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Map of the Route of the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt

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Map of the Route of the Hebrews from Egypt

This map shows the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt to the Promised Land under the leadership of Moses.

The Nile Delta was a triangular area of marshland about 150 miles from north to south, from Memphis to the Mediterranean, and about 150 - 200 miles wide.

Upper Egypt was a bit further south from Lower Egypt, starting at Memphis (bottom of the Nile Delta Triangle) and extended for about 600 miles down the Nile River Valley to Elephantine (Aswan).

Genesis 47:6 - The land of Egypt [is] before thee; in the best of the land make thy father and brethren to dwell; in the land of Goshen let them dwell: and if thou knowest [any] men of activity among them, then make them rulers over my cattle.

Hosea 9:6 - For, lo, they are gone because of destruction: Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them: the pleasant [places] for their silver, nettles shall possess them: thorns [shall be] in their tabernacles.

Exodus 14:1-2 - And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baalzephon: before it shall ye encamp by the sea.

Exodus 14:21-22 - And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. And 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.

Egypt in the Bible Encyclopedia - ISBE Egypt 1. The Basis of the Land: Though Egypt is one of the earliest countries in recorded history, and as regards its continuous civilization, yet it is a late country in its geological history and in its occupation by a settled population. The whole land up to Silsileh is a thick mass of Eocene limestone, with later marls over that in the lower districts. It has been elevated on the East, up to the mountains of igneous rocks many thousand feet high toward the Red Sea. It has been depressed on the West, down to the Fayum and the oases below sea-level. This strain resulted in a deep fault from North to South for some hundreds of miles up from the Mediterranean. This fault left its eastern side about 200 ft. above its western, and into it the drainage of the plateau poured, widening it out so as to form the Nile valley, as the permanent drain of Northeast Africa. The access of water to the rift seems to have caused the basalt outflows, which are seen as black columnar basalt South of the Fayum, and brown massive basalt at Khankah, North of Cairo. 2. The Nile Valley: The gouging out of the Nile valley by rainfall must have continued when the land was 300 ft. higher than at present, as is shown by the immense fails of strata into collapsed caverns which were far below the present Nile level. Then, after the excavations of the valley, it has been submerged to 500 ft. lower than at present, as is shown by the rolled gravel beds and deposits on the tops of the water-worn cliffs, and the filling up of the tributary valleys--as at Thebes--by deep deposits, through which the subsequent stream beds have been scoured out. The land still had the Nile source 30 ft. higher than it is now within the human period, as seen by the worked flints in high gravel beds above the Nile plain. The distribution of land and water was very different from that at present when the land was only 100 ft. lower than now. Such a change would make the valley an estuary up to South of the Fayum, would submerge much of the western desert, and would unite the Gulf of Suez and the Mediterranean. Such differences would entirely alter the conditions of animal life by sea and land. And as the human period began when the water was considerably higher, the conditions of climate and of life must have greatly changed in the earlier ages of man's occupation. Full Article

Egypt in Smith's Bible Dictionary

Egypt (land of the Copts), a country occupying the northeast angle of Africa. Its limits appear always to have been very nearly the same. It is bounded on the north by the Mediterranean Sea, on the east by Palestine, Arabia and the Red Sea, on the south by Nubia, and on the west by the Great Desert. It is divided into upper Egypt --the valley of the Nile --and lower Egypt, the plain of the Delta, from the Greek letter; it is formed by the branching mouths of the Nile, and the Mediterranean Sea. The portions made fertile by the Nile comprise about 9582 square geographical miles, of which only about 5600 is under cultivation. --Encyc. Brit. The Delta extends about 200 miles along the Mediterranean, and Egypt is 520 miles long from north to south from the sea to the First Cataract. NAMES. --The common name of Egypt in the Bible is "Mizraim." It is in the dual number, which indicates the two natural divisions of the country into an upper and a lower region. The Arabic name of Egypt --Mizr-- signifies "red mud." Egypt is also called in the Bible "the land of Ham," Ps 105:23,27 comp. Psal 78:51 --a name most probably referring to Ham the son of Noah --and "Rahab," the proud or insolent: these appear to be poetical appellations. The common ancient Egyptian name of the country is written in hieroglyphics Kem, which was perhaps pronounced Chem. This name signifies, in the ancient language and in Coptic, "black," on account of the blackness of its alluvial soil. We may reasonably conjecture that Kem is the Egyptian equivalent of Ham. GENERAL APPEARANCE, CLIMATE, ETC. --The general appearance of the country cannot have greatly changed since the days of Moses. The whole country is remarkable for its extreme fertility, which especially strikes the beholder when the rich green of the fields is contrasted with the utterly bare, yellow mountains or the sand-strewn rocky desert on either side. The climate is equable and healthy. Rain is not very unfrequent on the northern coast, but inland is very rare. Cultivation nowhere depends upon it. The inundation of the Nile fertilizes and sustains the country, and makes the river its chief blessing. The Nile was on this account anciently worshipped. The rise begins in Egypt about the summer solstice, and the inundation commences about two months later. The greatest height is attained about or somewhat after the autumnal equinox. The inundation lasts about three months. The atmosphere, except on the seacoast, is remarkably dry and clear, which accounts for the so perfect preservation of the monuments, with their pictures and inscriptions. The heat is extreme during a large part of the year. The winters are mild, --from 50 Full Article

The Exodus in Smith's Bible Dictionary

Exodus, The of the Israelites from Egypt. the common chronology places the date of this event at B.C. 1491, deriving it in this way: --In 1Ki 6:1 it is stated that the building of the temple, in the forth year of Solomon, was in the 480th year after the exodus. The fourth year of Solomon was bout B.C. 1012. Add the 480 years (leaving off one years because neither the fourth nor the 480th was a full year), and we have B.C. 1491 as the date of the exodus. This is probably very nearly correct; but many Egyptologists place it at 215 years later, --about B.C. 1300. Which date is right depends chiefly on the interpretation of the Scripture period of 430 years, as denoting the duration of the bondage of the Israelites. The period of bondage given in Ge 15:13,14; Ex 12:40,41 and Gala 3:17 as 430 years has been interpreted to cover different periods. The common chronology makes it extend from the call of Abraham to the exodus, one-half of it, or 215 years, being spend in Egypt. Others make it to cover only the period of bondage spend in Egypt. St. Paul says in Ga 3:17 that from the covenant with (or call of) Abraham the giving of the law (less than a year after the exodus) was 430 years. But in Ge 15:13,14 it is said that they should be strangers in a strange land,a nd be afflicted 400 years, and nearly the same is said in Ex 12:40 But, in very truth, the children of Israel were strangers in a strange land from the time that Abraham left his home for the promised land, and during that whole period of 430 years to the exodus they were nowhere rulers in the land. So in Ex 12:40 it is said that the sojourning of the children of Israel who dwelt in Egypt was 430 years. But it does not say that the sojourning was all in Egypt, but this people who lived in Egypt had been sojourners for 430 years. (a) This is the simplest way of making the various statements harmonize. (b) The chief difficulty is the great increase of the children of Israel from 70 to 2,000,000 in so short a period as 215 years, while it is very easy in 430 years. But under the circumstances it is perfectly possible in the shorter period. See on ver. 7 (c) If we make the 430 years to include only the bondage in Egypt, we must place the whole chronology of Abraham and the immigration of Jacob into Egypt some 200 years earlier, or else the exodus 200 years later, or B.C. 1300. in either case special difficulty is brought into the reckoning. (d) Therefore, on the whole, it is well to retain the common chronology, though the later dates may yet prove to be correct. The history of the exodus itself commences with the close of that of the ten plagues. [PLAGUES, THE TEN] In the night in which, at midnight, the firstborn were slain, Ex 12:29 Pharaoh urged the departure of the Israelites. vs. Ex 12:31,32 They at once set forth from Rameses, vs. Ex 12:37,39 apparently during the night v. Ex 12:42 but towards morning on the 15th day of the first month. Nu 33:3 They made three journeys, and encamped by the Red Sea. Here Pharaoh overtook them, and the great miracle occurred by which they were saved, while the pursuer and his army were destroyed. [RED SEA, PASSAGE OF] Full Article

The Red Sea in Smith's Bible Dictionary

The Passage of the Red Sea It is necessary to endeavor to ascertain the route of the Israelites before we can attempt to discover where they crossed the sea. The point from which they started was Rameses, a place certain in the land of Goshen, which we identified with the Wadi-t-Tumeylat. They encamped at Succoth. At the end of the second day's journey the camping place was at Etham, "in the edge of the wilderness." Ex 13:20; Nu 33:6 Here the Wadi-t-Tumeylat was probably left, as it is cultivable and terminates in the desert. At the end of the third day's march for each camping place seems to mark the close of a day's journey the Israelites encamped by the sea, place of this last encampment and that of the passage would be not very far from the Persepolitan monument at Pihahiroth. It appears that Migdol was behind Pi-hahiroth and on the other hand Baalzephon and the sea. From Pi-hahiroth the Israelites crossed the sea. This was not far from halfway between the Bitter Lakes and the Gulf of Suez, where now it is dry land. The Muslims suppose Memphis to have been the city at which the Pharaoh of the exodus resided before that event occurred. From opposite Memphis a broad valley leads to the Red Sea. It is in part called the Wadi-t-Teeh, or "Valley of the Wandering." From it the traveller reaches the sea beneath the lofty Gebel-et-Takah, which rises in the north and shuts off all escape in that direction excepting by a narrow way along the seashore, which Pharaoh might have occupied. The sea here is broad and deep, as the narrative is generally held to imply. All the local features seem suited for a great event. The only points bearing on geography in the account of this event are that the sea was divided by an east wind. Whence we may reasonably infer that it was crossed from west to east, and that the whole Egyptian army perished, which shows that it must have been some miles broad. Full Article

The Bible Mentions "Egypt" Many Times

Exodus 34:18 - The feast of unleavened bread shalt thou keep. Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, as I commanded thee, in the time of the month Abib: for in the month Abib thou camest out from Egypt . Genesis 46:7 - His sons, and his sons' sons with him, his daughters, and his sons' daughters, and all his seed brought he with him into Egypt . Jeremiah 2:18 - And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt , to drink the waters of Sihor? or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river? Jeremiah 44:14 - So that none of the remnant of Judah, which are gone into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, shall escape or remain, that they should return into the land of Judah, to the which they have a desire to return to dwell there: for none shall return but such as shall escape. Isaiah 19:22 - And the LORD shall smite Egypt : he shall smite and heal [it]: and they shall return [even] to the LORD, and he shall be intreated of them, and shall heal them. 2 Kings 17:4 - And the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea: for he had sent messengers to So king of Egypt , and brought no present to the king of Assyria, as [he had done] year by year: therefore the king of Assyria shut him up, and bound him in prison. Exodus 23:15 - Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt : and none shall appear before me empty:) Exodus 10:13 - And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt , and the LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all [that] night; [and] when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts. Exodus 9:25 - And the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt all that [was] in the field, both man and beast; and the hail smote every herb of the field, and brake every tree of the field. Jeremiah 44:30 - Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will give Pharaohhophra king of Egypt into the hand of his enemies, and into the hand of them that seek his life; as I gave Zedekiah king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, his enemy, and that sought his life. Ezekiel 20:5 - And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day when I chose Israel, and lifted up mine hand unto the seed of the house of Jacob, and made myself known unto them in the land of Egypt , when I lifted up mine hand unto them, saying, I [am] the LORD your God; Numbers 11:18 - And say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow, 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. 1 Kings 8:16 - Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt , I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build an house, that my name might be therein; but I chose David to be over my people Israel. Joshua 5:6 - For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people [that were] men of war, which came out of Egypt , were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: unto whom the LORD sware that he would not shew them the land, which the LORD sware unto their fathers that he would give us, a land that floweth with milk and honey. Jeremiah 43:11 - And when he cometh, he shall smite the land of Egypt , [and deliver] such [as are] for death to death; and such [as are] for captivity to captivity; and such [as are] for the sword to the sword. Genesis 47:6 - The land of Egypt [is] before thee; in the best of the land make thy father and brethren to dwell; in the land of Goshen let them dwell: and if thou knowest [any] men of activity among them, then make them rulers over my cattle. Ezekiel 29:12 - And I will make the land of Egypt desolate in the midst of the countries [that are] desolate, and her cities among the cities [that are] laid waste shall be desolate forty years: and I will scatter the Egypt ians among the nations, and will disperse them through the countries. Exodus 12:42 - It [is] a night to be much observed unto the LORD for bringing them out from the land of Egypt : this [is] that night of the LORD to be observed of all the children of Israel in their generations. Deuteronomy 16:1 - Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover unto the LORD thy God: for in the month of Abib the LORD thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night. Deuteronomy 17:16 - But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt , to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way. Joshua 24:4 - And I gave unto Isaac Jacob and Esau: and I gave unto Esau mount Seir, to possess it; but Jacob and his children went down into Egypt . Judges 6:8 - That the LORD sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, which said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt , and brought you forth out of the house of bondage; Genesis 41:36 - And that food shall be for store to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt ; that the land perish not through the famine. Deuteronomy 13:5 - And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn [you] away from the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt , and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the LORD thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee. Joshua 24:32 - And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt , buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver: and it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph. Joshua 5:5 - Now all the people that came out were circumcised: but all the people [that were] born in the wilderness by the way as they came forth out of Egypt , [them] they had not circumcised. Genesis 45:23 - And to his father he sent after this [manner]; ten asses laden with the good things of Egypt , and ten she asses laden with corn and bread and meat for his father by the way. Exodus 8:17 - And they did so; for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the earth, and it became lice in man, and in beast; all the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt . Ezekiel 30:6 - Thus saith the LORD; They also that uphold Egypt shall fall; and the pride of her power shall come down: from the tower of Syene shall they fall in it by the sword, saith the Lord GOD. 2 Chronicles 6:5 - Since the day that I brought forth my people out of the land of Egypt I chose no city among all the tribes of Israel to build an house in, that my name might be there; neither chose I any man to be a ruler over my people Israel:

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The Israelites’ Wandering: A Map of Their 40-Year Journey in the Wilderness

The story of the Israelites' wandering in the wilderness is one of the most well-known and powerful stories in the Bible. According to the Book of Exodus, after being led out of Egypt by Moses, the Israelites spent 40 years wandering in the wilderness before finally reaching the Promised Land. But have you ever wondered exactly where they traveled during this time? By using maps, we can trace their journey through the wilderness and gain a deeper understanding of this powerful story.

The journey of the Israelites began at the Red Sea, where they crossed on dry ground after God parted the waters. From there, they traveled south to the area of Marah, where they found bitter water that was made sweet by a miracle from God. They then continued eastward to the desert of Sin, where they were provided with manna from heaven and quail to eat.

The Israelites then traveled to Mount Sinai, where they received the Ten Commandments and other laws from God. After spending several months at Sinai, they continued their journey northward towards the Promised Land, but their progress was slowed by their disobedience and lack of faith in God.

The Israelites continued to wander in the wilderness for another 38 years, traveling back and forth across the desert and encountering many challenges and trials along the way. They fought battles against other nations, complained about their lack of food and water, and even rebelled against Moses and God on several occasions.

Finally, after 40 years of wandering, the Israelites reached the Promised Land, which was located on the eastern shores of the Jordan River. By using maps, we can see the locations of the places where they camped, the routes they took, and the challenges they faced during their journey.

