burying all their firstborn, whom the LORD had struck down among them; for the LORD had executed judgment against their gods.
5The Israelites set out from Rameses and camped at Succoth.
6They set out from Succoth and camped at Etham, on the edge of the wilderness.
7They set out from Etham and turned back to Pi-hahiroth, opposite Baal-zephon, and they camped near Migdol.
8They set out from Pi-hahiroth and crossed through the sea, into the wilderness, and they journeyed three days into the Wilderness of Etham and camped at Marah.
9They set out from Marah and came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there.
10They set out from Elim and camped by the Red Sea.
11They set out from the Red Sea and camped in the Desert of Sin.
12They set out from the Desert of Sin and camped at Dophkah.
13They set out from Dophkah and camped at Alush.
14They set out from Alush and camped at Rephidim, where there was no water for the people to drink.
15They set out from Rephidim and camped in the Wilderness of Sinai.
16They set out from the Wilderness of Sinai and camped at Kibroth-hattaavah.
17They set out from Kibroth-hattaavah and camped at Hazeroth.
18They set out from Hazeroth and camped at Rithmah.
19They set out from Rithmah and camped at Rimmon-perez.
20They set out from Rimmon-perez and camped at Libnah.
21They set out from Libnah and camped at Rissah.
22They set out from Rissah and camped at Kehelathah.
23They set out from Kehelathah and camped at Mount Shepher.
24They set out from Mount Shepher and camped at Haradah.
25They set out from Haradah and camped at Makheloth.
26They set out from Makheloth and camped at Tahath.
27They set out from Tahath and camped at Terah.
28They set out from Terah and camped at Mithkah.
29They set out from Mithkah and camped at Hashmonah.
30They set out from Hashmonah and camped at Moseroth.
31They set out from Moseroth and camped at Bene-jaakan.
32They set out from Bene-jaakan and camped at Hor-haggidgad.
33They set out from Hor-haggidgad and camped at Jotbathah.
34They set out from Jotbathah and camped at Abronah.
35They set out from Abronah and camped at Ezion-geber.
36They set out from Ezion-geber and camped at Kadesh in the Wilderness of Zin.
37They set out from Kadesh and camped at Mount Hor, on the outskirts of the land of Edom.
38At the LORD’s command, Aaron the priest climbed Mount Hor and died there on the first day of the fifth month, in the fortieth year after the Israelites had come out of the land of Egypt.
39Aaron was 123 years old when he died on Mount Hor.
40Now the Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the Negev in the land of Canaan, heard that the Israelites were coming.
41And the Israelites set out from Mount Hor and camped at Zalmonah.
42They set out from Zalmonah and camped at Punon.
43They set out from Punon and camped at Oboth.
44They set out from Oboth and camped at Iye-abarim on the border of Moab.
45They set out from Iyim and camped at Dibon-gad.
46They set out from Dibon-gad and camped at Almon-diblathaim.
47They set out from Almon-diblathaim and camped in the mountains of Abarim facing Nebo.
48They set out from the mountains of Abarim and camped on the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho.
49And there on the plains of Moab they camped by the Jordan, from Beth-jeshimoth to Abel-shittim.
50On the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho, the LORD said to Moses,
51“Speak to the Israelites and tell them: When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan,
52you must drive out before you all the inhabitants of the land, destroy all their carved images and cast idols, and demolish all their high places.
53You are to take possession of the land and settle in it, for I have given you the land to possess.
54And you are to divide the land by lot according to your clans. Give a larger inheritance to a larger clan and a smaller inheritance to a smaller one. Whatever falls to each one by lot will be his. You will receive an inheritance according to the tribes of your fathers.
55But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land before you, those you allow to remain will become barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides; they will harass you in the land where you settle.
56And then I will do to you what I had planned to do to them.”
1These are the journeys of the children of Israel, which went forth out of the land of Egypt with their armies under the hand of Moses and Aaron.
2And Moses wrote their goings out according to their journeys by the commandment of the LORD: and these are their journeys according to their goings out.
3And 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.
4For the Egyptians buried all their firstborn, which the LORD had smitten among them: upon their gods also the LORD executed judgments.
5And the children of Israel removed from Rameses, and pitched in Succoth.
6And they departed from Succoth, and pitched in Etham, which is in the edge of the wilderness.
