Numbers 33:16-37

B. SINAI TO MT. HOR vv. 16-37
TEXT

Numbers 33:16. And they removed from the desert of Sinai, and pitched at Kebroth-hattaavah; 17. And they departed from Kibroth-hattaavah, and encamped at Hazeroth. 18. And they departed from Hazeroth, and pitched in Rithmah. 19. And they departed from Rithmah, and pitched at Rimmon-parez. 20. And they departed from Rimmon-parez, and pitched in Libnah. 21. And they removed from Libnah, and pitched at Rissah. 22. And they journeyed from Rissah, and pitched in Kehelathah. 23. And they went from Kehelathah, and pitched in mount Shapher. 24. And they removed from mount Shapher, and encamped in Haradah. 25. And they removed from Haradah, and pitched in Makheloth. 26. And they removed from Makheloth, and encamped at Tahath. 27. and departed from Tahath and pitched at Tarah. 28. And they removed from Tarah, and pitched in Mithcah. 29. And they went from Mithcah, and pitched in Hashmonah. 30. And they departed from Hashmonah, and encamped at Moseroth. 31. And they departed from Moseroth and pitched in Bene-jaakan. 32. And they removed from Bene-jaakan, and encamped at Hor-hagidgad. 33. And they went from Hor-hagidgad, and pitched in Jotbathah. 34. And they removed from Jotbathah, and encamped at Ebronah. 35. And they departed from Ebronah, and encamped at Ezion-gaber. 36. And they removed from Ezion-gaber, and pitched in the wilderness of Zin, which is Kadesh. 37. And they removed from Kadesh, and pitched in mount Hor, in the edge of the land of Edom.

PARAPHRASE

Numbers 33:16. And they journeyed from the wilderness of Sinai and camped at Kibroth-hattaavah. 17. And they journeyed from Kibroth-hattaavah, and camped at Hazeroth. 18. And they journeyed from Hazeroth and camped at Rithmah. 19. And they journeyed from Rithmah and camped at Rimmon-perez. 19. And they journeyed from Rimmon-perez and camped at Libnah. 21. And they journeyed from Libnah and camped at Rissah. 22. And they journeyed from Rissah and camped at Kehelathah. 23. And they journeyed from Kehelathah and camped at Mount Shepher. 24. And they journeyed from Mount Shepher and camped at Haradah. 25. And they journeyed from Haradah and camped at Makheloth. 26. And they journeyed from Makheloth and camped at Tahath. 27. And they journeyed from Tahath and camped at Terah. 28. And they journeyed from Terah and camped at Mithkah. 29. And they journeyed from Mithkah and camped at Hashmonah. 30. And they journeyed from Hashmonah and camped at Moseroth. 31. And they journeyed from Moseroth and camped at Bene-jaakan. 32. And they journeyed from Bene-jaakan and camped at Hor-haggidgad. 33. And they journeyed from Hor-haggidgad and camped at Jotbathah. 34. And they journeyed from Jotbathah and camped at Abronah. 35. And they journeyed from Abronah and camped at Ezion-geber. 36. And they journeyed from Ezion-geber and camped in the wilderness of Zin, that is, Kadesh. 37. And they journeyed from Kadesh and camped at Mount Hor, at the edge of the land of Edom.

COMMENTARY

Of all the place-names in this section, thirteen are not given anywhere else in the Old Testament. It is impossible to say whether or not Gray is correct in assigning these places to the total area wandering, as well as that between Sinai and Kadesh (see p. 296, IB). In this event, there would have been no attempt to mention the places chronologically, but simply as a composite list from the final two portions of the total journey from Egypt to Canaan. The list is, indeed, longer than necessary for the brief trip from Sinai to Kadesh; and the list covering the final 38½ years if proportionately much too small. Either Moses has listed every point at which the people encamped during the second leg, but has scantily summarized the third; or the stops in the one period were very brief, while in the other they were prolonged.

QUESTIONS AND RESEARCH ITEMS

605.

Why are so many of the places mentioned here not to be found anywhere else in the Old Testament?

606.

What alternative is there to accepting Moses-' arrangement of the place names in chronological order? What evidences would seem to indicate this arrangement by geography rather than chronology?