In conclusion, a map of the Israelites' 40-year journey in the wilderness can help us to better understand this powerful story and the faith and perseverance of the Israelites. By tracing their journey, we can see the locations of the places where they camped and the routes they took, and gain a deeper appreciation for their struggles and ultimate triumph. So why not take a journey through the wilderness with the Israelites and discover the power of their story?

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The Exodus Route: Wilderness of Sinai (camp for 11 months, 5 days)

Note: for more specific details on the final camp at Sinai, see: Mt. Sinai

Discussion:

a.        Israel arrived at the final camp in front of Mt. Sinai in the Wilderness of Sinai on day 47 from Goshen: Ex 19:1

b.       Scripture never says Israel camped in the Wilderness of Sinai then journeyed to the  foot of Mt. Sinai .

c.        Instead scripture equates the wilderness of Sinai as being equal to the final camp  in front of Mt. Sinai .

d.       " In the third month after the sons of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that very day they came into the  wilderness of Sinai . When they set out from Rephidim, they came to the  wilderness of Sinai and camped in the wilderness; and there Israel camped in front of the mountain . " (Exodus 19:1–2)

e.       In the Numbers 33 itinerary, the Wilderness of Sinai was the final camp spot for 11 months at Mt. Sinai: " They journeyed from Rephidim and camped in the  wilderness of Sinai . [11 months, 5 days pass] They journeyed from the  wilderness of Sinai  and camped at Kibroth-hattaavah. " (Numbers 33:15–16)

f.         Moses saw the burning bush in the wilderness of Sinai. The burning bush probably marked the spot where Israel would camp several month later after Moses returns with the Hebrews. “After forty years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai , in the flame of a burning thorn bush." (Acts 7:30)

g.        The west side of the Wilderness of Sinai was at the foot of Mt. Horeb: "Now Moses was pasturing the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian; and he led the flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. The angel of the LORD appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not consumed." (Exodus 3:1–2)

h.       The 11-month camp at Mt. Sinai was identical to the camp in the Wilderness of Sin.

2.       Israel's Arrival in the Wilderness of Sinai ends the most important stage of the journey. They have escaped the slavery of Egypt, have come to God and are about to receive the Law of Moses on Pentecost in a spectacular display of divine power (Heb 12).

3.       They did not camp at the foot of Mt. Sinai, but about 10 km due east from the foot of the mountain.

a.        "let them be ready for the third day, for on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. You shall set bounds for the people all around, saying, 'Beware that you do not go up on the mountain or touch the border of it; whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death." Exodus 19:11-12

b.       Moses went into the wilderness of Sinai and the people journeyed to the foot of Mt. Sinai: "And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain." Exodus 19:17

c.        Even at the foot of the mountain they were still some distance from the edge of the mountain: "So the people stood at a distance, while Moses approached the thick cloud where God was. " Exodus 20:21

d.       All this leads us believe that the Hebrew camp in the wilderness of Sinai was likely 10 km due east from the foot of the mountain.

4.       Bible texts:

a.        "In the third month after the sons of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that very day they came into the wilderness of Sinai. When they set out from Rephidim, they came to the wilderness of Sinai and camped in the wilderness; and there Israel camped in front of the mountain." Exodus 19:1-2

b.       "They journeyed from Rephidim and camped in the wilderness of Sinai. They journeyed from the wilderness of Sinai and camped at Kibroth-hattaavah." Numbers 33:15-16

c.        "which the Lord commanded Moses at Mount Sinai in the day that He commanded the sons of Israel to present their offerings to the Lord in the wilderness of Sinai." Leviticus 7:38

d.       "Then the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tent of meeting, on the first of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying," Numbers 1:1

e.       "just as the Lord had commanded Moses. So he numbered them in the wilderness of Sinai." Numbers 1:19

f.         "But Nadab and Abihu died before the Lord when they offered strange fire before the Lord in the wilderness of Sinai; and they had no children. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests in the lifetime of their father Aaron." Numbers 3:4

g.        "Then the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying," Numbers 3:14

h.       " Thus the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying," Numbers 9:1

i.          "They observed the Passover in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, at twilight, in the wilderness of Sinai; according to all that the Lord had commanded Moses, so the sons of Israel did." Numbers 9:5

j.         "and the sons of Israel set out on their journeys from the wilderness of Sinai. Then the cloud settled down in the wilderness of Paran." Numbers 10:12

k.        "But among these there was not a man of those who were numbered by Moses and Aaron the priest, who numbered the sons of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai." Numbers 26:64

By Steve Rudd: Contact the author for comments, input or corrections .

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Through The Wilderness

The stage of journeying through the wilderness is an essential part of the transformation from slavery to freedom.

By Rabbi Irwin Kula

Commentary on Parashat Bamidbar , Numbers 1:1 - 4:20

Bamidbar represents an important stage in the journey of the people from slavery to freedom. The wilderness, far beyond its geographic or historic reality, enters the Jewish experience as a central metaphor for understanding who we are and what we must do.

By devoting an entire book to the wilderness experience, the Torah provides an important insight into the real achievement of freedom. Leaving Egypt in a moment of pure triumph is far easier than wrestling with the burdens of establishing a functioning community. Bamidbar shows us a people dealing with the mundane frustrations of gathering food, pitching tents, establishing new rules and customs, as well as defining its leadership.

Despite the problems and murmurings described in Bamidbar, this slave people raises a new generation of freeborn children. Here is a deeper understanding of the Exodus — the maturity of a people meeting the daily challenges of life in freedom with responsibility.

The true goal of the Exodus was to take Egypt out of the Israelites. The experience of the seemingly endless journey transformed a people — crushed, frightened, subservient and dependent — into a people with initiative, self-respect, anger at oppression and even militancy. The Israelites at the Jordan are a very different people from the one that left Egypt. They are ready to fight their own battles. They are a community committed to one another and to the covenant that binds them together.

Bamidbar reminds us that wherever we live, there is a better place, a world more attractive, a promised land, but the way to that land is through the wilderness. There is no way to get there except by joining together and marching day after day.

Reprinted with permission from CLAL: The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership .

Pronunced: TORE-uh, Origin: Hebrew, the Five Books of Moses.

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Wilderness wanderings: where is kadesh.

Kadesh in the Bible and on the ground

“I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh-Barnea to spy out the land; and I brought him an honest report.” —Joshua 14:7

According to the Bible, the Israelites stayed at a place called Kadesh following their Exodus from Egypt and wanderings through the desert. Kadesh—also called Kadesh-Barnea in some Biblical passages 1 —was where Moses’ sister Miriam died and was buried (Numbers 20:1) and from where Moses sent 12 men to spy out the Promised Land (Numbers 13:26).

KADESH IN THE BIBLE. In the Hebrew Bible, a place called Kadesh—also known as Kadesh-Barnea—was an important stop during the Israelites’ wilderness wanderings. Where is Kadesh? The site of Tell el-Qudeirat in the northeastern part of the Sinai Peninsula is considered to be the best candidate. Photo: Israel Antiquities Authority.

Where is Kadesh-Barnea? Investigations since the early 19th century have attempted to find the site. Tell el-Qudeirat, located in the valley of the Wadi el-Ein in the northeastern part of the Sinai Peninsula, is the best candidate for Biblical Kadesh-Barnea, according to scholarly consensus today.

Excavations conducted at Tell el-Qudeirat and its surroundings in 1914 by Leonard Woolley and T.E. Lawrence and between 1976 and 1982 by Rudolph Cohen have revealed the ruins of three Iron Age (Israelite) fortresses. However, the archaeologists uncovered no evidence dating before the 10th century B.C.E.—the time of King Solomon . There appears to be no evidence, therefore, that Tell el-Qudeirat was occupied during the time of Moses and the Biblical Exodus . 2 What do we make of this?

In “Kadesh-Barnea—In the Bible and on the Ground” in the September/October 2015 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review , David Ussishkin, Lily Singer-Avitz and Hershel Shanks explore the archaeological evidence uncovered at Tell el-Qudeirat. An analysis of the finds—especially the pottery—from the Iron Age ruins sheds new light on the identification of Tell el-Qudeirat with Kadesh in the Bible.

In the free eBook Ancient Israel in Egypt and the Exodus , top scholars discuss the historical Israelites in Egypt and archaeological evidence for and against the historicity of the Exodus.

Fragments of Qurayyah Painted Ware discovered at Tell el-Qudeirat suggest that there was a presence at the site—believed to be Biblical Kadesh-Barnea—during the time of Moses and the Biblical Exodus. Pictured is a restored Qurayyah jug from Timna, Israel. Photo: Eretz Israel Museum.

BAR coauthor Lily Singer-Avitz suggests that several finds discovered in the later strata, including Egyptian-style seals and seal impressions and local pottery sherds, should be associated with a Late Bronze Age–Early Iron I period presence at Tell el-Qudeirat. Particularly important are the sherds belonging to what is called Qurayyah Painted Ware found in different strata throughout the site. As Singer-Avitz argues:

The Qurayyah Painted Ware was in use during the latter part of the Late Bronze and the Iron I periods, from the 12th to the 11th centuries B.C.E., about the time of the Exodus from Egypt according to those who attribute some historicity to this central Biblical event.

Learn more about Qurayyah Painted Ware and its importance to the site of Tell el-Qudeirat— Kadesh in the Bible—by reading the full article “Kadesh-Barnea—In the Bible and on the Ground” by David Ussishkin, Lily Singer-Avitz and Hershel Shanks in the September/October 2015 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review .

—————— Subscribers: Read the full article “Kadesh-Barnea—In the Bible and on the Ground” by David Ussishkin, Lily Singer-Avitz and Hershel Shanks in the September/October 2015 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review .

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1. The name Kadesh-Barnea in Hebrew is qādeš barnēa‘ . The Hebrew root qdš means “holiness,” “separateness”; the meaning of the second word is not known. See Dale W. Manor, “Kadesh-Barnea,” in David Noel Freedman, ed., The Anchor Bible Dictionary , vol. 4 (New York: Doubleday, 1992), p. 1.

2. Rudolph Cohen, “Did I Excavate Kadesh-Barnea?” Biblical Archaeology Review , May/June 1981; Rudolph Cohen, “Qadesh-Barnea,” in Eric M. Meyers, ed., The Oxford Encyclopedia of Archaeology in the Near East , vol. 4 (Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press, 1997), pp. 365–367.

More on the Exodus in Bible History Daily :

Exodus in the Bible and the Egyptian Plagues

Who Was Moses? Was He More than an Exodus Hero?

Out of Egypt: Israel’s Exodus Between Text and Memory, History and Imagination

Searching for Biblical Mt. Sinai

This Bible History Daily feature was originally published on September 14, 2015.

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12 Responses

My equinox year hypothesis is based on the idea that before the Assyrian cultural dominance in the Levant (i.e. before 750 B.C.E.) the Israelites used a 6 month period as the year. Then the Exodus would be in the first part of the 11th century. It fits the chronology of the layer 4c (on page 41 in the article). The next question is, is there any evidence it was occupied by the Israelites? And the next question is, is there any evidence that they came from Egypt?

Almost everything the socalled experts tell us about archaeology is wrong when it comes to precise dating. Relative dating is pretty accurate. But they’ve sold us a bill of goods with the timeline.

The Mountain that Burned with Fire has been estalished as in Saudi Arabia. When Israel crossed the Red Sea, it was that part now called The gulf of Aqaba. To look for Kadesh Barnea in the so-called Sinai Peninsula seems to me to be a very bad diversion. If the current idea can be reached from Saudi Arabia it would seem possible, and would fit with another scripture. When Israel was finally to go into the land they had to go AROUND the land of Edom, indicating that they were to the west and south of it. Since Eilat became a major port for Solomon, it would add to the possibility.

http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1200002564#h=1:0-9:570

KADESH (Kaʹdesh) [Holy Place], Kadesh-barnea (Kaʹdesh-barʹne·a) [Holy Place of Barnea].

An Israelite wilderness encampment situated at the extremity of Edomite territory near “the way to Shur,” perhaps the modern Darb el-Shur extending from Hebron to Egypt. (Ge 16:7, 14; Nu 20:14-16 [Heb. ʽir (city) at Nu 20:16 may simply mean encampment; compare Nu 13:19.]) Apparently 11 days’ travel distance by way of Mount Seir separated Kadesh-barnea from Horeb.—De 1:2.

Kadesh is spoken of as being located in both the Wilderness of Paran and the Wilderness of Zin. Possibly Zin and Paran were adjoining wildernesses that met at Kadesh, and therefore, the site could be referred to as lying in either one. Or, the Wilderness of Zin may have been part of the larger Wilderness of Paran. (Nu 13:26; 20:1) In Abraham’s time the place was known both as En-mishpat and as Kadesh. (Ge 14:7; 20:1) It is perhaps the same site as Kedesh.—Jos 15:21, 23.

ʽAin Qedeis, about 80 km (50 mi) SSW of Beer-sheba, has been suggested as a possible identification for Kadesh. In the midst of a desolate wilderness (compare De 1:19), the pure and sweet water of the spring at Qedeis supports an oasis of grass, shrubs, and trees. There are also two other springs in the vicinity, ʽAin el-Qudeirat and ʽAin el-Qeseimeh. Today the largest of the three springs is ʽAin el-Qudeirat, and for this reason some favor identifying it with Kadesh-barnea. However, ʽAin Qedeis is the most easterly spring. Consequently, the identification of ʽAin Qedeis with Kadesh-barnea seems to be more in line with the description of the E-W course of Canaan’s southern boundary: Kadesh-barnea (ʽAin Qedeis?), Hazar-addar (ʽAin el-Qudeirat?), and Azmon (ʽAin el-Qeseimeh?).—Nu 34:3-5.

If the Israelites did encamp in this area, because of the vast multitude they doubtless used all three springs. For example, the encampment just before crossing the Jordan spread out “from Beth-jeshimoth to Abel-shittim.” (Nu 33:49) That was a distance of about 8 km (5 mi), according to the suggested sites for those places. The distance from Kadesh-barnea (ʽAin Qedeis) to Azmon (ʽAin el-Qeseimeh) is about 14 km (8.5 mi); and to Hazar-addar (ʽAin el-Qudeirat) is 9 km (5.5 mi). So, for them to have used all three springs is not an unreasonable possibility. It is also possible that the whole area was called Kadesh-barnea with the name preserved in the SE spring.

There would be no evidence even if it the famous Biblical site because the Israelites didn’t have permanent settlements during the Exodus. Over the years many people would have camped at the site especially if there was water nearby. But because there is likely to be no physical evidence of the Exodus people will always scoff at the idea that the Exodus actually took place. The Hyksos for example left Egypt shortly before the Exodus, but have we any evidence of their sojourn into Canaan and other parts of the Middle East? No. It was no different for the Israelites and the Exodus after all it happened about 2500 years ago.

Kadesh-Barnea in the Eastern Sinai is a place I know from the recent wars between Egypt and Israel, but I tend to believe that if an Exodus took place at one time, it had to be some place where there are some signs that such a mighty host of people camped for 40 years, and the best candidate is the Hezaj. However, if, contrary to the Bible story, the Exodus was a durative phenomenon that took place over a very long time, then the Kadesh Barnea of the 20th century wars can be where most people believe it to be. There simply isn’t enough collaboative archaeological data accumulated to ascertain with any degree of certainty.

From Egypt to the Promised Land People everywhere know of the Exodus from Egypt. But what awaited Moses and God’s people after they crossed the Red Sea? Where did they head, and how did they reach the Jordan River to enter the Promised Land?