7And they removed from Etham, and turned again unto Pi-hahiroth, which is before Baal-zephon: and they pitched before Migdol.
8And 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.
9And 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.
10And they removed from Elim, and encamped by the Red sea.
11And they removed from the Red sea, and encamped in the wilderness of Sin.
12And they took their journey out of the wilderness of Sin, and encamped in Dophkah.
13And they departed from Dophkah, and encamped in Alush.
14And they removed from Alush, and encamped at Rephidim, where was no water for the people to drink.
15And they departed from Rephidim, and pitched in the wilderness of Sinai.
16And they removed from the desert of Sinai, and pitched at Kibroth-hattaavah.
17And they departed from Kibroth-hattaavah, and encamped at Hazeroth.
18And they departed from Hazeroth, and pitched in Rithmah.
19And 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.
31And they departed from Moseroth, and pitched in Bene-jaakan.
32And they removed from Bene-jaakan, and encamped at Hor-hagidgad.
33And they went from Hor-hagidgad, and pitched in Jotbathah.
34And they removed from Jotbathah, and encamped at Ebronah.
35And they departed from Ebronah, and encamped at Ezion-gaber.
36And they removed from Ezion-gaber, and pitched in the wilderness of Zin, which is Kadesh.
37And they removed from Kadesh, and pitched in mount Hor, in the edge of the land of Edom.
38And Aaron the priest went up into mount Hor at the commandment of the LORD, and died there, in the fortieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the first day of the fifth month.
39And Aaron was an hundred and twenty and three years old when he died in mount Hor.
40And king Arad the Canaanite, which dwelt in the south in the land of Canaan, heard of the coming of the children of Israel.
41And they departed from mount Hor, and pitched in Zalmonah.
42And they departed from Zalmonah, and pitched in Punon.
43And they departed from Punon, and pitched in Oboth.
44And they departed from Oboth, and pitched in Ije-abarim, in the border of Moab.
45And they departed from Iim, and pitched in Dibon-gad.
46And they removed from Dibon-gad, and encamped in Almon-diblathaim.
47And they removed from Almon-diblathaim, and pitched in the mountains of Abarim, before Nebo.
48And they departed from the mountains of Abarim, and pitched in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho.
49And they pitched by Jordan, from Beth-jesimoth even unto Abel-shittim in the plains of Moab.
50And the LORD spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying,
51Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye are passed over Jordan into the land of Canaan;
52Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their pictures, and destroy all their molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places:
53And ye shall dispossess the inhabitants of the land, and dwell therein: for I have given you the land to possess it.
54And ye shall divide the land by lot for an inheritance among your families: and to the more ye shall give the more inheritance, and to the fewer ye shall give the less inheritance: every man’s inheritance shall be in the place where his lot falleth; according to the tribes of your fathers ye shall inherit.
55But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell.
56Moreover it shall come to pass, that I shall do unto you, as I thought to do unto them.
1These are the journeys of the children of Israel, when they went forth out of the land of Egypt by their hosts under the hand of Moses and Aaron.
2And Moses wrote their goings out according to their journeys by the commandment of Jehovah: and these are their journeys according to their goings out.
3And they journeyed 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 a high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians,
4while the Egyptians were burying all their first-born, whom Jehovah had smitten among them: upon their gods also Jehovah executed judgments.
5And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses, and encamped in Succoth.
6And they journeyed from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, which is in the edge of the wilderness.
7And they journeyed from Etham, and turned back unto Pihahiroth, which is before Baal-zephon: and they encamped before Migdol.
8And they journeyed from before Hahiroth, and passed through the midst of the sea into the wilderness: and they went three days` journey in the wilderness of Etham, and encamped in Marah.
9And they journeyed from Marah, and came unto Elim: and in Elim were twelve springs of water, and threescore and ten palm-trees; and they encamped there.
10And they journeyed from Elim, and encamped by the Red Sea.
11And they journeyed from the Red Sea, and encamped in the wilderness of Sin.
12And they journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, and encamped in Dophkah.
13And they journeyed from Dophkah, and encamped in Alush.
14And they journeyed from Alush, and encamped in Rephidim, where was no water for the people to drink.
15And they journeyed from Rephidim, and encamped in the wilderness of Sinai.
16And they journeyed from the wilderness of Sinai, and encamped in Kibroth-hattaavah.
