Israel’s Journey from Egypt Reviewed

33 These are the journeys of the children of Israel, who went out of the land of Egypt by their armies under the (A)hand of Moses and Aaron. Now Moses wrote down the starting points of their journeys at the command of the Lord. And these are their journeys according to their starting points:

They (B)departed from Rameses in (C)the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the day after the Passover the children of Israel went out (D)with boldness in the sight of all the Egyptians. For the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn, (E)whom the Lord had killed among them. Also (F)on their gods the Lord had executed judgments.

(G)Then the children of Israel moved from Rameses and camped at Succoth. They departed from (H)Succoth and camped at Etham, which is on the edge of the wilderness. (I)They moved from Etham and turned back to Pi Hahiroth, which is east of Baal Zephon; and they camped near Migdol. They departed [a]from before Hahiroth and (J)passed through the midst of the sea into the wilderness, went three days’ journey in the Wilderness of Etham, and camped at Marah. They moved from Marah and (K)came to Elim. At Elim were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees; so they camped there.

10 They moved from Elim and camped by the Red Sea. 11 They moved from the Red Sea and camped in the (L)Wilderness of Sin. 12 They journeyed from the Wilderness of Sin and camped at Dophkah. 13 They departed from Dophkah and camped at Alush. 14 They moved from Alush and camped at (M)Rephidim, where there was no water for the people to drink.

15 They departed from Rephidim and camped in the (N)Wilderness of Sinai. 16 They moved from the Wilderness of Sinai and camped (O)at [b]Kibroth Hattaavah. 17 They departed from Kibroth Hattaavah and (P)camped at Hazeroth. 18 They departed from Hazeroth and camped at (Q)Rithmah. 19 They departed from Rithmah and camped at Rimmon Perez. 20 They departed from Rimmon Perez and camped at Libnah. 21 They moved from Libnah and camped at Rissah. 22 They journeyed from Rissah and camped at Kehelathah. 23 They went from Kehelathah and camped at Mount Shepher. 24 They moved from Mount Shepher and camped at Haradah. 25 They moved from Haradah and camped at Makheloth. 26 They moved from Makheloth and camped at Tahath. 27 They departed from Tahath and camped at Terah. 28 They moved from Terah and camped at Mithkah. 29 They went from Mithkah and camped at Hashmonah. 30 They departed from Hashmonah and (R)camped at Moseroth. 31 They departed from Moseroth and camped at Bene Jaakan. 32 They moved from (S)Bene Jaakan and (T)camped at Hor Hagidgad. 33 They went from Hor Hagidgad and camped at Jotbathah. 34 They moved from Jotbathah and camped at Abronah. 35 They departed from Abronah (U)and camped at Ezion Geber. 36 They moved from Ezion Geber and camped in the (V)Wilderness of Zin, which is Kadesh. 37 They moved from (W)Kadesh and camped at Mount Hor, on the boundary of the land of Edom.

38 Then (X)Aaron the priest went up to Mount Hor at the command of the Lord, and died there in the fortieth year after the children of Israel had come out of the land of Egypt, on the first day of the fifth month. 39 Aaron was one hundred and twenty-three years old when he died on Mount Hor.

40 Now (Y)the king of Arad, the Canaanite, who dwelt in the South in the land of Canaan, heard of the coming of the children of Israel.

41 So they departed from Mount Hor and camped at Zalmonah. 42 They departed from Zalmonah and camped at Punon. 43 They departed from Punon and (Z)camped at Oboth. 44 (AA)They departed from Oboth and camped at Ije Abarim, at the border of Moab. 45 They departed from [c]Ijim and camped (AB)at Dibon Gad. 46 They moved from Dibon Gad and camped at (AC)Almon Diblathaim. 47 They moved from Almon Diblathaim (AD)and camped in the mountains of Abarim, before Nebo. 48 They departed from the mountains of Abarim and (AE)camped in the plains of Moab by the Jordan, across from Jericho. 49 They camped by the Jordan, from Beth Jesimoth as far as the (AF)Abel Acacia Grove[d] in the plains of Moab.