Exodus Route Their goal was the land of Canaan, yet Moses did not take the shortest route—about 250 miles [400 km] along the sandy coast—which would have led straight through Philistia, enemy territory. Nor did he head across the vast center of the Sinai Peninsula, where intense heat baked the gravel and limestone plateau. No, Moses led the people south, down the narrow coastal plain. The first camp was at Marah, where Jehovah made bitter water turn sweet.* After leaving Elim, the people murmured for food; God sent quail and then manna. At Rephidim, water was again an issue, attacking Amalekites were vanquished, and Moses’ father-in-law urged him to get help from capable men.—Ex, chaps. 15-18.

Moses then led Israel toward the mountains farther south, camping at Mount Sinai. There God’s people received the Law, built the tabernacle, and offered sacrifices. In the second year, they went north through a “great and fear-inspiring wilderness,” the journey to the area of Kadesh (Kadesh-barnea) apparently taking 11 days. (De 1:1, 2, 19; 8:15) Because of becoming fearful over a negative report from ten spies, the people had to wander for 38 years. (Nu 13:1–14:34) Among their stops were Abronah and Ezion-geber, and then they went back to Kadesh.—Nu 33:33-36.

When it was finally time for Israel to approach the Promised Land, the Israelites did not move due north. Their route took them around Edom’s heartland and up “the king’s road,” the King’s Highway. (Nu 21:22; De 2:1-8) It was not easy for a whole nation—with children, animals, and tents—to move over this trail. They had to wind down into and climb back out of formidable gorges—the Zered and the Arnon (nearly 1,700 feet [520 m] deep).—De 2:13, 14, 24.

Finally, the Israelites reached Mount Nebo. Miriam had died at Kadesh, and Aaron, at Mount Hor. Moses now died in sight of the land he had desired to enter. (De 32:48-52; 34:1-5) It fell to Joshua to lead Israel into the land, ending a journey begun 40 years earlier.—Jos 1:1-4. Also called En-mishpat; Kadesh-barnea.photos of oasis near: http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1200273219#h=2

Of course you won’t find Kadesh in the Sinai, They crossed the Red Sea and stayed on the Arabian side for 40 years. It’s over there someplace.

A step by step the puzzle of Exodus will be uncovered. Hopefully there will be also the findings from anthropology field. Thank you BAR BAS BHD.

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“The Israelites in the Wilderness,” Old Testament Stories (2022)

“The Israelites in the Wilderness,” Old Testament Stories

The Israelites in the Wilderness

Learning to rely on the Lord

Soon after the Israelites left Egypt, they complained that they did not have enough food. They said it would be better to be slaves in Egypt than to starve in the wilderness.

Exodus 16:1–3

To teach the Israelites to trust Him, the Lord sent bread from heaven for them to pick up each day. They called the bread manna. It tasted like honey. The Lord did not send manna on the Sabbath, the seventh day of the week. So on the sixth day, He told them to pick up enough manna for two days.

Exodus 16:4–5, 14–31

For a time, the Lord also sent quail for the Israelites to eat. In the morning they picked up manna, and in the evening they gathered quail. The Lord wanted the Israelites to learn to trust Him. In this way, He took care of them in the wilderness.

Exodus 16:11–13

What Can We Learn from the Israelites Wandering the Desert for 40 Years?

Even though God’s timeline may not align with ours, he doesn’t keep us in the desert forever. Whether the “desert” we’re currently enduring is a trial or if we think of the “desert” as this world, God doesn’t hold us in limbo forever.

No one likes a detour or delay in a journey. Whenever we encounter a road under construction or traffic that halts our trek by half an hour, we may feel tempted to throw up our hands and say, “Why now? Why did this have to happen to me?’

Enter the Israelites, who had endured hundreds of years of slavery in Egypt. When God freed them, through his servant Moses and via 10 plagues ( Exodus 7-11 ) and a splitting sea ( Exodus 14 ), they must have thought that they’d arrive in the land of their dreams, the Promised Land, in no time.

But sure enough, they hit snags along the way. The journey takes too long, and they turn to other idols and gods to speed up the process ( Exodus 32 ).

The proverbial straw breaks the camel’s back when they reach the Promised Land and send spies to scout the area.

When the spies realize that the fortified city and its people within are intimidating. All but Caleb and Joshua, two of the spies, try to dissuade the Israelites from going into the new land ( Numbers 32 ).

Because of their obstinance and disobedience and forgetfulness of God’s promises, God delays their entry into the Promised Land by 40 years. Aside from Caleb and Joshua, anyone over a certain age would not see the Promised Land, since their generation did not exercise a strong faith in God’s provision.

Although the 40 years in the desert may serve as a cautionary tale of sorts, can we learn anything from the Israelites as they wandered for four decades?

Indeed. We’ll dive into some of the many lessons from the 40 years in the desert.

God Provides in Our Darkest Moments 

In the desert , the Israelites had run low on provisions ( Numbers 11:5 ). It gets to the point where the Israelites pine after the “good ole days” of their slavery in Egypt, where they didn’t have to worry about starvation.

They get so hungry that they think hundreds of years doing hard slave labor in Egypt sounds like paradise.

God, seeing their need for food, provides them with a substance known as manna . A heavenly bread of sorts that means “what is it?” He also gives them protein via quail and provides these bread and birds from heaven daily until they enter the Promised Land.

God understood that the desert was a temporary limbo for the Israelites. They wouldn’t stay there forever but would enter the Promised Land decades later. Nevertheless, he meets their needs, nonetheless.

What is the Biblical Way to Avoid Fake Friendship?

From this, we can learn that God meets us in limbo. We might be waiting on a job or living from paycheck to paycheck, but God provides for us in the desert and in the Promised Land.

He doesn’t leave or forsake us in our greatest hour of need.

God's Plan Never Seems to Align with Ours

Nor does his timeline .

The Israelites may have thought that everything would be smooth sailing since they left their former lives from Egypt. No longer would they have to operate under cruel taskmasters, and they had a bright future ahead.

But they expected it all to happen so fast. So easily. They didn’t realize that sometimes getting to the Promised Land takes time. That God may have wanted them to learn some lessons along the way about trusting him, and that he fights for them when they are surrounded by a great number of enemies on their way to the Promised Land ( Exodus 17 ).

We can learn that God’s timeline and plan often veer far away from how we expect a situation to play out or an outcome to fall in our favor. Nevertheless, God’s plans always are best, and we have to trust in him. Especially when we need to rely on his provisions, like the Israelites in the desert.

God Doesn’t Keep Us in the Desert Forever

Forty years sounds like a long time. To the Israelites who were in their teens, they didn’t reach the Promised Land until they had turned 50 or 60 years old.

But even though God’s timeline may not align with ours, he doesn’t keep us in the desert forever. Whether the “desert” we’re currently enduring is a trial or if we think of the “desert” as this world (a limbo until we reach the Promised Land of paradise) God doesn’t hold us in limbo forever.

We will reach the Promised Land since promised is in the title. God doesn’t break covenants, and he won’t keep us suspended in the desert for eternity. Whether our trial lasts four years or 40, we will make it to the Promised Land.

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Seven Lessons We Can Learn From the Israelites and Their Journey Through the Wilderness

The Israelites' journey can often mimic our journey with the Lord. Sadly, they were often found grumbling and complaining instead of being filled with faith and, therefore, missed out on some of God’s blessings for them. In this 8-session reading plan, we will go on a journey to learn from them, so that we can receive all the blessings God has made available to us.

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Deuteronomy 1—Lessons from Israel’s Journey Through the Wilderness

Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. (1 Cor 10:11)

For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. (Rom 15:4)

Deuteronomy 1:2, Eleven days. Horeb (Mount Sinai) was only an 11-days’ journey to the edge of the Promised Land ( Kadesh Barnea ), yet because of Israel’s bad conduct (disobedience to YHVH’s commands, lack of trust and faith in YHVH’s Word evidenced by complaining, murmuring and even outright rebellion) they were made to wander in the wilderness for 40 years. What is holding you back from going forward in your spiritual walk? What sin, what fear, what wrong beliefs or false religious concepts are you refusing to let go that are hindering you? If you are serious about serving YHVH, it is time to repent and go onward and upward in Yeshua!

Deuteronomy 1:5, Moses began to declare this law (KJV). This is a poor translation of the Hebrew. A better translation would be: “Moses began to explain this law [Torah]…” (NKJV), or “Moses undertook to expound this law [Torah] … “ (NAS), or “Moses began explaining the Torah …” (ASET). To whom was Moses explaining the Torah? (Read verse 39 and cp. with Deut 6:7). Moses was the dutiful parent faithfully teaching Torah to the younger generation about to enter the Promised Land. How are you preparing the young people in your life to enter into the Promised Land of YHVH’s eternal kingdom?

Deuteronomy 1:11, Add to you a thousand times yourselves. If the children of Israel numbered between several million (there were approximately 600,000 men of fighting age numbered among the Israelites), then when was this prophetic promise of YHVH ever fulfilled in Israel’s history? Where are the several billion Israelites (1000 times two to three million) today? (See Gen 26:4; 32:12; Exod 32:13 cp. Hos 7:8; 8:8.)

Deuteronomy 1:12–13, Choose…men. Choosing leaders to help govern Israel and to maintain the peace was of first priority because the people were prone to strife and complaining. Without a dispute and conflict resolution plan in place, the nation of Israel would have been one of total anarchy, strife and confusion.

Deuteronomy 1:13 and 15, Provide for yourselves distinguished men, who are wise, understanding, and well known … so I took … of your tribes distinguished men, who were wise and well known. Compare the two lists. What character trait is not listed in the second list? Why? The word understanding ( biyn , Strong’s H995/ TWOT 239) means “discerning, perceptive, discreet, intelligent, observant and prudent.” Why did Moses have such a difficult time finding understanding men to be leaders in Israel? Are people any different today? Only two men out of hundreds of thousands had understanding: Caleb and Joshua.

Deuteronomy 1:26–28, Moving forward in the face of obstacles. Many times in our spiritual walk we are just at the point of spiritual breakthrough, but we receive an evil report about some spiritual giants that is blocking our forward movement and our resolve to advance melts. It seems sometimes that if we could just see what the future holds for us that it would be much easier for us to go forward! Yet Yeshua said, Blessed are those who haven’t seen, yet still believe in YHVH’s promises (John 20:29). Do you have what it takes to go on without being deterred by the world, the flesh and the devil? How can one go forward in faith if one cannot see where one is going? It gets down to personal and intimate relationship with your Heavenly Father, through Yeshua. He directs us through his Spirit. Can you hear his voice with your spirit when he tells you, “This is the way, walk you in it,” (Isa 30:21)?

Deuteronomy 1:29, He will fight for you. How does Elohim fight for us? Let’s look at the example of the children of Israel. We can learn a lot from them (1 Cor 10:11). How many examples are there of the Israelites sitting down and doing nothing while YHVH fought for them? Few if any. What then does YHVH require? 

We must do our part, and he will do the rest. What is the part we are to do? That depends. Sometimes it depends on what we we’re capable of doing. Often he requires us to come to the end of our resources and abilities, and then he will step in and finish the fight on our behalf to the victorious end. We also have to fight only the battles he has told us to fight. 

Sometimes we choose to fight battles he has not instructed us to fight. This was the case with the Israelites who chose to go up and take the Promised Land when YHVH had told them not to do so. As a result of their disobedience, they were defeated (Deut 1:42–45). YHVH will not support his people in a battle he has not sanctioned. 

When YHVH tells us to go to battle, we must fight how he tells us to fight, who he tells us to fight, and when he tells us to fight. For example, if the Israelites had gone up against Jericho using conventional warfare tactics, they would have been defeated because that’s not how YHVH instructed them to defeat that city. The same is true of Gideon’s unconventional method of defeating the vast Midianite army with only three hundred soldiers armed with candles in clay jars and shofars. 

YHVH will only fight for us when we submit to his battle plans and fight the enemy his way. For example, the Israelites defeated the Amalakites when Moses stood on a hill with his arms outstretched in a cross-like formation. Likewise, they overcame Jericho by marching around it blowing shofars. Gideon used lamps and shofars to defeat the enemy. David used a slingshot and a pebble. Once the Israel defeated their enemy with the help of the ark of covenant, through prayer and praise. 

The biblical list of unconventional methods of YHVH’s people defeating their enemies is a long and inspiring one! What can we learn from all of this? For YHVH to fight for us, we must first do things his way so that he’ll fight for us. This means knowing when and who to fight and how to fight. Often we have to wait on YHVH for the answers to these questions even as a military officer has to wait for headquarters to give him his marching orders. Headquarters won’t back or support the soldier who takes matters into his own hands. Conversely, headquarters won’t tolerate a solider who refuses to obey orders. The same is true of YHVH.

Deuteronomy 1:36, Because he has wholly followed YHVH. What does this statement say about the heart of Caleb? If you check most Hebrew lexicons, you will find that the name Caleb (or Calev) means “dog.” But this is not the whole story. Hebrew is a very flexible language, and one word can have multiple definitions. The Hebrew word kal and lev /cKliterally mean “all heart.” When you think of a dog, what comes to mind? Always happy to see its master, unconditional love, a faithful companion, guarding and protecting its family no matter the cost. How does Calev’s name fit his spiritual characteristics? What can we learn from Calev about what is pleasing to YHVH. (For more on Calev, read Num 13:30; 14:6, 24, 30; 32:12; Josh 14:6–14.) Be inspired by this mighty man of faith.

Deuteronomy 1:39, Little ones…knowledge of good and evil. “Little ones” were those under the age of 20 (see Num 14:29; 32:11). Certainly, children under the age of 20 should have by then, if they were raised properly, have a sense of the difference between good and evil. However, YHVH is extremely gracious. He gives children ample time choose to follow him. By age 20, children will have had enough time to learn the difference between good and evil, and have had enough experience to have made an informed and intelligent choice whether to follow the path of good or evil. Those who reject YHVH at this age can no longer plead ignorance of his ways or inexperience in coming to an understanding the consequences of their actions. If they choose to go against YHVH it’s because they have stiff-necks, and hard and rebellious hearts.

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1 thought on “ deuteronomy 1—lessons from israel’s journey through the wilderness ”.

I didn’t think about the unconventional battle plans YHVH gave us as examples in His Word before you pointed it out. It is exciting to know we can make a difference in the war if we pay attention to His voice and obey.

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Through the Wilderness:  The Journey of Our Lives

On May 15, 2021

In Christian Living , Holy Days , Topic Studies

When looked at in a very macro way, the spring holy day season pictures the journey of God’s firstfruits from start to finish, Passover to Pentecost.

That sounds simple, but in reality the time from the sacrifice of Jesus Christ (at the Passover) all the way until Pentecost (picturing the acceptance of God’s elect before His throne in heaven at the Marriage Supper)…that’s a LONG time.

And in seeing the bigger prophetic pictures and focusing on the end point, we can sometimes forget to look at the more personal applications—separation from sin, being called out of the world to a different life.

Within that timeframe, the Days of Unleavened Bread signify the journey out of the bondage of sin for God’s firstfruits, picturing how we move through this physical life learning to rely on God and undergo the process of conversion.  It’s a time of spiritual challenges, doing our best to navigate our lives in a carnal world.

A constant theme in the bible, from Genesis to Revelation, is that of wilderness.  It is a place, an idea, and a feeling.   And what the bible shows us about the wilderness tells us a lot about how we should view our personal spiritual (and physical) journey through life.

Related post: From Wave Sheaf to Wave Loaves: the Feast of Firstfruits & Acceptance of the Elect

How do we see the idea of wilderness in the bible?