17And they journeyed from Kibroth-hattaavah, and encamped in Hazeroth.
18And they journeyed from Hazeroth, and encamped in Rithmah.
19And they journeyed from Rithmah, and encamped in Rimmon-perez.
20And they journeyed from Rimmon-perez, and encamped in Libnah.
21And they journeyed from Libnah, and encamped in Rissah.
22And they journeyed from Rissah, and encamped in Kehelathah.
23And they journeyed from Kehelathah, and encamped in mount Shepher.
24And they journeyed from mount Shepher, and encamped in Haradah.
25And they journeyed from Haradah, and encamped in Makheloth.
26And they journeyed from Makheloth, and encamped in Tahath.
27And they journeyed from Tahath, and encamped in Terah.
28And they journeyed from Terah, and encamped in Mithkah.
29And they journeyed from Mithkah, and encamped in Hashmonah.
30And they journeyed from Hashmonah, and encamped in Moseroth.
31And they journeyed from Moseroth, and encamped in Bene-jaakan.
32And they journeyed from Bene-jaakan, and encamped in Hor-haggidgad.
33And they journeyed from Hor-haggidgad, and encamped in Jotbathah.
34And they journeyed from Jotbathah, and encamped in Abronah.
35And they journeyed from Abronah, and encamped in Ezion-geber.
36And they journeyed from Ezion-geber, and encamped in the wilderness of Zin (the same is Kadesh).
37And they journeyed from Kadesh, and encamped in mount Hor, in the edge of the land of Edom.
38And Aaron the priest went up into mount Hor at the commandment of Jehovah, and died there, in the fortieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fifth month, on the first day of the month.
39And Aaron was a hundred and twenty and three years old when he died in mount Hor.
40And the Canaanite, the king of Arad, who dwelt in the South in the land of Canaan, heard of the coming of the children of Israel.
41And they journeyed from mount Hor, and encamped in Zalmonah.
42And they journeyed from Zalmonah, and encamped in Punon.
43And they journeyed from Punon, and encamped in Oboth.
44And they journeyed from Oboth, and encamped in Iye-abarim, in the border of Moab.
45And they journeyed from Iyim, and encamped in Dibon-gad.
46And they journeyed from Dibon-gad, and encamped in Almon-diblathaim.
47And they journeyed from Almon-diblathaim, and encamped in the mountains of Abarim, before Nebo.
48And they journeyed from the mountains of Abarim, and encamped in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.
49And they encamped by the Jordan, from Beth-jeshimoth even unto Abel-shittim in the plains of Moab.
50And Jehovah spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying,
51Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye pass over the Jordan into the land of Canaan,
52then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their figured [stones], and destroy all their molten images, and demolish all their high places:
53and ye shall take possession of the land, and dwell therein; for unto you have I given the land to possess it.
54And ye shall inherit the land by lot according to your families; to the more ye shall give the more inheritance, and to the fewer thou shalt give the less inheritance: wheresoever the lot falleth to any man, that shall be his; according to the tribes of your fathers shall ye inherit.
55But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then shall those that ye let remain of them be as pricks in your eyes, and as thorns in your sides, and they shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell.
56And it shall come to pass, that, as I thought to do unto them, so will I do unto you.
1These are the journeys of the Israelites, who went out of the land of Egypt by their divisions under the authority of Moses and Aaron.
2Moses recorded their departures according to their journeys, by the commandment of the Lord; now these are their journeys according to their departures.
3They 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.
4Now the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn, whom the Lord had killed among them; the Lord also executed judgments on their gods.
5The Israelites traveled from Rameses and camped in Sukkoth.
6They traveled from Sukkoth, and camped in Etham, which is on the edge of the desert.
7They traveled from Etham, and turned again to Pi Hahiroth, which is before Baal Zephon; and they camped before Migdal.
8They 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.
9They traveled from Marah and came to Elim; in Elim there are twelve fountains of water and seventy palm trees, so they camped there.
10They traveled from Elim, and camped by the Red Sea.
11They traveled from the Red Sea and camped in the wilderness of Sin.
12They traveled from the wilderness of Sin and camped in Dophkah.
13And they traveled from Dophkah, and camped in Alush.
14They traveled from Alush and camped at Rephidim, where there was no water for the people to drink.
15They traveled from Rephidim and camped in the desert of Sinai.
