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                  and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.    John 1:1-2

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The Exodus:

Journey One

Journey Two

Journey Three




Back to Exodus Maps
Journey 2 - Mount Sinai to Kadesh-Barnea

1-2 Unnamed camps

3 Taberah - Means "Burning"

The Israelites traveled north from Mount Sinai for three days and called their third encampment "Taberah" because of what happened there. Once again the Israelites started complaining and God's anger was kindled. He sent a burning fire among them and destroyed many all through the camp. When Moses prayed the fire was quenched.
"And when the people complained, it displeased the Lord: and the Lord heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the Lord burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp. And the people cried unto Moses; and when Moses prayed unto the Lord, the fire was quenched." Num. 11:1-2
Somewhere between Taberah and Haveroth the Israelites passed by the bottom of Mount Seir (Mount Seir was actually a mountain range, not just a single mountain). This fulfilled the scripture that said,
"(There are eleven days' journey from Horeb ( Mt. Sinai ) by way of mount Seir unto Kadesh-barnea.)" Deut. 1:2
This is another fact that in my opinion puts the traditional route in error. They do not pass mount Seir on the way to Kadesh-Barnea.
From Mount Sinai in Saudi Arabia to Kadesh-Barnea is around 110 miles, an average of about eleven miles per day. This is a feasible amount of time to cover the distance. They would have been slower through the mountainous areas and faster through the open plains areas.

4 Kibrothhattaavah - Means "Graves of Lust"

Not having learned their lesson, the Israelites started complaining again. They were tired of eating manna and wanted fresh meat to eat. Once again the anger of the Lord was kindled. Moses also was displeased. Finally, the Lord summoned Moses with a message for the people.
"Sanctify yourselves against tomorrow, and ye shall eat flesh: for ye have wept in the ears of the Lord, saying, Who shall give us flesh to eat? For it was well with us in Egypt: therefore the Lord will give you flesh, and ye shall eat. Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days; But even a whole month, until it comes out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome to you; because that ye have despised the Lord which is among you..." Number 11:18-20
God sent them quails from the sea...
"...and brought them 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. And the people stood up all that day, and all that night, and all the next day, and they gathered the quails...and 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." Nu. 11:31-33
Many Israelites died and were buried there because of their lust. They did not travel again until the month was up.

5 Hazeroth - Means "spring of the inclosure"

While here Aaron and Miriam spake against Moses because he had married an Ethiopian woman. The anger of the Lord was kindled against them...
"Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth..."
"...And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them; and he departed. And 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."
"...Moses cried unto the Lord, saying, Heal her now, O God, I beseech thee..."
And God said, "...let her be shut out from the camp seven days, and after that let her be received again." Numbers 12
The people did not travel for seven days until Miriam was healed and brought back into the camp.

6 Wilderness of Paran - Unnamed camp

The first business they did after arriving here was to send out twelve spies, one from every tribe, to go into Canaan and spy out the land and figure the best way to capture it. The spies left and were gone for 40 days. They went as far north as Rehob on the road to Hamath, which was also part of the promised land.
On the way back, at the brook of Eshcol, they cut down one very large custer of grapes to bring back to show Moses and the people. They also brought back other fruits to show the bountifulness of the land.
"...the Lord sent them from the wilderness of Paran...so they went up and searched the land...and they returned from searching the land after forty days." Nu. 14:3-25
"So they went up, and searched the land from the wilderness of Zin unto Rehob, as men come to Hamath." Ex.13:21

7-10 Unnamed camps between the "Wilderness of Paran" camp and Kadesh-Barnea

After the spies left for Canaan the Israelites continued on their journey until they came to Kadesh-Barnea. When the spies returned forty days later from their journey, they found the Israelites encamped at Kadesh-Barnea.
"And 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 (Kadesh-Barnea) ...and brought back word unto them..." Num. 13:26