The word “wilderness” is used hundreds of times in the bible, particularly in the Old Testament.  It’s almost exclusively the word midbar (H4057), which evokes a pasture, an open field where cattle are driven, and can imply a desert.

In our modern world we often equate it with a barren, harsh desert where nothing can survive, but really it just means an uninhabited or uncultivated place, and the origins of the word actually seem to indicate good grassland or choice pasture.

And this is where the other implication of the word midbar comes in, which gives the sense of pushing out or driving (as in driving cattle forward to graze).  There is a sense of forward momentum, of being spurred forward…not simply plopping down and staying, but rather moving FROM something TO something else.

And it’s when we start to combine the sense of wilderness as a tangible place, with that idea of momentum and a journey with purpose, that we begin to gain a better understanding of how the wilderness factors into our spiritual and physical lives.

You might also like:   Do You Offer Your Firstfruits to God? (And No, I’m Not Talking About Money)

How should we think about the wilderness, spiritually?

As I mentioned above, today most of us probably have a somewhat negative association with the idea of wilderness, and particularly a spiritual wilderness.  We might conjure images of physical and emotional desolation, feeling alone through trials, maybe of a barren place that can’t sustain life.

And in focusing only on those aspects, we’d be missing a very important truth— that the way to the Promised Land lies through the wilderness .

As we reflect on the entirety of God’s spring holy day season and how it pictures our physical lives, we should meditate on how it is also our own personal journey into—and through—the wilderness.

For the ancient Israelites, the wilderness was a physical place with a divine purpose.   And this remains true for God’s chosen people today, even though we’re not (usually) tramping through a physical desert.

A few key themes we’ll explore below are the wilderness as a place of…

• Separation , being called out and set apart from the world
• Preparation , through testing and trials to make us ready for the future God has planned
• Surrender , learning to rely on God and fully put ourselves in His hands

“Come out from among them and be separate”…called out of the world into the wilderness

The Israelites were required to walk into the actual wilderness, away from the civilization of Egypt and the influence that society had on them.  Similarly, our spiritual journey through the wilderness requires us to separate ourselves from this carnal world— to consciously leave behind the norms and pulls of society, and the influence it has on us .

Once the Israelites passed through the Red Sea (a symbolic baptism), they were officially out of Egypt and in the wilderness.  But though they were physically free, they still carried the stamp of Egypt on their minds.  And their frequent rebellions against God and desire to turn back to Egypt (representing sin and the world) led to an extra 40 years of wandering in the wilderness.

Israel’s situation is a good analogy for our journey through the wilderness of this physical life, and we must be careful not to fall prey to the same tendencies.  They saw how God had destroyed the Egyptians and brought them out of slavery, and were probably high-fiving each other and thinking how easy it would be from now on.  But they were blind to how much of Egypt they were carrying out with them.

When we respond to God’s calling and enter into covenant with Him through baptism (commemorated each year at the Passover), we sever those emotional and spiritual ties to the world.  But unfortunately this isn’t just a one-time thing, and then everything’s hunky dory.

Just like with Israel and Egypt, this world is constantly trying to lure us back.  The Days of Unleavened Bread picture how we strive to take in Jesus Christ and keep sin out on every single day of our journey through this life.  But if we’re not careful, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that simply knowing God’s truth and committing to His way of life is enough.

Because just like Israel, whether we realize it or not we are carrying pieces of this carnal world in our hearts and minds —what John calls the “lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (I John 2:15-17).

As we reflect on our journey through the wilderness and toward the eternal Promised Land, we must ask ourselves—where am I letting the world pull me back in?

And notice that’s not “am I?” but “ where am I”?  Whether through compromise, justification, human reasoning, being too busy, intellectualism, the lures of convenience, conventional wisdom, societal pressure, or outright rebellion, the list is endless and none of us are immune .

This is why God clearly tells us to “come out from among them and be separate” (II Cor. 6:17).  Separating ourselves from the world (mentally and spiritually, not physically) is a key requirement of firstfruits.

We should have the same mentality as the faithful described in Hebrews 11 who “confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth…and declare plainly that they seek a homeland” (Heb. 11:13).  We, too, have to be constantly reminded that this world is not our ultimate destination.

That passage in Hebrews continues on, saying:

“And truly if they had called to mind [remembered, given mental real estate to] that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return [turn back] ” (Heb. 11:13-16)

Egypt is always trying to call us back, and we must spend every day of our journey in the wilderness fighting that pull.  The apostle Paul gave the Corinthians a sobering reminder of this, using the Israelites as his example:

“[The Israelites] all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses…all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink…but with most of them God was not well pleased… Now these things became our examples, that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted…therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (I Cor. 10:1-12)

We also know that we absolutely cannot do this on our own—fighting the pull of the world requires help, from God’s spirit working in us.  Paul exhorted the Romans to “ not be conformed to [fashioned like, shaped by] this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind ” (Rom. 12:2).

We are called out of the world and set apart by God to be prepared for something special…which brings us to the next wilderness theme.

Related post:  Come Out of Her My People: Lessons From Rahab’s Faith (Musings on Faith)

“To humble you and test you”…building godly character & preparing for eternal life

So let’s get back to our story of Israel in the wilderness.  At the end of the 40 years’ wandering, as Moses reminded them of what they’d been through and where they were going, he told the Israelites:

“And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart , whether you would keep His commandments or not” (Deut. 8:2)

The wilderness is a place of testing and trial for God’s people, intended to develop humility and perseverance and teach us to fully rely on Him to provide.

It’s where God reveals more of Himself, developing a deeper and more intimate relationship with us over the years.

Away from civilization, worldly distractions, and the noise of society, it is where God’s “still small voice” can be heard (I Kings 19:12).

It’s where God works with us to build and pressure-test the spiritual character necessary to be in His eternal spiritual family.

In other words, the wilderness is this physical life.  We are—all of us—in the wilderness right now .

And while our focus is on reaching the Promised Land of God’s kingdom, we must remember that the experiences we have on the way are critical to us being able to reach the destination itself.

“Now no chastening [training, correction] seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it…therefore strengthen the hands which hang down…and make straight paths for your feet” (Heb. 12:11-13)

We can know with certainty that God does not let us have trials or testing beyond what we can bear, and that He provides the way out or forward (I Cor. 10:13).  And this leads us to our final theme…

Related post: Book Reco: “You’ll Get Through This” by Max Lucado

“As many as are led by the Spirit”…learning to totally rely on God

When Israel left Egypt and entered the wilderness, they had to completely rely on God.

There’s a really important distinction in Deuteronomy 8:2 above that we can’t miss.  God led them through the wilderness.  Only God knows the path to get to the Promised Land.

Later in the same passage, Moses

“The Lord your God…who led you through that great and terrible wilderness, in which were fiery serpents…who brought water for you out of the flinty rock; who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good in the end ” (Deut. 8:15-16)

God purposefully put the Israelites in a position where they had no choice but to rely on Him—there was nothing their own skill, strength, or smarts could do to defeat the might of Egypt.

And only He could bring them into the land He had promised them, just as it is only by God’s strength and mercy that we can have our sins forgiven, live a life of overcoming the world, and enter His kingdom (Ex. 13:6, Eph. 2:8).

It’s interesting to note that Pharaoh (as a symbol for society and the world) thought that the Israelites were confused and lost, even though they were being led by God (Ex. 14:3).  That’s true for us today as well…society looks at us with bewilderment or even outright hostility when they see us heading away from civilization into the wilderness, following God and not man.

God even chose a specific route out of Egypt to avoid the land of the Philistines—not because He couldn’t protect them, but because He knew the Israelites were weak-hearted and that the prospect of war would make them turn tail back to Egypt in an instant (Ex. 13:17).

God knew the Israelites’ hearts and minds, how they would react to trials.  It’s the same for us…God knows us and what we’re capable of, and we’re told that He won’t allow us to be tested beyond what we can bear (I Cor. 10:13).

For the 40 years that the Israelites were forced to wander through the wilderness, God knew exactly where they were and what they needed at all times.  He had a path in mind, led them along it, and cared for them physically.

After telling the Israelites that the past 40 years were intended to humble and test them, Moses continued in Deuteronomy 8:

“…So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know… that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord ” (Deut. 8:3)

God provided for every physical need that the Israelites had on their journey through the wilderness.  He was the pillar of cloud by day and fire by night, providing protection, shade, and light wherever they went (Neh. 9:5-15).  His presence was visibly with them every second of the day.

He gave them manna, symbolizing the “daily” bread of life (the Word in us) we’re told to ask for.  He sustained them through the heat of the desert with water, and even their shoes did not wear out (Deut. 2, 8, 9).

And so it is with us.  During the Days of Unleavened Bread, each of us partake of some unleavened bread every single day, picturing how we need the Bread of Life within us.  We look to the spiritual Rock for the living water of God’s spirit.  We’re not out here in this wilderness alone—God sustains us.

It says there in Deut. 8:3 that God “allowed them to hunger”.  The word here certainly means physically hunger for food, but also to ache or long for something.  Like us, the Israelites longed for comfort, for spiritual food, for something more.

There is such a tenderness in this idea, like when Moses tells the Israelites at one point “…in the wilderness where you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a man carries his son” (Deut. 1:31).  Paul calls God the “God of comfort”, and we’re told that the holy spirit acts as a “comforter”.

We should ask ourselves whether we truly ache for something more than this life.   Do we have our eyes fixed on the horizon, seeing God’s kingdom “afar off” and seeking after the eternal home He has promised us?  Paul tells us that “as many as are led by the spirit of God, these are sons of God” (Rom 8:14).

Do we allow God to show us the path He has in mind?  Or do we keep glancing back toward Egypt?  So often we think we have things under control, but we’re actually fighting what God intends for us.  The prophet Jeremiah lamented, “O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps” (Jer 10:23).

Things fall apart when we ignore God’s intended path through the wilderness and try to figure it out ourselves.  We somehow think that if we believe the right doctrines and do things in a certain way, that we can get to the final destination on our own.

But we forget that it took God’s supernatural intervention to lead the Israelites out of the world and into the wilderness (Red Sea), AND to bring them out of the wilderness into the Promised Land (Jordan, Jericho).

Similarly, only God can lead us through the wilderness of this life and into His kingdom.  He must choose to call each and every one of us, opening our minds and giving us His spirit—supernatural intervention.  And it will require Him to resurrect and change His firstfruits from corruptible physical people to incorruptible spirit beings at the last trumpet.

Related post:    “Do Not Love the World”: A Spiritual Application of Burning Platform Theory

The wilderness is a physical place with a divine purpose

“’Comfort, yes, comfort My people!’ says your God…

The voice of one crying in the wilderness: prepare the way of the Lord…

The glory of the Lord shall be revealed…His reward is with Him”

~ Is. 40:1-10

A journey through the wilderness is a requirement for the elect, the redeemed.  For the Israelites it was a physical place, but for God’s people today it is symbolic (though God’s firstfruits will likely also go into a physical wilderness at the end time, Rev. 12:14).

We’ve seen here how this life is a wilderness that we’re journeying through.  Sometimes it’s lush pasture and other times harsh desert.  Regardless, it’s always a place where God is leading us…where He calls His people out to prepare them for the world to come, reveal to them His truth, and teach them how to rely on Him.

So when we’re having those times when the wilderness feels lonely or the path seems to have faded into the sand, we shouldn’t be looking for an escape route or trying to figure out how to get back to civilization.  Rather, we should look at where God is trying to lead us.

He knows the way and He will guide our path.

“These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland.  And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is a heavenly country.  Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them ” (Heb. 11:13-16)

Update:  I recently stumbled across this sermon message on Job and the wilderness, and the lens is a little different but I really liked it and it’s a nice complement to this study.

Read next:  Why & How Does God Use the Number 40 in the Bible?  Specific Examples for Our Own Wilderness Journey

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Why & how does god use the number 40 in the bible .

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Your cheese

This!!! Beautifully said!

So when we’re having those times when the wilderness feels lonely or the path seems to have faded into the sand, we shouldn’t be looking for an escape route or trying to figure out how to get back to civilization. Rather, we should look at where God is trying to lead us.

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Exodus 15:22-17:16 King James Version

22  So 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.

23  And 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.

24  And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?

25  And he cried unto the Lord ; and the Lord shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them,

26  And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee.

27  And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.

16  And 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.

2  And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness:

3  And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.

4  Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.

5  And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.

6  And Moses and Aaron said unto all the children of Israel, At even, then ye shall know that the Lord hath brought you out from the land of Egypt:

7  And in the morning, then ye shall see the glory of the Lord ; for that he heareth your murmurings against the Lord : and what are we, that ye murmur against us?

8  And Moses said, This shall be, when the Lord shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that the Lord heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the Lord .

9  And Moses spake unto Aaron, Say unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, Come near before the Lord : for he hath heard your murmurings.

10  And it came to pass, as Aaron spake unto the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and, behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud.

11  And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

12  I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel: speak unto them, saying, At even ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God.

13  And it came to pass, that at even the quails came up, and covered the camp: and in the morning the dew lay round about the host.

14  And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground.

15  And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat.

16  This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents.

17  And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less.

18  And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating.

19  And Moses said, Let no man leave of it till the morning.

20  Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was wroth with them.

21  And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted.

22  And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses.

23  And he said unto them, This is that which the Lord hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the Lord : bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.

24  And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein.

25  And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day is a sabbath unto the Lord : to day ye shall not find it in the field.

26  Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none.

27  And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none.

28  And the Lord said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws?

29  See, for that the Lord hath given you the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.

30  So the people rested on the seventh day.

31  And the house of Israel called the name thereof Manna: and it was like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey.

32  And Moses said, This is the thing which the Lord commandeth, Fill an omer of it to be kept for your generations; that they may see the bread wherewith I have fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you forth from the land of Egypt.

33  And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a pot, and put an omer full of manna therein, and lay it up before the Lord , to be kept for your generations.

34  As the Lord commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept.

35  And the children of Israel did eat manna forty years, until they came to a land inhabited; they did eat manna, until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan.

36  Now an omer is the tenth part of an ephah.

17  And 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.

2  Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the Lord ?

3  And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?

4  And Moses cried unto the Lord , saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me.

5  And the Lord said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go.

6  Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.

7  And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the Lord , saying, Is the Lord among us, or not?

8  Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim.

9  And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand.

10  So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.

11  And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.

12  But Moses hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.

13  And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

14  And the Lord said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.

15  And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi:

16  For he said, Because the Lord hath sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.

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THE PENTATEUCH PART II: EXODUS Lesson 9: Exodus chapters 16:1-18:27 The Miracles on the Desert Journey to Sinai

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Lord of our every need: How gently You escorted Israel on her courtship journey through the desert wilderness, feeding her manna from heaven and quenching her thirst with water from the rock.  You provided for the Israelites' every need, all the while teaching them to trust You, to rely upon You, and to be obedient to Your commands.  With the same covenant faithfulness You continue to guide the New Israel, the virgin Bride of Your Son, Jesus Christ, feeding Your New Covenant people the spiritual food of Your Son's Body and Blood, the necessary nourishment for the journey to salvation.  We thank You and praise You, Lord, for your faithfulness and we submit ourselves to Your commands as we obediently and thankfully receive the spiritual and eternal blessings that the first generation of the Old Covenant Church only hoped to receive.  Guide us now, Lord, as we study Israel's journey to holy nationhood.  We pray in the name of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

He split the sea and brought them through, made the waters stand up like a dam; he led them with a cloud by day, and all night with the light of a fire; he split rocks in the desert, let them drink as though from the limitless depths; he brought forth streams from a rock, made waters flow down in torrents. [..].  Even so he gave orders to the skies above, he opened the sluice-gates of heaven; he rained down manna to feed them, he gave them the wheat of heaven; mere mortals ate the bread of the Mighty, he sent them as much food as they could want.  He roused an east wind in the heavens, dispatched a south wind by his strength; he rained down meat on them like dust, birds thick as sand on the seashore, tumbling into the middle of his camp, all around his dwelling-place.   Psalm 78:13-14 , 23-28).