16They traveled from the desert of Sinai and camped at Kibroth Hattaavah.
17They traveled from Kibroth Hattaavah and camped at Hazeroth.
18They traveled from Hazeroth and camped in Rithmah.
19They traveled from Rithmah and camped at Rimmon Perez.
20They traveled from Rimmon Perez and camped in Libnah.
21They traveled from Libnah and camped at Rissah.
22They traveled from Rissah and camped in Kehelathah.
23They traveled from Kehelathah and camped at Mount Shepher.
24They traveled from Mount Shepher and camped in Haradah.
25They traveled from Haradah and camped in Makheloth.
26They traveled from Makheloth and camped at Tahath.
27They traveled from Tahath and camped at Terah.
28They traveled from Terah and camped in Mithcah.
29They traveled from Mithcah and camped in Hashmonah.
30They traveled from Hashmonah and camped in Moseroth.
31They traveled from Moseroth and camped in Bene Jaakan.
32They traveled from Bene Jaakan and camped at Hor Haggidgad.
33They traveled from Hor Haggidgad and camped in Jotbathah.
34They traveled from Jotbathah and camped in Abronah.
35They traveled from Abronah and camped at Ezion Geber.
36They traveled from Ezion Geber and camped in the wilderness of Zin, that is, Kadesh.
37They traveled from Kadesh and camped at Mount Hor at the edge of the land of Edom.
38Aaron 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.
39Now Aaron was 123 years old when he died on Mount Hor.
40The king of Arad, the Canaanite king who lived in the south of the land of Canaan, heard about the approach of the Israelites.
41They traveled from Mount Hor and camped in Zalmonah.
42They traveled from Zalmonah and camped in Punon.
43They traveled from Punon and camped in Oboth.
44They traveled from Oboth and camped in Iye Abarim, on the border of Moab.
45They traveled from Iim and camped in Dibon Gad.
46They traveled from Dibon Gad and camped in Almon Diblathaim.
47They traveled from Almon Diblathaim and camped in the mountains of Abarim before Nebo.
48They traveled from the mountains of Abarim and camped in the rift valley plains by Moab along the Jordan River across from Jericho.
49They camped by the Jordan, from Beth Jeshimoth as far as Abel Shittim in the rift valley plains of Moab.
50The Lord spoke to Moses in the rift valley plains of Moab along the Jordan, across from Jericho. He said:
51“Speak to the Israelites and tell them, ‘When you have crossed the Jordan into the land of Canaan,
52you must drive out all the inhabitants of the land before you. Destroy all their carved images, all their molten images, and demolish their high places.
53You must dispossess the inhabitants of the land and live in it, for I have given you the land to possess it.
54You must divide the land by lot for an inheritance among your families. To a larger group you must give a larger inheritance, and to a smaller group you must give a smaller inheritance. Everyone’s inheritance must be in the place where his lot falls. You must inherit according to your ancestral tribes.
55But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land before you, then those whom you allow to remain will be irritants in your eyes and thorns in your side, and will cause you trouble in the land where you will be living.
56And what I intended to do to them I will do to you.’”
1These are the journeys of the children of Israel, when they went out of the land of Egypt by their armies under the hand of Moses and Aaron.
2Moses wrote their goings out according to their journeys by the commandment of Yahweh. These are their journeys according to their goings out.
3They traveled from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the next day after the Passover, the children of Israel went out with a high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians,
4while the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn, whom Yahweh had struck among them. Yahweh also executed judgments on their gods.
5The children of Israel traveled from Rameses, and encamped in Succoth.
6They traveled from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, which is in the edge of the wilderness.
7They traveled from Etham, and turned back to Pihahiroth, which is before Baal Zephon: and they encamped before Migdol.
8They traveled from before Hahiroth, and crossed through the middle of the sea into the wilderness. They went three days’ journey in the wilderness of Etham, and encamped in Marah.
9They traveled from Marah, and came to Elim. In Elim, there were twelve springs of water, and seventy palm trees; and they encamped there.
10They traveled from Elim, and encamped by the Red Sea.
11They traveled from the Red Sea, and encamped in the wilderness of Sin.
12They traveled from the wilderness of Sin, and encamped in Dophkah.
13They traveled from Dophkah, and encamped in Alush.
14They traveled from Alush, and encamped in Rephidim, where there was no water for the people to drink.