11 Kadesh-Barnea - Means "Holy place of the desert wandering"

The trip to Kadesh-Barnea was eleven days. However, only four of their encampments are mentioned by name. Obviously, the other days were uneventful for camps were usually named according to current events on the day of travel or after their arrival at the camp.
According to many known scholars Kadesh was a region rather than an exact spot, so I have placed both a region and a city on my map. Kadesh-Barnea was a "city." Part of Kadesh, near mount Hor, at Moseroth, was very close to the border of Edom. Kadesh-Barnea itself was on the western side of Kadesh, not even close to the border of Edom. In turn Kadesh was part of the Wilderness of Zin and it seems they, in turn, were also part of the Wilderness of Paran in some instances.
Kadesh-Barnea possibly became their main headquarters for the next 38 years. They would have wandered all over the region, including the Aqaba, taking care of their flocks.
Upon the return of the spies they reported seeing Amalekites dwelling in the land of the south (in Canaan) and the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites dwelling in the mountains. By the coast were the Canaanites. Also, they saw children of Anak there who were men of great stature—giants. They also showed them the grapes that they had found there at the brook of Eschol.
"And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them...nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there." Num. 13:26-28
The reports filled the people with fear. Ten of the spies advised against going in and taking the land. Joshua and Caleb recommended going for it. The people refused to fight and God's anger kindled against them.
...Tomorrow turn you, and get you into the wilderness by the way of the Red Sea...and your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness." Num. 14:25
Joseph and Caleb would be the only adults allowed to go into Canaan when the time came. Everyone else twenty years or older would perish in the wilderness before the Israelites would be allowed into Canaan. In forty years the children would be old enough to defeat the enemies.
Hoping to change God's mind the in matter, the Hebrews decided to go up into the land and fight the Amalekites and the Canaanites as God had originally asked them to do. However, God told them it was too late, that they were not to go into battle and, if they did, He would not go with them. They went anyway and suffered a terrible defeat "...even unto Hormah." Hormah was 45 miles NW of Mount Hor on the main road between Petra and Hebron. Moses and the Ark of the Covenant had stayed in camp.
Once they were back in camp the Lord spake unto Moses and gave him various instructions to give to the people regarding offerings.

Korah, Dathan and Abiram

Two hundred and fifty of the Levite priests, headed by Korah, Dathan and Abiram, were jealous of Moses and decided to do things their own way. They gathered themselves together against Moses. Moses asked God what to do. Following his instructions, Moses did as God commanded.
"...and they took every man his censer, and put fire in them, and laid incense thereon, and stood in the door of the tabernacle of the congregation with Moses and Aaron." Num. 16:17
God's anger was greatly kindled against them and wanted to destroy all the congregation. God told Moses and Aaron to step aside so he could destroy them all. Moses and Aaron pleaded for the life of the congregation and God heeded them.
God ordered Korah, Dathan and Abiram to go stand in front of their tents with all their family members, which they did. Then God meted out judgment.
"...the ground clave asunder that was under them: And the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation... And there came out a fire from the Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense." Read Num. 16 for the full story.
All the people fled away from the area in terror. However, the very next day the people murmured against Moses and Aaron again, saying
"...Ye have killed the people of the Lord." Num. 16:41
Again God ordered Moses and Aaron to separate themselves from the people so he could destroy them. Once more Moses and Aaron pled for their lives and God heeded. However, God sent a plague amongst them.
Moses and Aaron put on incense and made an atonement for the people and the plague was stayed. Fourteen thousand and seven hundred died, beside them that died about the matter of Korah.
God decided it was time to show the people once and for all that Aaron was the chosen one to act as mediator between himself and the people.
God ordered one lead man from every tribe to bring their rod, with their name written upon it, and give them to Moses. Aaron also gave him his rod.
"And Moses laid up the rods before the Lord in the tabernacle of witness. And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds." Num. 17:7-8
None of the other rods had budded. God put the Levites in charge of all the affairs related to the Tabernacle in the Wilderness with Aaron as High Priest. At this time God gives many rules and ordinances relating to sacrifices and offerings. For the full story read Numbers 17-19.