They asked and he brought them quails, food from heaven to their hearts' content; he opened a rock, the waters gushed out, and flowed in dry ground as a river.  Psalm 105:40-41

I want you to be quite certain, brothers, that our ancestors all had the cloud over them and all passed through the sea.  In the cloud and in the sea they were all baptized into Moses; all ate the same spiritual food and all drank the same spiritual drink, since they drank from the spiritual rock which followed them, and that rock was Christ. 1 Corinthians 10:1-4

At the crossing of the Yam Suph God defended Israel and battled the Egyptians using the elements of the natural world to gain His victory.  He used water, wind, rain, thunder and lightening in a storm that terrified the Egyptians and doomed their army when the waters of the Yam Suph closed over them ( Ps 77:16-18 ).  God did this mighty work within site the cultic shrine of the Canaanite storm-god Baal ( Ex 14:1 , 9 ), once again showing the peoples of Egypt and the Levant that their false gods were powerless and Yahweh is the One, True, God ( Ex 14:4 , 18 ). ( 1 )

At every stage of the journey out of Egypt to the rendezvous point at Mt. Sinai, God demonstrated His covenant love and His protection of Israel. In this courtship journey the Israelites learned to trust God to provide for their needs, and they learned to be obedient to God's commands.

Works of God on the courtship journey to the rendezvous at Mt. Sinai:

• The miracle of the pillar of cloud and fire.
• The parting of the Yam Suph and God's victory over the Egyptian army.
• The sweetening of the bitter water at Marah.
• The miracle of the quails.
• The miracle of the manna, bread from heaven.
• The miracle of the life-giving water from the rock.
• The defeat of the Amalekites at Rephidim.

Please read Exodus 16:1-5: More Complaints and Yahweh's Promise 16:1 Setting out from Elim the whole community of Israelites entered the desert of Sin, lying between Elim and Sinai on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had left Egypt. 2 And the whole community of Israelites began complaining about Moses and Aaron in the desert 3 and said to them, 'Why did we not die at Yahweh's hand in Egypt, where we used to sit round the flesh pots and could eat to our heart's content!  As it is, you have led us into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death!' 4 Yahweh then said to Moses, 'Look, I shall rain down bread for you from the heavens.  Each day the people must go out and collect their ration for the day; I propose to test them in this way to see whether they will follow my law or not. 5 On the sixth day, however, when they prepare what they have brought in, this must be twice as much as they collect on ordinary days.'

After crossing the Yam Suph the children of Israel journeyed through the desert of Etham for three days until they encamped by the pool of Marah ( Num 33:8-9 ).  They left Marah and traveled to the oasis of Elim ( Num 33:9 ).  After leaving Elim they encamped by the Yam Suph ( Num 33:10 ).  They left the Yam Suph and encamped in the desert of Sin (pronounced "seen") on their way to Sinai ( Num 33:11-12 ).  From the description of the journey in Scripture it would appear that the children of Israel crossed the Gulf of Suez somewhere near the northern arm of the Gulf ( Num 33:1-15 ).  Then traveling south they encountered the Gulf of Suez again where it widens.  The next stop after the encampment on the Yam Suph was in the desert of Sin at Dophkah ( Num 33:12 ).  It was at this encampment that the children of Israel must have experienced the miracles of the quail and the manna.  The etymology of Dophkah, dopka in Hebrew, is unknown but a number of scholars have associated it with the Egyptian word for turquoise or the word for "smeltery" and have suggested that the place-name refers to the Egyptian mining center at Serabit el-Khadem, located on the east side of the Gulf of Suez several miles east of where the gulf widens ( Anchor Bible Dictionary, vol. II, "Dophkah", page 222; Davis, Studies in Exodus, page 188).  According to Numbers 33 after three more encampments the Israelites entered the Sinai desert ( Num 33:11-15 ).  A healthy adult can travel about 20 miles a day, but a group this large, with women, children and the elderly, could probably not travel more than 4-5 miles a day.

Question: When the Israelites encamped at Dophkah how long had it been since the Israelites left Goshen?  See Ex 16:1 and Num 33:3 Answer: It had been exactly one lunar month; the date was now the 15 th of Iyar.

Exodus 16:2-3: 2 And the whole community of Israelites began complaining about Moses and Aaron in the desert 3 and said to them, 'Why did we not die at Yahweh's hand in Egypt, where we used to sit round the flesh pots and could eat to our heart's content!  As it is, you have led us into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death!'

The suffering affected the "whole community," not just "the people" as in the crisis at Marah ( Ex 15:24 ).  This time the suffering was greater and more widespread than in the previous crisis.  You will recall that it was Moses and not Aaron the people accused of leading them into disaster and "trying to kill them" in crisis of the Yam Suph in 15:11-12 and in the water crisis at Marah in 15:24 , but this time they accused both Moses and Aaron of leading them to disaster.

Apparently the people had depleted the food supplies they had brought with them from Goshen.  Living in Egypt the people were used to a good diet of staples like bread and barley beer ( henket ); vegetables like leeks, lettuce, cucumbers, garlic, lentils, beans, chickpeas and onions; fruit like dates, figs, melons, grapes, olives and pomegranates; fish and more rarely the meat of wild game and chickens ( Chronicle of a Pharaoh, pages 94-95; Num 11:5 ; 20:5 ).

Question: What was the community's complaint?  What did their complaint reveal? Answer: Their complaint to Moses was that it would have been better to die of old age in slavery than to die prematurely by starvation in freedom.  The response of the Israelites to their suffering shows a lack of gratitude for their redemption from slavery and a lack of faith in God's divine providence.

Question: Was this the first time the Israelites accused Moses of trying to kill them? Answer: This was the second time; they made a similar accusation on the shore of the Yam Suph in Exodus 14:11-12 .

Question: If the people were hungry, why didn't they just kill some of their livestock? Answer: They knew that their future prosperity depended on their flocks and herds.  A dead animal will never reproduce or give milk or wool.  They needed to preserve their animals.  Many of the animals were probably also distressed from the lack of adequate pastureland and water.

Exodus 16:4-5: 4 Yahweh then said to Moses, 'Look, I shall rain down bread for you from the heavens.  Each day the people must go out and collect their ration for the day; I propose to test them in this way to see whether they will follow my law or not. 5 On the sixth day, however, when they prepare what they have brought in, this must be twice as much as they collect on ordinary days.'

Question: God planned to provide the people with food for the journey, but He set out certain requirements.  What were the requirements he gave to Moses and Aaron? Answer: The people must collect their ration of the heavenly bread daily, but on the sixth day they must collect double the normal portion.

Question: God told Moses: I propose to test them in this way to see whether they will follow my law or not.  What are two ways in which God tested the people? Answer:

• God tested the people by allowing them to go without food and water to humble them and to demonstrate that they were absolutely dependent upon Him for their survival.
• The regulations concerning the rationing of the manna and the command to collection a double portion on the sixth day tested Israel's obedience to God's commands.

The journey to Mt. Sinai provided an introduction to God's laws and statutes for governing Israel, the journey humbled the people and taught them to trust and to depend on God, and their experiences with God on the journey revealed to the Israelites a more intimate knowledge of God.   In Moses' last homilies to the covenant people in Deuteronomy, he recalled the testing in the desert and reminded the new generation of Israelites who had grown up during the forty years in the wilderness of that experience: Remember the long road by which Yahweh your God led you for forty years in the desert, to humble you, to test you and know your inmost heart---whether you would keep his commandments or not.  He humbled you, he made you feel hunger, he fed you with manna which neither you nor your ancestors had ever known, to make you understand that human beings live not on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of Yahweh.  The clothes on your back did not wear out and your feet were not swollen, all those forty years.  Learn from this that Yahweh your God was training you as a man trains his child, and keep the commandments of Yahweh your God, and so follow his ways and fear him ( Dt 8:2-6 ). 

Please read Exodus 16:6-12: Moses and Aaron Give God's Instructions to the People 16:6 Moses and Aaron then said to the whole community of Israelites, 'This evening you will know that it was Yahweh who brought you out of Egypt, 7 and tomorrow morning you will see the glory of Yahweh, for Yahweh has heard your complaints about him.  What are we, that your complaint should be against us?' 8 Moses then said, 'This evening Yahweh will give you meat to eat, and tomorrow morning bread to your heart's content, for Yahweh has heard your complaints about him.  What do we count for?  Your complaints are not against us, but against Yahweh.' 9 Moses then said to Aaron, 'Say to the whole community of Israelites, "Approach Yahweh's presence, for he has heard your complaints."' 10 As Aaron was speaking to the whole community of Israelites, they turned towards the desert, and there the glory of Yahweh appeared in the cloud. 11 Yahweh then spoke to Moses and said, 12 'I have heard the Israelites' complaints. Speak to them as follows, "At twilight [bein ha-'arbayim = "between the twilights," plural ending ] you will eat meat, and in the morning you will have bread to your heart's content, and then you will know that I am Yahweh your God."' [..] = literal translation ( Interlinear Bible: Hebrew-English, vol. I, page 184).

Notice that Moses addressed the people directly in the last Egyptian plague and in the departure from Egypt ( Ex 12:21 , 25 ; 13:3 ).  He also spoke directly to them in the crisis of the crossing of the Yam Suph ( 14:13-14 ), but in this latest episode, after addressing the people himself in verses 8-9, Moses directed Aaron to speak for him to the people.  Then, Moses addressed the people directly again in 16:15-16 , but throughout the next forty years he continued to use Aaron to function as his spokesperson. 

Question: If Moses has gained confidence in his leadership role as God's chief agent to Israel, why did he continue to speak through Aaron? Answer: We can only speculate, but it was possible that Moses felt the people had more affection for Aaron and were more receptive to him. 

Later, the people's affection for Aaron and Aaron's desire to please them will lead to a crisis as serious as Adam's fall from grace in Genesis chapter 2.

Question: Moses and Aaron assured the people that God heard their complaints, but they could not resist two complaints of their own. What were their complaints to the people? Answer: In response to their accusations in 16:2 Moses and Aaron told the Israelites that the people's suffering wasn't their fault; then Moses told the people their complaints should be directed to God.

Question: Moses and Aaron repeated the instructions God gave them but they left out what important command that caused some confusion later in verse 22? Answer: They failed to mention the collection of the double portion of manna on the sixth day.

  Exodus 16:10-12: 10 As Aaron was speaking to the whole community of Israelites, they turned towards the desert, and there the glory of Yahweh appeared in the cloud. 11 Yahweh then spoke to Moses and said, 12 'I have heard the Israelites' complaints. Speak to them as follows, "At twilight [bein ha-'arbayim = "between the twilights," plural ending ] you will eat meat, and in the morning you will have bread to your heart's content, and then you will know that I am Yahweh your God."'

Question: Why did God appear in this way and speak to the people through Moses? Answer: If the people doubted what Aaron told them, the sudden appearance of God in the Glory Cloud reassured them.  The visual display and God's voice coming from the Glory Cloud was another affirmation that Moses and Aaron's role as Israel's leaders came directly from God. 

God spoke to the Israelites from the midst of the cloud in the same way He addressed Moses from the burning bush.  God assured the people through Moses that at noon (between the twilights of dawn and dusk) they would eat meat and in the morning they could have as much bread to eat as they wanted.  Noon was the normal time to take the daily main meal.  Then too, in a desert journey one didn't travel at the hottest time of the day.  God's visitation took place on the 16 th of Iyar.

Question: What was the purpose of these miracles? Answer: That the people should know that Yahweh is their God and not just the God of their fathers.

The manna blessing continued for the next forty years but the gift of the quail is only mentioned twice in Scripture: here in Exodus 16:13 and in Numbers 11:31-32 .  In The Pentateuch as Narrative, Sailhamer notes an interesting pattern with the manna and quail, the Scriptural reference to forty years, and the Israelites' entrance into the Promised Land forty years later when the gift of the manna ended. The miracle of the quail is only mentioned in Ex 16:13 and Num 11:31-32 :

This chart was adapted from John Sailhamer's book The Pentateuch as Narrative, page 274.  The Scripture references are listed slightly differently and unlike Sailhamer's chart the last two blocks have been reversed.  In Sailhamer's chart the last block listed the end of the forty years but did not list a Scripture reference.  This chart reverses the pattern because that is the order in which the end of the manna and the end of the forty years are recorded in the Book of Joshua.  The reversed pattern in the last two blocks does not lessen the theory that this was an intended pattern. The reversal in pattern points to a significant conclusion to the series of related events.

Scripture references to the forty years between Exodus and the Book of Joshua when the forty-year Exodus journey was completed is found in seven Scripture passages: Ex 16:35 ; Num 14:33-34 ; 32:13 ; Dt 2:7 ; 8:2-4 ; 29:5 ; and Josh 5:6 .

Please read Exodus 16:13-18: The Miracles of the Quail and the Manna 16:13 That evening, quails flew in and covered the camp, and next morning there was a layer of dew all round the camp. 14 When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the desert was something fine and granular, as fine as hoarfrost on the ground. 15 As soon the Israelites saw this, they said to one another, 'What is that?' not knowing what it was.  'That', Moses told them, 'is the food which Yahweh has given you to eat. 16 These are Yahweh's orders: 'Each of you must collect as much as he needs to eat, a homer per head for each person in his tent.' 17 The Israelites did this.  They collected it, some more, some less. 18 When they measured out what they had collected by the homer, no one who had collected more had too much, no one who had collected less had too little.  Each had collected as much as he needed to eat.

"Evening" began after the sun reached its zenith and began to descend into night.  Sundown signaled the beginning of the next day.  That day at the noon meal they ate quail, and the next morning they ate "bread from heaven." 

Exodus 16:15:   As soon the Israelites saw this, they said to one another, 'What is that?' not knowing what it was.

The meaning of the word "manna" is a puzzle.  In Exodus 16:31 the word in the Hebrew text is man but in 16:15 the word is rendered in Hebrew as man hu.  Some biblical scholars have suggested that man and man hu is derived from the Egyptian word mannu, which means "food" (Davis, Studies in Exodus, page 189).  The expression man hu is usually translated, "It is manna," but the Septuagint translation of this verse is ti esti touto, "what is this?"  ( The Anchor Bible Dictionary, vol. 4, "manna", page 511; JPS Commentary, page 89). "What is this?" has become the most widely accepted explanation of the meaning of "manna" and is supported by the rest of the Scripture passage following man hu in 16:15: As soon as the Israelites saw this, they said to one another, 'What is that? [man hu] not knowing what it was.  'That', Moses told them, is the food which Yahweh as given you to eat.

Some scholars have attempted to associate the miracles of the quail and the manna with natural phenomena.  In the autumn large flocks of quail are known to migrate from Syria, Egypt, and Arabia southward to central Africa and then return in the spring.  In this long migration, sometimes large flocks of birds fall to the ground from exhaustion.  Since the quail miracle is only recorded twice in Scripture, it is possible that it was a natural phenomenon, but it cannot be denied that God used that "natural" occurrence at a very specific time and at a very specific place to address the need of the Israelites. 