15They traveled from Rephidim, and encamped in the wilderness of Sinai.
16They traveled from the wilderness of Sinai, and encamped in Kibroth Hattaavah.
17They traveled from Kibroth Hattaavah, and encamped in Hazeroth.
18They traveled from Hazeroth, and encamped in Rithmah.
19They traveled from Rithmah, and encamped in Rimmon Perez.
20They traveled from Rimmon Perez, and encamped in Libnah.
21They traveled from Libnah, and encamped in Rissah.
22They traveled from Rissah, and encamped in Kehelathah.
23They traveled from Kehelathah, and encamped in Mount Shepher.
24They traveled from Mount Shepher, and encamped in Haradah.
25They traveled from Haradah, and encamped in Makheloth.
26They traveled from Makheloth, and encamped in Tahath.
27They traveled from Tahath, and encamped in Terah.
28They traveled from Terah, and encamped in Mithkah.
29They traveled from Mithkah, and encamped in Hashmonah.
30They traveled from Hashmonah, and encamped in Moseroth.
31They traveled from Moseroth, and encamped in Bene Jaakan.
32They traveled from Bene Jaakan, and encamped in Hor Haggidgad.
33They traveled from Hor Haggidgad, and encamped in Jotbathah.
34They traveled from Jotbathah, and encamped in Abronah.
35They traveled from Abronah, and encamped in Ezion Geber.
36They traveled from Ezion Geber, and encamped at Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.
37They traveled from Kadesh, and encamped in Mount Hor, in the edge of the land of Edom.
38Aaron the priest went up into Mount Hor at the commandment of Yahweh, and died there, in the fortieth year after the children of Israel had come out of the land of Egypt, in the fifth month, on the first day of the month.
39Aaron was one hundred twenty-three years old when he died in Mount Hor.
40The Canaanite, the king of Arad, who lived in the South in the land of Canaan, heard of the coming of the children of Israel.
41They traveled from Mount Hor, and encamped in Zalmonah.
42They traveled from Zalmonah, and encamped in Punon.
43They traveled from Punon, and encamped in Oboth.
44They traveled from Oboth, and encamped in Iye Abarim, in the border of Moab.
45They traveled from Iyim, and encamped in Dibon Gad.
46They traveled from Dibon Gad, and encamped in Almon Diblathaim.
47They traveled from Almon Diblathaim, and encamped in the mountains of Abarim, before Nebo.
48They traveled from the mountains of Abarim, and encamped in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.
49They encamped by the Jordan, from Beth Jeshimoth even to Abel Shittim in the plains of Moab.
50Yahweh spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying,
51Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, “When you pass over the Jordan into the land of Canaan,
52then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, destroy all their stone idols, destroy all their molten images, and demolish all their high places.
53You shall take possession of the land, and dwell therein; for I have given the land to you to possess it.
54You shall inherit the land by lot according to your families; to the more you shall give the more inheritance, and to the fewer you shall give the less inheritance. Wherever the lot falls to any man, that shall be his. You shall inherit according to the tribes of your fathers.
55“But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those you let remain of them will be as pricks in your eyes and as thorns in your sides, and they will harass you in the land in which you dwell.
56It shall happen that as I thought to do to them, so will I do to you.”
Summary
This chapter records the full itinerary of Israel's journey, listing by name the roughly forty-two stopping points from their departure out of Egypt to their arrival on the plains of Moab by the Jordan (vv. 1-49). Written down at the Lord's command, the list traces four decades of wilderness wandering and includes brief notes such as the death of Aaron on Mount Hor in the fortieth year (vv. 2, 38-39). As Israel nears the land, God commands them to drive out all the inhabitants of Canaan, destroy their idols and high places, and take possession of the land by lot according to tribe and family size (vv. 50-54). God warns that if they fail to remove the Canaanites, those who remain will become like irritants and troubles to them, and Israel will suffer the same judgment intended for the land's former inhabitants (vv. 55-56).
Authorship & Background
Map & Geography
- A complete travel log from Raamses (Egypt) to the plains of Moab — 42 campsites listed (vv.5-49).
- Key stops: Raamses → Succoth → Etham → Pi-hahiroth (Red Sea) → Marah → Elim → Wilderness of Sin → Rephidim → Sinai → Hazeroth → Kadesh → Mount Hor → Plains of Moab.
- "Ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land" (v.52): The command for Canaan.