12 Rithmah - Means "Broomy," referring to the white desert broom

Finally, the Israelites realized God meant what he had said and they headed into the wilderness by the way of the Red Sea. Rithmah was the first encampment.

13 Rimmon Perez - Means "Cloven height"

14 Libnah - Means "A white chalky place"

15 Rissah - Means "Dewey"

16 Kehelathah - Means "Gathering"

17 Mt. Shapher - Means "The shining hill"

Mt. Shapher is 60 miles from Hazeroth and is 55 miles SW from Mt. Hor. Many of the encampments were just that and we do not know exactly where they are to be located. However, the meaning of their names sometimes gives a clue to the type of area where they were. By knowing the location of a few of them, we know approximately where the rest of them are by averaging the distance between the known stations and the number of encampments listed in between.

18 Haradah - Means "Fearful," referring to a mountain

19 Makheloth - Means "Gatherings"

20 Tahath - Possibly means "Below," marking the descent into a wadi.

21 Tarah - Means "Delay," referring to rest in better pastures

22 Mithcah - Means "Sweetness" of pasture or of water

23 Hashmonah - Means "Fatness"

24 Moseroth - Probably means "The boundaries," near Mt. Hor

The mountain where Aaron dies is near Mt. Hor. These last seven camps agree well with a journey through a rugged region of white limestone and yellow sandstone, followed by a descent into the pastoral valley of a furtile wadi.
There was a well here at Moseroth and at the next three encampments as well. It is possible that the Israelites wandered between these four wells many times over their 38 years in the region and not necessarily in the same order.

25 Benejaakan - Means "Children of Jaakan"

26 Horhagidgad - Means "Hills of Thunder"

27 Jobathah - Means "Land of brooks and water"

28 Ebronah - Means "The crossing"

They probably crossed to the slopes on the west side and then turned south at this point to Ezion-gaber.

29 Ezion-gaber

Ezion-gaber is located at Ain-Ghudian at the top of the Gulf of Aqaba. From Ezion-gaber they gradually returned to Kadesh-Barnea.

30 Kadesh- Barnea - Means "Holy place of the desert wandering"

The people were abiding in Kadesh-Barnea at this time. Miriam died and was buried here.
The Israelites ran out of water and, as usual, complained to Moses and Aaron. God told Moses to take his rod and speak unto the rock before the children of Israel. Moses was angry with the people. Moses took his rod but, instead of speaking to the rock as God had commanded him to, he hit it with his rod twice, thus disobeying God's command. Water came forth for the people, but God was displeased with Moses.
"And 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. This is the water of Meribah..." Numbers 20:12-13
The time for wandering in the wilderness was over and God was ready to move the people on to Canaan.
Kadesh (the region) was near the border of Edom and the easiest route to Canaan was north through the lands belonging to Edom. God had forbidden Moses to harm either Edom or Moab, so Moses sent messengers to the King of Edom, requesting permission for the Israelites to pass through his land on the way to Canaan. He promised to stay on the king's highway and would not allow his people to disturb the crops and homes of the Edomites.
However, Edom's king refused them passage through Edom.
"And 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 anything else, go through on my feet. And he said, Thou shalt not go through. And Edom came out against him with much people and a strong hand. Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border: wherefore Israel turned away from him." Numbers 20:19-21
Kadesh-Barnea seemed to be a very important spot to the Israelites. The Israelites needed many miles of land to rotate the grazing grounds for their flocks as they were now a nomadic tribe. This second journey may have been repeated many times during the 38 years they remained in this area and not necessarily in the same order. It is also possible that only the shepherds and their flocks wandered around for thirty-eight years while the rest stayed at Kadesh-Barnea.
This ends the second journey.
Journey 3


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