It has also been suggested that the manna was not a miracle but was a gum resin produced by several varieties of flowering trees in the Sinai or that the manna was a substance from the excretions of two species of scale insects found on branches of the tamarisk tree, a secretion that occurs in June in the Sinai ( The Anchor Bible Dictionary, vol. 4, "manna", page 511; Davis, Studies in Exodus page 192).  However, these natural substances only occur seasonally and cannot be ground into a flour and baked into pancakes or boiled into a mush like the manna described in Exodus 16:23 and Numbers 11:7-9 .  Nor are these other substances found covering the ground with the morning dew as in the biblical text, and the natural substances do not occur year round in large enough quantities to feed two million people.  St. Paul called the manna "spiritual" or supernatural food ( 1 Cor 10:3 ), Deuteronomy 8:3 records that no one had ever eaten manna before, and Jesus compared Himself to the "bread which came down from heaven" ( Jn 6:31-65 ) and not to the secretions of insects or tree resin.  In other Bible passages the manna is described as supernatural food which was previously unknown ( Dt 8:3 , 16 ; Ps 78:24 ; 105:40 ; Neh 9:20 ).

Exodus 16:17-18: 17 The Israelites did this.  They collected it, some more, some less. 18 When they measured out what they had collected by the homer, no one who had collected more had too much, no one who had collected less had too little.  Each had collected as much as he needed to eat. The Catholic Bible Dictionary defines a homer /omer as a dry measure that was one-tenth of an ephah, or about half a gallon (page 663).  The prophet Ezekiel defined the Israelite homer as the basic unit of measure: Have fair scales, a fair ephah, a fair bat.  Let the ephah and the bat be equal, let the bat hold one-tenth of a homer and the ephah one-tenth of a homer.  Let the measures be based on the homer ( Ez 45:10-11 ; also see Judg 6:19 ; Ruth 2:17 ; 1 Sam 1:14 ; Zec 5:6-10 )

Question: What did the people discover about the amount of the manna they collected?  How often did God bless the people with a miracle? Answer: The people witnessed a daily miracle in the giving of the manna each morning for six days a week and in the amount of the manna each person gathered.  When they gathered the manna some gathered more than others but when they measured what they gathered, the amount was exactly what each needed.  The fixed daily amount of manna for each individual provided for a fair and equitable distribution of the food.  No matter how much or little each person was able to gather, the ration was miraculously always the same.

Please read Exodus 16:19-30: Instruction on Collecting and Eating the Manna and the Sabbath Observation 16:19 Moses then said, 'No one may keep any of it for tomorrow.' 20 But some of them took no notice of Moses and kept part of it for the following day, and it bred maggots and smelt foul; and Moses was angry with them. 21 Morning by morning they collected it, each man as much as he needed to eat, and once the sun grew hot, it melted away. 22 Now on the sixth day they collected twice the amount of food: two homer per person, and all the leaders of the community came and told Moses this. 23 Moses replied, 'This is what Yahweh said, "Tomorrow is a day of complete rest, a Sabbath sacred to Yahweh.  Bake what you want to bake, boil what you want to boil; put aside what is left over, to be kept for tomorrow." 24 So, as Moses ordered, they put it aside for the following day, and its smell was not foul nor were there maggots in it. 25 'Eat it today,' Moses said, 'for today is a Sabbath for Yahweh; you will find none in the fields today. 26 For six days you will collect it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will be none.' 27 On the seventh day some of the people went out to collect it, but they found none. 28 Yahweh then said to Moses, 'How much longer will you refuse to obey my commandments and laws? 29 Look, Yahweh has given you the Sabbath; this is why he gives you two days' food on the sixth day; each of you must stay in his place; on the seventh day no one may leave his home.' 30 So on the seventh day the people rested.

The Israelites were told to collect only enough manna for a daily supply.  This practice recalls our Lord's words in the prayer He taught His Church: give us today our daily bread ( Mt  6:11 ) .   These words are an expression of trust taught to us by the Savior just as the command to collect the manna daily was meant to inspire the Israelites to trust in God every "today."  These were words to inspire trust in that past experience but they also look forward in time to the daily trust between God and all believers. Jesus' prayer to give His faithful disciples God's "daily bread" refers both to God's Word and the Body of His Son in the Eucharist, offering His people a "today" that is not only marked in our mortal time but in God's eternal "today." St. Augustine wrote: The Eucharist is our daily bread.  The power belonging to this divine food makes it a bond of union.  Its effect is then understood as unity, so that, gathered into his Body and made members of him, we may become what we receive...  This also is our daily bread: the readings you hear each day in church and the hymns you hear and sing.  All these are necessities for our pilgrimage ( Sermon 57.7 ; see CCC 2836-37).

The Fathers of the Church saw the Israelites daily blessing of the manna in the wilderness as foreshadowing the "daily bread" of Jesus' Body offered to the people of the New Israel in the Eucharist.

Question: In what Scripture passage did Jesus compare Himself to the manna in the wilderness?  Quote the passage. Answer: It was the comparison Jesus made of Himself to the manna of the wilderness journey in John 6:33-35: In all truth I tell you, It was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, it is my father who gives you the bread from heaven, the true bread; for the bread of God is the bread which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.  'Sir,' they said, 'give us that bread always.'  Jesus answered them: I AM the bread of life .

Just as the children of Israel's hunger drove them to ask for food, so should our hunger for the Lord Jesus dive us to seek Him in the Eucharistic bread of life.  Encouraging the faithful to seek Christ in the Eucharist, St. Peter Chrysologus wrote: The Father in heaven urges us, as children of heaven, to ask for the bread of heaven.  [Christ] himself is the bread who, sown in the Virgin, raised up in the flesh, kneaded in the Passion, baked in the oven of the tomb, reserved in churches, brought to altars, furnishes the faithful each day with food from heaven ( Sermon 67 ) .

Some Israelites attempted to disregard God's command and tried to horde part of their allotted portion to keep from working the next day.

Question: Was their disobedience rewarded? Answer: No it was not; the extra manna turned to maggots.

Exodus 16:22-23: 22 Now on the sixth day they collected twice the amount of food: two homer per person, and all the leaders of the community came and told Moses this. 23 Moses replied, 'This is what Yahweh said, "Tomorrow is a day of complete rest, a Sabbath sacred to Yahweh.  Bake what you want to bake, boil what you want to boil; put aside what is left over, to be kept for tomorrow."

Question: Why were the elders confused? Answer: They knew they were not supposed to keep any manna over until the next day and that the collection of the manna was regulated by God, and yet on the sixth day they collected a double portion. Moses had failed to explain this exception earlier and the discovery caused some confusion.

Exodus 16:24-27: 24 So, as Moses ordered, they put it aside for the following day, and its smell was not foul nor were there maggots in it. 25 'Eat it today,' Moses said, 'for today is a Sabbath for Yahweh; you will find none in the fields today. 26 For six days you will collect it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will be none.' 27 On the seventh day some of the people went out to collect it, but they found none.

The preservation of the manna for the Sabbath was another miracle.  Prior to the giving of the Ten Commandments and the covenant formation at Mt. Sinai, God established the Sabbath rest and a holy day of obligation, a day of sanctification for the people of Israel.  The prophet Ezekiel wrote about the first command of the Sabbath rest when Yahweh said: So I brought them out of Egypt and led them into the desert.  I gave them my laws and taught them my judgments, in whose observance people find life.  And I also gave them my Sabbaths as a sign between me and them, so that they might know that I, Yahweh, am the one who sanctifies them (Ez 20:12).

Exodus 16:28-30: 28 Yahweh then said to Moses, 'How much longer will you refuse to obey my commandments and laws? 29 Look, Yahweh has given you the Sabbath; this is why he gives you two days' food on the sixth day; each of you must stay in his place; on the seventh day no one may leave his home.' 30 So on the seventh day the people rested.

Question: What was the theological reason for collecting the manna for only six days and resting on the seventh?  Quote the significant passage from Genesis where "work" and "seventh day" are both repeated three times. Answer: God intended that the Israelites should labor daily for their food and that they should rest on the seventh day just as God labored the six days of creation and rested on the seventh day: Thus heaven and earth were completed with all their array.  On the seventh day God had completed the work he had been doing.  He rested on the seventh day after all the work he had been doing.  God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on that day he rested after all his work of creating (Gen 2:1-3).

Please read Exodus 16:31-36: The Command to Preserve a Portion of the Manna 31 The House of Israel named it 'manna.'  It was like coriander seed; it was white and its taste was likethat of wafers made with honey. 32 Moses then said, 'These are Yahweh's orders: Fill a homer with it and preserve it for your descendants, so that they can see the bread on which I fed you in the desert when I brought you out of Egypt.' 33 Moses then said to Aaron, 'Take a jar and in it put a full homer of manna and store it in Yahweh's presence, to be kept for your descendants.' 34 Accordingly, Aaron stored it in front of the Testimony, to be preserved, as Yahweh had ordered Moses. 35 The Israelites ate manna for forty years, up to the time they reached inhabited country: they ate manna up to the time they reached the frontiers of Canaan. 36 A homer is one-tenth of an ephah.

Question: Describe the manna; what did it taste like?  See Ex 16:14, 31 and Num 11:7-9. Answer: The manna appeared on the ground when the dew fell.  It was white, light and flaky like hoarfrost but sometimes appeared granular like coriander seed.  To some the manna tasted like wafers with honey and to other like fresh olive oil.  It could be ground in a mill to make flour.  The flour could be baked into wafers or made into pancakes, or the manna could be crushed with a pestle to make a courser grained substance which could be cooked in a pot like porridge. 

Question: For how long did they eat the manna and when did the provision of the manna cease.  Were the people always grateful for this gift?  See Num 11:7-9; 21:5; Josh 5:10-12. Answer: The people ate the manna for forty years. The manna ceased as soon as the people arrived in the Promised Land.  After years of eating the manna the people became ungrateful for God's gift.

Question:  Jesus compared Himself to the manna the Israelites ate for forty years.  How was the "heavenly bread" of the manna different from the "heavenly bread" of Jesus' own Body?   See Jn 6:31-58. Answer: The manna only offered temporal salvation but Jesus' flesh is the bread from heaven that gives eternal life.

Question: Are we any more grateful to God than the Israelites for our gift of the "heavenly bread" of the Eucharist? Answer: Unfortunately, after the many generations that the New Covenant people have been nourished on the "heavenly bread" of Jesus Body, many take this gift for granted or complain that they have ceased to be "satisfied."

God commanded Moses to preserve a jar of manna.  After the desert Sanctuary was built Aaron kept the jar of manna in the Holy of Holies front of the Ark of the Covenant, also called the Ark of Testimony.

Question: According to the inspired writer of the Letter to the Hebrews what became of the jar of manna?  See Heb 9:4. Answer: At some time, perhaps after the reforms of Hezekiah or Josiah, the jar of manna was placed inside the Ark of the Covenant along with the tablets of the Ten Commandments and Aaron's rod of priestly authority.

Please read Exodus 17:1-7: The Miracle of the Water from the Rock 17:1 The whole community of Israelites left the desert of Sin, travelling by stages as Yahweh ordered.  They pitched camp at Rephidim where there was no water for the people to drink. 2 The people took issue with Moses for this and said, 'Give us water to drink.'  Moses replied, 'Why take issue with me?  Why do you put Yahweh to the test?' 3 But, tormented by thirst, the people complained to Moses.  'Why did you bring us out of Egypt,' they said, 'only to make us, our children and our livestock, die of thirst?' 4 Moses appealed to Yahweh for help.  'How am I to deal with this people?' he said.  'Any moment now they will stone me!' 5 Yahweh then said to Moses, 'Go on ahead of the people, taking some of the elders of Israel with you; in your hand take the staff with which you struck the River, and go. 6 I shall be waiting for you there on the rock (at Horeb).  Strike the rock, and water will come out for the people to drink.'  This was what Moses did, with the elders of Israel looking on. 7 He gave the place the names Massah [trial] and Meribah [contention] because of the Israelites' contentiousness and because they put Yahweh to the test by saying, 'Is Yahweh with us, or not?'

Rephidim was the last stop before reaching Mt. Sinai (also see Num 33:14-15). The place-name may derive from Hebrew root rpd , meaning "support" or "help" (Propp, Exodus, page 604).  The people continued to collect the manna for six days out of every week, but for the second time (since 16:22-25 at Marah) they complained that they were dying of thirst and needed water for themselves and their animals.  This time they were so threatening that Moses feared they would kill him.

The courtship journey to Sinai and after the two years at Sinai, the thirty-eighty years of wilderness wandering (Dt 2:14) was continually marred by Israel's complaints to Moses and their lack of trust in God to provide for them.

Question: How many times are their complaints recorded in Scripture?  See Ex 14:10-12; 15:24; 16:2-3; 17:3; Num 11:4ff; 14:2; 20:2 and Psalms 78 and 106. Answer: They complained to Moses about their thirst in Exodus 15:24; 17:3 and Num 20:2; about their hunger Ex. 16:2-3; Num 11:4ff, and about the dangers of war in Ex 14:10-12 and Num 14:2.  The first generation of Israelites to witness God's mighty works was so willful that they threaten to reject the promises of God: Ps 78:13-44; 106:6-22.

Question: What were God's instructions to Moses?  Where was he to go and what was he to do when he got there?  Horeb is Sinai. Answer: Moses was instructed to take some of the elders of Israel with him and to go ahead of the people to Mt. Sinai.  God told Moses He would be waiting at Sinai on the rock.  Moses was to strike the rock and water would come out of the rock for the people. 

Question: According to God's statement in Exodus 17:6 where was God at Sinai and what happened when Moses obeyed God's orders?  When did the people receive the gift of the water from the rock? Answer: God was on the rock and Moses was instructed to strike the rock upon which God stood.  God was struck to produce the waters of life for the people. When the people arrived at Mt. Sinai the water was there waiting for them.

Because the people were contentious and put God to the test by asking if God was indeed with them, Moses re-named Rephidim "Massah," testing and "Meribah," contention (Ex 17:7; Dt 6:16; 9:22; 33:8).

Question: What did St. Paul say about the miracle of the crossing of the Yam Suph and the miracle of the rock that gave life-giving water in 1 Corinthians 10:1-4? Answer:  St. Paul identified the Rock as Christ: I want you to be quite certain, brothers, that our ancestors all had the cloud over them and all passed through the sea.  In the cloud and in the sea they were all baptized into Moses; all ate the same spiritual food and all drank the same spiritual drink, since they drank from the spiritual rock which followed them, and that rock was Christ (1 Cor 10:1-4).

The Fathers of the Church wrote that the rock that was struck to bring forth life-giving waters was an allegory of the Passion of Christ and His work of redemption: Then the Lord said to Moses, "Take the staff and strike the rock, that it may produce water for the people."  Behold, there is a rock, and it contains water.  However, unless this rock is struck, it does not have any water at all.  Then when it has been struck, it produces fountains and rivers, as we read in the Gospel: "He who believes in me, from within him there shall flow rivers of living water."  When Christ was struck on the cross, he brought forth the fountains of the New Testament.  Therefore it was necessary for him to be pierced.  If he had not been struck, so that water and blood flowed from his side, the whole world would have perished through suffering thirst for the word of God (St. Caesarius of Arles, Sermon 103.3, quoting Jn 7:38).