Places on this map
- EgyptEgyptA ribbon of irrigated land along the Nile, ending in the Delta where Israel settled in Goshen. Rain-fed Canaan depended on weather; Egypt depended on a river that flooded on schedule, which made it the place everyone went when the harvest failed. Wikipedia
- Moabwest-central JordanThe plateau east of the Dead Sea, cut off from Israel by the rift valley and from Ammon by the Arnon gorge. High enough to farm grain, which is why Naomi's family went there in a famine. Wikipedia
- Red SeaEgypt, Sudan, Saudi ArabiaThe Hebrew yam suph, sea of reeds, covers the Red Sea proper and its two northern arms, the Gulf of Suez and the Gulf of Aqaba, along with the marshy lakes between. Which of them Israel crossed is debated; the northern route is the usual reconstruction. Wikipedia
- Mount SinaiJebel Musa, Sinai Peninsula, EgyptTraditionally Jebel Musa in the granite mountains of the southern Sinai peninsula, about 7,500 feet high. The identification dates from Christian monastic tradition rather than from the text, and other candidates have been proposed, but this has been the pilgrimage site since the fourth century. Wikipedia
- CanaanIsrael, West Bank, LebanonThe land bridge between Egypt and Mesopotamia, which is why armies crossed it for three thousand years. Within about 60 miles it goes from coastal plain to hill country to rift valley to desert plateau, so control of it was always local and piecemeal. Wikipedia
- RamesesQantir, EgyptA Delta royal city usually identified with Qantir, one of the two store cities Israel built and the starting point of the exodus. Wikipedia
- SuccothDeir Alla, JordanIn the Jordan valley near the mouth of the Jabbok, where Jacob stopped after Peniel and where Solomon's bronze was cast. Wikipedia
- Kadesh-barneaAin el-Qudeirat, Egypt/Israel borderThe largest spring in the northern Sinai, about 50 miles south of Beersheba. Israel camped here, sent the spies north from here, and was turned back here to spend a generation in the wilderness. Wikipedia
Towns sit on their excavated or traditional site. Regions, rivers and seas are ringed rather than dotted, because for those a single point is only an anchor. Coastlines from Natural Earth.
Commentary
- Enduring Word (David Guzik): enduringword.com Guzik emphasizes that God commanded this record because He values the journey, not just the destination. Every camp — even the unnamed, uneventful ones — was under God's care. He also stresses the severity of vv.55-56: incomplete obedience is not partial success but guaranteed future failure.
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown (1871): blueletterbible.org A critical and explanatory commentary on the whole Bible, more concise than Matthew Henry and closer to the Hebrew and Greek, with attention to historical and geographical detail. Public domain.
- Matthew Henry's Exposition (1710): blueletterbible.org A devotional verse-by-verse commentary in the Puritan tradition, still among the most widely read three centuries on. Public domain.
Videos
Articles
- BibleProject: bibleproject.com On the whole book: what the census lists and wilderness years are doing in Scripture.
- GotQuestions.org: gotquestions.org On the whole book: an overview of the book of Numbers -- who wrote it, when, why, and how it fits the rest of Scripture.
Links open on the publisher's own site. Nothing here is reproduced on this page.
Reflection
- Every Stage of the Journey Remembered (v.2) — God commands that every campsite of the journey be recorded, showing He values the whole journey, not just its dramatic highlights. Do you recognize God's faithfulness in the uneventful, ordinary stretches of your life, or only in the dramatic ones?
- God's Supremacy Over Every Rival (v.4) — The exodus from Egypt is described as judgment against Egypt's gods, making it a declaration of God's supremacy, not merely Israel's freedom. What does your own deliverance from past struggles declare about who God is?
- Years That Leave Little to Record (vv.16-36) — The thirty-eight years of wilderness wandering are compressed into a bare list of unfamiliar names, with almost nothing else recorded. What would the record of your own wasted seasons show, and are you changing course now?
- No Compromise With What Must Be Removed (v.52) — God commands Israel to drive out every inhabitant of the land, allowing no partial obedience or coexistence with what is harmful. What have you allowed to remain in your life that God has clearly called you to remove entirely?
- What You Tolerate Will Torment You (v.55) — God warns that whatever they fail to remove will become a constant source of pain and trouble later. Is there a compromise you're excusing today that is likely to become tomorrow's deepest struggle?