Just as the manna continued to satisfy their hunger and give nourishment to the Israelites on their journey, the rock that gave life-giving water now followed them on their forty year journey (1 Cor 10:4).

"Rock" as a title/name for God is found seven times in Scripture (rock in Hebrew is sur : pronounced "tsoor"):

• He is the Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are equitable.  A trustworthy God who does not wrong, he is the Honest, the Upright One!  (Dt 32:4). 
• He has dishonored the Rock, his salvation ... (Dt 32:15c).
• You forget the Rock who fathered you, the God who made you, you no longer remember (Dt 32:18).
• How else could one man route a thousand, how could two put ten thousand to flight, were it not that their Rock has sold them, that Yahweh has delivered them up? (Dt 32:30).
• But their rock is not like our Rock; our enemies cannot pray for us! (Dt 32:31).
• The spirit of Yahweh speaks through me, his word is on my tongue; the God of Jacob has spoken, the Rock of Israel has said to me... (2 Sam 23:3, from the last words of King David).
• Since you have forgotten the God of your salvation, and failed to keep the Rock, your refuge ... (Is 17:10a).

The miracle of "water from the rock" at Kadesh in Numbers 20:1-11.  Please read that passage.  At Kadesh the people banded together against Moses and blamed him for their sufferings, complaining again that Moses had purposely brought them out into the desert to die of thirst.  Moses and Aaron appealed to God and Yahweh instructed Moses: Take the branch and call the community together, you and your brother Aaron.  Then, in full view of them order this rock to release its water.  You will release water from the rock for them and provide drink for the community and their livestock (Num 20:8-11).

Question: How are the instructions different from the instructions given at Rephidim in Ex 17:5-7?  Compare the passages.

* same word in the Hebrew text ( mattah ).

Answer: The first time Moses was instructed to strike the rock in the presence of some of the elders.   The second time Moses and Aaron were told to call together the assembly of the Old Covenant Church and in their presence Moses was instructed to speak to the rock to bring forth the water.

Question: How did Moses address the people in the second event?  Did Moses faithfully carry out God's instructions the second time he was told to bring water from the rock for the people? Answer: Moses was infuriated with the people and called them "rebels."  No, Moses lost his temper and struck the rock twice. The water came out of the rock but Moses did not obey God's command to speak to the rock.

Question: What was Moses and Aaron's punishment for their disobedience?  See Num 20:12. Answer: For not believing that God could assert His holiness before the community in speaking to the rock, Moses and Aaron were barred from leading the Israelites into the Promised Land.

Both Moses and Aaron died without setting their feet on the land they had been journeying toward for the past forty years of their lives. What a seemingly harsh judgment for a failed act of obedience!  

Question: This was not the first time Moses had failed to precisely carry out God's commands.  At what other two times did Moses and Aaron either add to God's instructions or fail to give all of God's commands? Answer:

• In the first audience with the Pharaoh in Exodus 5:3 they became flustered after the Pharaoh ridiculed Yahweh and added the statement that if Pharaoh didn't let the people go that their God "will strike us with a plague or with the sword."
• In the instructions for collecting the manna Moses failed to tell the people to collect a double portion on the sixth day.  He didn't include this instruction until the people realized they had collected a double portion on the sixth day and came to him to inquire why this had happened (16:22-23).

Why was the failure to carry out God's command to speak to the rock to obtain the miracle of the water at Kadesh in the presence of the assembly of Israel so serious?  The answer to this question can be found in St. Paul's identification of the Rock as the pre-Incarnate Christ, the Christ who speaks of Himself as the One from whom life-giving waters flow to quench the thirsty soul: Let anyone who is thirsty come to me!  Let anyone who believes in me come and drink! (Jn 7:37-38).  Also see Jesus' promise to the woman of Samaria to give her "living water" (Jn 4:10).

The gift of the heavenly bread of the manna prefigured the gift of Christ the "Living Bread" in the Eucharist (Jn 6:32-58) and the command that God's representative must first strike the rock and then speak to the rock to bring forth the water that will sustain life in front of the assembly of the Old Covenant Church prefigured both Christian baptism and the gift of the Eucharist, both sacraments fulfill Jesus' promise that He is the "living water" welling up for eternal life (Jn 4:10-14; 5:8; 7:37-38; 19:34;1 Cor 12:13;  Rev 21:6; 22:17; CCC 694). 

Christ was struck down once and for all time for the sins of man, just as God upon the rock was to be struck once in Exodus 17:6.  But from that one time Christ was struck until the end of time the gift of baptism through water and the spirit and the gift of the bread of life of Christ in the Eucharist is given to the assembly when God's representative speaks to the Rock who is Christ and Christ the "Living Water" becomes present on the altar, giving spiritual life to all who come to Him.

Compare the two passages concerning God's instructions to obtain water from the Rock (the first in Exodus 17:1-7 at the beginning of Israel's covenant relationship with God and the second in Numbers 20:2-11 near the end of their journey) with the miracle of Christ present in the Eucharist.

* in Num 20:8 Moses was commanded to "take the staff/branch" and call the people but in the command in Ex 17:5 Moses was told to "take in your hand the "staff/branch" with which you struck the River" and strike the rock.  It is the same Hebrew word in both passages ( mattah ).  The word means "branch" but since branches were used as staffs, the word can also be translated as "staff."  It is interesting that the translators of the New Jerusalem Bible translate the word as "staff" in Ex 17:5 but as "branch" in Num 20:8.  "The Branch" will become a title for the Messiah in the books of the prophets, but in those references to the Messiah as "the Branch" the Hebrew word most often used is netzer, which may have an etymological link to the name of Jesus' hometown, Nazareth.

Exodus 17:7: He gave the place the names Massah [trial] and Meribah [contention] because of the Israelites' contentiousness and because they put Yahweh to the test by saying, 'Is Yahweh with us, or not?'

It wasn't just a complaint the Israelites made to Moses; the Israelites put their complaint in the form of a challenge to test God's willingness to provide for them (see CCC 2119).

Please read Exodus 17:8-16: The Battle against the Amalekites 17:8 The Amalekites then came and attacked Israel at Rephidim. 9 Moses said to Joshua, 'Pick some men and tomorrow morning go out and engage Amalek.  I, for my part, shall take my stand on the hilltop [mountain] with the staff of God in my hand.' 10 Joshua did as Moses had told him and went out to engage Amalek, while Moses, Aaron and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 As long as Moses kept his arms raised, Israel had the advantage; when he let his arms fall, the advantage went to Amalek. 12 But Moses' arms grew heavy, so they took a stone and put it under him and on this he sat, with Aaron and Hur supporting his arms on each side.  Thus his arms remained unwavering till sunset, 13 and Joshua defeated Amalek, putting their people to the sword. 14 Yahweh then said to Moses, 'Write this down in a book to commemorate it, and repeat it over to Joshua, for I shall blot out all memory of Amalek under heaven.' 15 Moses then built an altar and named it Yahweh-Nissi 16 meaning, 'Lay hold of Yahweh's banner! Yahweh will be at war with Amalek generation after generation.

The Amalekites attacked the Israelites at Rephidim.  The Amalekites were an ancient people first mentioned in the invasion of the kings of Mesopotamia in Genesis 14:4 (also see Num 13:29; 24:20).  They occupied the northern Sinai Peninsula and the Negeb of southern Canaan.  At the time of the Exodus they controlled the caravan routes between Arabia and Egypt ( The Navarre Bible: Pentateuch, page 315).  These people probably saw the opportunity to attack a vulnerable band of refugees and confiscate their herds of livestock.  The Amalekites were considered to be Israel's perennial enemy ( Dt 25:17-18, Judg 1:16; 6:3-5, 33; 12:15; 1 Sam 15:3-9; 27:8, 30:1-2, 11-20) and sometimes served as mercenaries fighting for Israel's enemies (Judg 3:13).  In the reign of King Hezekiah (716-687 BC) the last remnant of the Amalekites were destroyed (1 Chr 4:43). ( 2 )  Esau son of Isaac and brother of Jacob had a grandson named Amalek born to Esau's son Eliphaz and his concubine (Gen 36:12, 16).  This woman was probably an Amalekite who named her son after her people.  The territory of the Amalekites bordered Esau's territory.

This is the first time Joshua is mentioned in the biblical narrative. Originally named Hoshea, Joshua was the son of Nun (Num 13:16).  He was a member of the tribe of Joseph and was a descendant of Joseph's younger son Ephraim, Joshua is listed as a member of that half-tribe (Num 13:8).   Moses changed his name from Hoshea ("salvation") to Yahshua/ Jehoshua ("Yah is salvation") in Numbers 13:16.  Yahshua/Yehosuah is the same name the angel Gabriel will tell the Virgin Mary to name the Son of God (Lk 1:31).  Joshua became Moses' trusted lieutenant (Ex 24:13), and he will be named as Moses' successor, divinely elected by God to lead the children of Israel into the Promised Land (Dt 32:44; Josh 1:1-5).  In all his years of service to the Lord, Joshua's record of obedience was unblemished.  His homily to the assembly of Israel before his death is a testament to his unfailing devotion to God and his fidelity to his life's mission to fulfill God's plans for Israel (Josh 24:1-24).  Chapter 34 of the Book of Deuteronomy and the Book of Joshua are attributed to him.

Hur was an aide of Moses and Aaron and is only mentioned here and in Exodus 24:14.   It appears he was the same Hur who was named in the genealogies of the tribe of Judah (1 Chr 2:50; 4:1, 4).  His name ( hr ) probably derives from the Egyptian hr, "Horus," the Egyptian falcon-headed god (Propp, Exodus, page 617). 

Obedient to Moses' command, Joshua led the Israelite men into battle against the Amalekites while Moses, with his staff in his hand, stood on a hill with his arms raised and stretched out to each side as he prayed for Israel's victory.  This position of prayer is called the Orans or Orante position.  It will become the priestly stance in prayer for the priests of the Old Covenant Church and continues as a stance in prayer for the New Covenant people of God. ( 3 )

Question: How did Moses' position on the hill influence the battle?  How did Aaron and Hur assist Moses? Answer: So long as Moses continued in his intercessory prayer for Israel with his arms raised Joshua and his forces were able to push back their enemy, but whenever his arms fell the Amalekites began to gain dominance over Israel.  In order to help Moses keep his arms raised Aaron and Hur sat Moses on a stone and supported his outstretched arms.  Moses remained in this position until sunset when Joshua and the Israelites finally defeated their enemy.  

In Moses' position: standing on the top of a hill/mountain (and then sitting on a rock), holding his staff in one hand with his arms outstretched, his body forming a cross, and his intercessory prayer leading to victory over Israel's perennial enemy the Amalekites, the Fathers of the Church saw a foreshadow of the Christ on the rock of the hill/mountain top of Golgotha with His outstretched arms on the Cross as He prayed for the salvation of mankind and ultimately won victory over mankind's perennial enemy, Satan.  The Fathers saw Moses' wooden staff as a conduit for God's power in defeating Israel's enemy just as the Cross of Jesus Christ became a conduit for God's power in defeating Satan (see Tertullian, Against Marcion, 3.18; Cyprian , Testimonia 2.21; Gregory of Nazianzus, Oration 2.88).

Exodus 17:14: Yahweh then said to Moses, 'Write this down in a book to commemorate it, and repeat it over to Joshua, for I shall blot out all memory of Amalek under heaven.'  Biblical testimony that there was a written account of the events of the Exodus and a written record of the Law will be repeated eight times in the Pentateuch (Ex 24:4; 34:27; Num 21:14; 31:19, 24; 33:2; Dt 28:58, 61).  Joshua 1:8; 8:30; 10:13 and 24:26 records that there was a document written by Moses and that other events were also recorded by Joshua.  There are also numerous references to a written account by Moses in the other Bible books and Jesus, speaking of Moses' written account of the Pentateuch said: If you really believe him you would believe me too, since it was about me that he was writing; but if you will not believe what he wrote, how can you believe what I say?  (Jn 5:46-37).

Exodus 17:15-16: Moses then built an altar and named it Yahweh-Nissi 16 meaning, 'Lay hold of Yahweh's banner!  Yahweh will be at war with Amalek generation after generation.  This is the first altar built since leaving Egypt.  Moses named the altar "Yahweh Nissi," the meaning in the text is explained as "Lay hold of Yahweh's banner" but the Hebrew word nissi or nes/kes, is otherwise unknown.  The Septuagint translated the word as "cover" ( kruphaia ), from the Hebrew stem k-s-h "to cover up," while St. Jerome translated the word as "chair" or "throne" ( solium ) in his Latin Vulgate ( New Jerusalem, note g, page 103; Propp, Exodus, page 620; JPS Commentary: Exodus, page 250, note 18).  If the Hebrew word is an archaic word for "throne" it may be a message to Israel that Yahweh is Israel's king and it is worship at Yahweh's altar that unites Israel to her King.

Please read Exodus 18:1-12: Jethro Brings Moses' Family to the Israelite Camp 18:1 Jethro, priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law ,  had heard all about what God had done for Moses and for Israel his people" how Yahweh had brought Israel out of Egypt. 2 Jethro, Moses' father-in-law , then took back Zipporah, Moses' wife, whom Moses had sent home, 3 with her two sons; one of them was called Gershom because, he had said, 'I am an alien in a foreign land,' 4 and the other called Eliezer because 'My father's God is my help and has delivered me from Pharaoh's sword.' 5 Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, with Moses' sons and wife, came to Moses in the desert where he was encamped, at the mountain of God. 6 'Here is your father-in-law Jethro approaching', Moses was told, 'with your wife and her two sons.' 7 So Moses went out to greet his father-in-law , bowed low to him and kissed him; and when each had asked how the other was they went into the tent. 8 Moses then told his father-in-law all about what Yahweh had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel's sake, and about all the hardships that they had encountered on the way, and how Yahweh had rescued them. 9 And Jethro was delighted at all Yahweh's goodness to Israel in having rescued them from the clutches of the Egyptians. 10 'Blessed be Yahweh', Jethro exclaimed, 'for having rescued you from the clutches of the Egyptians and the clutches of Pharaoh, for having rescued the people from the grasp of the Egyptians! 11 Now I know that Yahweh is greater than all other gods... 12 Jethro, Moses' father-in-law , then offered a burnt offering and other sacrifices to God; and Aaron and all the elders of Israel came and ate with Moses' father-in-law in the presence of God.

In the "Song of the Sea" there was the prediction that all the peoples of the region would hear of God's mighty works and fear him (Ex 15:14-16).  Moses' father-in-law, the priestly ruler of Midian, heard of God's mighty works for Moses and his people and bringing Moses' wife and children, came to find Moses.  Zipporah must have returned to her own people after the terrifying night described in Exodus 4:24-26.  That Jethro, Moses' "father-in-law," is the central figure in this part of the narrative is evident in the repetition of the word "father-in-law" eight times in the Hebrew text in this section concerning Jethro's arrival and reunification with Moses and another five times in the next section where Jethro advises Moses about his role as Israel's leader.

Exodus 18:5: Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, with Moses' sons and wife, came to Moses in the desert where he was encamped, at the mountain of God.

Question: Where does the reunification between Moses and his Midianite family take place?  See Ex 3:12; 4:27 and 15:17. Answer: The "mountain of God" has to be Mt. Sinai where Moses had the burning bush experience and where God promised to bring Moses and the Israelites after their liberation from Egypt.

Exodus 18:2-4: 2 Jethro, Moses' father-in-law , then took back Zipporah, Moses' wife, whom Moses had sent home, 3 with her two sons; one of them was called Gershom because, he had said, 'I am an alien in a foreign land,' 4 and the other called Eliezer because 'My father's God is my help and has delivered me from Pharaoh's sword.'

The etymology of the names of Moses' two sons sum up his life history living in Midian prior to his divine election as Israel's liberator.  Moses' sons are only mentioned again in 1 Chronicles 23:15-17 and in 26:24-28 along with their sons, and Eliezer's eldest sons' descendants all of whom served as royal treasurers during the United Monarchy.

Exodus 18:10-12: 10 'Blessed be Yahweh', Jethro exclaimed, 'for having rescued you from the clutches of the Egyptians and the clutches of Pharaoh, for having rescued the people from the grasp of the Egyptians! 11 Now I know that Yahweh is greater than all other gods... 12 Jethro, Moses' father-in-law , then offered a burnt offering and other sacrifices to God; and Aaron and all the elders of Israel came and ate with Moses' father-in-law in the presence of God.

Jethro's acknowledgement of Yahweh as the supreme God is seen by many Bible scholars as a declaration of his conversion.  Jethro's profession of faith in Yahweh is followed by his sacrifice of whole burnt offerings ( 'olah ) to Yahweh, offered on the altar built by Moses, and by another sacrifice ( zevah ) in which the victim was eaten in a sacred meal with Moses and the elders of Israel in the presence of God'such a meal is always an act of covenant formation and/or covenant continuation (see Gen 26:30; 31:54; Ex 24:5, 9-11). ( 4 )

Please read Exodus 18:13-27: Moses Appoints the Judges of Israel 18:13 On the following day, Moses took his seat to administer justice for the people, and the people were standing round him from morning till evening. 14 Seeing all he did for the people, Moses' father-in-law said to him, 'Why do you do this for the people, why sit here alone with the people standing round you from morning till evening?' 15 Moses replied to his father-in-law, 'Because the people come to me to consult God. 16 When they have a problem they come to me, and I give a ruling between the one and the other and make God's statutes and laws known to them.' 17 Moses' father-in-law then said to him, 'What you are doing is not right. 18 You will only tire yourself out, and the people with you too, for the work is too heavy for you.  You cannot do it all yourself. 19 Now listen to the advice I am going to give you, and God be with you!  Your task is to represent the people to God, to lay their cases before God, 20 and to teach them the statutes and laws, and show them to way they ought to follow and how they ought to behave. 21 At the same time, from the people at large choose capable and God-fearing men, men who are trust worthy and incorruptible, and put them in charge of them as heads [sar = heads/chiefs/commanders] of thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens, 22 and make them the people's permanent judges. They will refer all important matters to you, but all minor matters they will decide themselves, so making things easier for you by sharing the burden with you. 23 If you do this, and may God so command you, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied.' 24 Moses took his father-in-law's advice and did just as he said. 25 Moses chose capable men from all Israel and put them in charge of the people as heads of thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.  These acted as the people's permanent judges. 26 They referred hard cases to Moses but decided minor matters themselves. 27 Moses then set his father-in-law on his way, and he travelled back to his own country. [..] = literal translation ( Interlinear Bible: Hebrew-English, vol. I, page 190; JPS Commentary: Exodus, page 101; Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon , page 978).

Jethro, an experienced priestly ruler and judge over his people, recognized that Moses had a problem in the way he was managing his human resources.  Moses' inefficient system was having a debilitating effect on Moses and was imposing hardship on the people who were kept waiting for a just hearing concerning their grievances.

Question: Putting himself in the role as Moses' management consultant, what plan did Jethro give Moses for governing the Israelites? Answer: Jethro's recommendations:

• He defined Moses role as the people's mediator to God, as Israel's supreme judge, and as the authoritative teacher of God's statutes and laws.
• He defined the qualifications for Israel's judges and that their duties were to include deciding the people's minor disputes themselves, but they would refer all important decisions to Moses.
• He told Moses to appoint trustworthy men to be in charge of groups of thousands, hundreds, fifties and ten as Israel's permanent judges.

Jethro's plan of organizing a hierarchy of judges over different groups of people may have been the preferred organizational plan for administrating social justice and organizing the military not only for the Midianites but for many other peoples in the region (1 Sam 8:11-12).  This may be why Jethro referred to the judges as sar = "chiefs/ heads/ commanders" in Exodus 18:21; it is the same title that is used for David when he was the captain of King Saul's bodyguard (1 Sam 22:14), David as leader of a band of outlaws (1 Sam 22:2), and for Philistine military leaders (1 Sam 29:2-3). During the period of Israel's United Monarchy, Israel's military forces will be organized under a similar system as the organization of judges proposed by Jethro (1 Sam 22:7-8; 2 Sam 18:1, 4; 2 Chr 1:2).  Jethro's plan is the beginning of the Sanhedrin, the Israelite courts of justice.

Question: What social, spiritual, and moral qualification did Jethro say were necessary for a man to be selected as a judge?  Are such qualifications still relevant today? Answer: The men had to be capable, God-fearing, trustworthy and incorruptible.  These are the same qualifications that we should demand from men and women who are in positions of civil and religious leadership.

Was the Exodus out of Egypt a historical event?

The Exodus experience and the covenant formation at Mt. Sinai are the two major events that define the historical nation of Israel.  The Bible presents the Exodus as a historical event and confirms time and again the significance of the experience that must be commemorated in every Israelite generation as well as the significance of the event in God's plan of salvation history:

• The prologue to the Ten Commandments recited God's mighty acts and faithfulness during the Exodus out of Egypt (Ex 20:2; Dt 5:6).
• The covenant people were commanded to relive the events of the Exodus in their cycle of annual liturgical feasts (Ex 12:26-27; Lev 23:42-43; Dt 16:1).
• The Israelites were commanded to dedicate all first-born sons and animals to God in commemoration and gratitude for the preservation of the first-born on the night of the tenth plague (Ex 13:1-2, 11-16; Num 18:15).
• The covenant people were commanded to show mercy to strangers and the poor living within the borders of Israel  because of their experience living as strangers in Egypt (Ex 22:21; 23:9; Dt 24:17-18).
• Scripture affirms the Exodus out of Egypt was a historical event.  The historical books of the Bible recall the Exodus event (i.e. Josh 5:4-9; Judg 2:1, 12; 1 Sam 2:27; 10:18; 2 Sam 7:6, 23; 1 Kng 6:1; 8:9-53; 2 Kng 17:7; 21:15; 1 Chr 17:21; 2 Chr 5:10; 6:5; Neh 8:9, 15; etc.), as do the poetry and wisdom books (i.e., Ps 78; 81:10; 105; 106; Wis 10:15-11:16; Sir 45:1-6; etc.) and the books of the prophets (i.e.,  Jer 2:6; 7:22; Ez 20:10-12; Hos 12:13; Amos 2:10; Mic 6:4; Hag 2:5; etc.); as do the New Testament books (i.e., Mk 1:44; Lk 20:37; Jn 1:17; 6:30-32; Acts 7:9-40; 13:17; 1 Cor 10:1-5; Heb 11:26-29; Jude 5; etc.)

The Exodus account in the Bible provides accurate information about the regional, cultural, and political situation in Egypt during the New Kingdom period in Egyptian history:

• The account accurately describes the government hierarchy in ancient Egypt
• The labor conditions
• Proper names that date to the period of the 15 th -13 th centuries BC
• The structure of the royal Egyptian court
• Egyptian theology
• An accurate knowledge of the geography of the region
• Magical, cult, and cultural practices of the Egyptians (i.e. embalming; etc.)

These facts cannot be offered as proof that the Exodus occurred, but they do support Sacred Scripture's own testimony as recorded by God's prophet Hosea: When Israel was a child I loved him, and I called my son out of Egypt (Hos 11:1) and Jesus' testimony speaking of Moses: If you really believed in him you would believe me too, since it was about me that he was writing; but if you will not believe what he wrote, how can you believe what I say? (Jn 5:46-47)

Questions for group discussion:

Question: Why didn't God just anticipate the needs of the Israelites on the journey and provide for those needs without allowing the people to suffer from hunger and thirst?  Why did He wait to act until the people suffered and the need was obvious? Answer: The experience of suffering on the journey was the means to teach the Israelites to depend on God and to trust Him to provide for their needs.  If God had anticipated their needs before the people felt hunger or thirst the people wouldn't have been aware that they were in need and they wouldn't have appreciated God's divine providence in meeting their needs.  God also wanted them to turn to Him in prayer and to ask for His provision and protection as a way of building a relationship with Him. 

Question: If Christ came to redeem the world and to defeat sin and death, why do we still have sin and suffering in the world?  Why doesn't God anticipate our needs and eliminate our suffering?  See CCC 164-65, 407-409, 1508, 1521; Mt 5:11-12; Mt 10:38; 16:24; 2 Cor 12:7-10; Col 1:24-25. Answer: It is true that Christ's perfect sacrifice on the altar of the Cross and His work of redemption freed man from slavery to sin and death; however, although the ultimate victory is won, the fight against Satan's influence in the world and the suffering caused by sin goes on.  Sin is still present; sin still causes suffering to the guilty and to the innocent (original sin in the world is a cause of suffering).  But, just as God did not abandon His people in the wilderness journey out of Egypt or on their journey to the Promised Land, so too has He not abandoned us on our journey through the exile of this world on our way to heaven.  Sin can still harm us temporally and unconfessed mortal sin can harm us eternally, but when we turn to God and submit our lives to Him sin has no power over us and God is faithful to His promise to provide for us.  As it was with the Israelites, so is it now with us in that God's desire is to build a relationship with His people.  The suffering and need of the Israelites on the wilderness journey was a way to test their willingness to trust Him, to teach them to depend upon Him and to be obedient to His commands.  Our sufferings in this earthly existence can also be seen as a test of our willingness to trust God and our willingness to be obedient to His commands when through our sufferings we draw closer to Him, taking up our various crosses of suffering and continuing on our journey to salvation.  When we bear our sufferings in faithful obedience to Jesus' command to "take up your cross and follow Me," we become blessed as partners in Christ's work of redemption, joining our sufferings to the Passion of the Savior.  This is what St. Paul spoke of in 2 Cor 12:9-10 and Col 1:24-25.  We must learn that God's grace is sufficient, as God revealed to Paul, and that God's power is made perfect in our admission of weakness when we depend on Him and not on ourselves.  St Paul also came to understand that "in my flesh I complete which is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of His Body, that is, the Church;" Paul's sufferings united to Christ's sufferings became redemptive sufferings that advanced the Church's mission in bringing salvation to the world (CCC 1508 & 1521).

1 . Baal was the chief deity of the Phoenicians, the Canaanites, the Moabites, and the other peoples of the Levant.  In the pantheon of Canaanite gods Baal replaced El as the supreme deity and was described as the "son of El" or the "bull of El."  Baal was worshiped as a mountain storm god who spoke in the thunder and threw lightening bolts. It was for this reason that the Greeks equated Baal to Zeus, the Greek's supreme deity and also a storm god who lived on a mountain (Olympus) and threw thunderbolts ( Anchor Bible Dictionary, vol. I, "Baal," pages 545-49).

2 . In the Book of Esther the Persian minister Haman's hatred of Mordecai (of the tribe of Benjamin) and his people was probably linked to the ancient enmity between Israel and the Amalekites.  Haman was apparently a descendant of Agag, the Amalekite king who was defeated by Israel's King Saul (of the tribe of Benjamin) and beheaded on the orders of Samuel the prophet (1 Sam 15:7-8, 32-33).

3 . From the Latin for "praying," the Orans (or Orante ) position is commonly depicted in Christian art in wall paintings in the Roman Catacombs.  It is a position of prayer still used by Roman Catholics and the Eastern Rites for both the clergy and the laity in communal and private prayer.  In this attitude of prayer the hands are open, palms forward, to offer thanks and praise to God while the arms are raised to the side with the elbows slightly bent.  This attitude of prayer was common to the Old Covenant Church and the high priest assumed this position of prayer in the final priestly benediction at the end of each religious service in Temple worship (see The Catholic Encylclopedia, "Orante", Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1986 edition, page 437).

4 . Throughout the Bible the order of worship is the whole burnt offering ( 'olah ), a sacrifice which was totally consumed on the altar fire, followed by a communion sacrifice in which only part of the animal was offered on God's altar (the blood, fat, and kidneys) and the remainder of the animal was eaten in a sacred meal ( zevah ). The offering to God must always precede what the offerer partakes ( JPS Commentary: Exodus, page 250, note 11; Lev 7:1/11-5/15; 22:21-30).

Michal Hunt, Copyright © 2009 Agape Bible Study. Permissions All Rights Reserved.

Catechism references for this lesson (* indicates Scripture is paraphrased or quoted in the citation)

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Living on the edge takes on a whole new meaning for one woman along the banks of Georgia’s Satilla River.

Meet Katie, who has the TikTok account KayakKatie, and whose mundane chore of taking out the trash is anything but ordinary — with her video documenting the long journey already racking up nearly 8 million views on the social media platform.

Katie and her husband live in complete isolation surrounded by water on all sides.

Donning her trusty “gator waders,” Katie embarks on a weekly adventure that involves navigating through swampy perils, including lurking alligators.

@southernadventurehunter Taking out the trash is a major event! #trash #chores #dailylife #river #flooded #chorelist #satilla #kayak #4wheeler #thingstodo #gatorwaders #tuesday #tuesdayvibes #backwoods #getoutside #mosquitoes #southern #southeast #georgia #dirtroads #gators #snakes #stayhome ♬ original sound – Kayak Katie

With her faithful Chihuahua companion in tow, she loads up her kayak with refuse and sets out across the murky waters.

The odyssey of taking out the trash begins with donning a heavy set of waders, not for fashion, but for survival in the swampy wilderness teeming with alligators.

“Step one: get your gator waders,” Katie narrates in her video, “Step two: get your Chihuahua,” she adds, stuffing her canine companion into her overalls for the adventure ahead.

Once the trash is loaded into the kayak, Katie sets off, navigating the waters with the ease of a seasoned adventurer.

But the journey doesn’t end there. Upon reaching land, she hops on an ATV to complete the trek to the dumpster, only to encounter a locked gate, adding yet another obstacle to overcome.

“Unfortunately, the guys locked it before they left this morning, so I have to walk the rest of the way,” she said.

Undeterred, Katie presses on.

“We made it. No neighbors that way. Neighbors that way,” she quips, surveying her isolated domain.

For Katie, this rugged lifestyle isn’t just about surviving — it’s about thriving. Despite the isolation and the daily trials of living in a flood-prone area (where Hurricane Idalia took place last summer), she finds solace in the beauty and tranquility of her surroundings.

“To me, the struggles are nothing compared to the benefits of being here for our mental and physical health,” she reflects in a separate video. “The bugs, trash runs, gators, snakes, none of that compares to the peace that we feel and serenity and just being relaxed and living an amazing life.” 

@southernadventurehunter Replying to @Its Brittney Bitch #beauty #peace #serenity #calm #relax #nature #satillariver ♬ original sound – Kayak Katie

It didn’t take long for viewers to marvel at this way of living — a house in the middle of a river, completely isolated by water.

“As soon as you said step one was getting your ‘gator waders,’ I knew we were in for a ride,” one viewer remarked, echoing the sentiments of many.

“My husband acts like this is the kind of process he has to go through when I ask him to take out the trash 😭,” another quipped.

“The way my house would just be full of trash bags,” someone else said. 

Katie said she and her husband purchased the home after their two adult kids were on their own.

The Post has reached out to Katie for comment.

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