Instructions for the Conquest of Canaan

50 Now the Lord spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan, across from Jericho, saying, 51 “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: (AG)‘When you have crossed the Jordan into the land of Canaan, 52 (AH)then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, destroy all their engraved stones, destroy all their molded images, and demolish all their [e]high places; 53 you shall dispossess the inhabitants of the land and dwell in it, for I have given you the land to (AI)possess. 54 And (AJ)you shall divide the land by lot as an inheritance among your families; to the larger you shall give a larger inheritance, and to the smaller you shall give a smaller inheritance; there everyone’s inheritance shall be whatever falls to him by lot. You shall inherit according to the tribes of your fathers. 55 But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall be that those whom you let remain shall be (AK)irritants in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall harass you in the land where you dwell. 56 Moreover it shall be that I will do to you as I thought to do to them.’ ”

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 33:8 Many Heb. mss., Sam., Syr., Tg., Vg. from Pi Hahiroth; cf. Num. 33:7
  2. Numbers 33:16 Lit. Graves of Craving
  3. Numbers 33:45 Same as Ije Abarim, v. 44
  4. Numbers 33:49 Heb. Abel Shittim
  5. Numbers 33:52 Places for pagan worship

Recounting Israel's Journey

33 These are the stages of the people of Israel, when they went out of the land of Egypt by their companies under the leadership of Moses and Aaron. Moses wrote down their starting places, (A)stage by stage, by command of the Lord, and these are their stages according to their starting places. They (B)set out from Rameses in (C)the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month. On the day after the Passover, the people of Israel went out (D)triumphantly in the sight of all the Egyptians, while the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn, (E)whom the Lord had struck down among them. (F)On their gods also the Lord executed judgments.

So the people of Israel set out from Rameses and camped at (G)Succoth. And they set out from Succoth and camped at (H)Etham, which is on the edge of the wilderness. And they set out from Etham and turned back to (I)Pi-hahiroth, which is east of Baal-zephon, and they camped before Migdol. And they set out from before Hahiroth[a] and (J)passed through the midst of the sea into the wilderness, and they (K)went a three days' journey in the wilderness of Etham and camped at Marah. And they set out from Marah and came to (L)Elim; at Elim there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they camped there. 10 And they set out from Elim and camped by the Red Sea. 11 And they set out from the Red Sea and camped in (M)the wilderness of Sin. 12 And they set out from the wilderness of Sin and camped at Dophkah. 13 And they set out from Dophkah and camped at Alush. 14 And they set out from Alush and camped at (N)Rephidim, where there was no water for the people to drink. 15 And they set out from Rephidim and camped in the (O)wilderness of Sinai. 16 And they set out from the wilderness of Sinai and camped at (P)Kibroth-hattaavah. 17 And they set out from Kibroth-hattaavah and camped at (Q)Hazeroth. 18 And they (R)set out from Hazeroth and camped at Rithmah. 19 And they set out from Rithmah and camped at Rimmon-perez. 20 And they set out from Rimmon-perez and camped at Libnah. 21 And they set out from Libnah and camped at Rissah. 22 And they set out from Rissah and camped at Kehelathah. 23 And they set out from Kehelathah and camped at Mount Shepher. 24 And they set out from Mount Shepher and camped at Haradah. 25 And they set out from Haradah and camped at Makheloth. 26 And they set out from Makheloth and camped at Tahath. 27 And they set out from Tahath and camped at Terah. 28 And they set out from Terah and camped at Mithkah. 29 And they set out from Mithkah and camped at Hashmonah. 30 And they set out from Hashmonah and camped at Moseroth. 31 And they set out from Moseroth and camped at (S)Bene-jaakan. 32 And they set out from Bene-jaakan and camped at (T)Hor-haggidgad. 33 And they set out from Hor-haggidgad and camped at (U)Jotbathah. 34 And they set out from Jotbathah and camped at Abronah. 35 And they set out from Abronah and camped at (V)Ezion-geber. 36 And they set out from Ezion-geber and camped in the (W)wilderness of Zin (that is, Kadesh). 37 And they set out from (X)Kadesh and camped at (Y)Mount Hor, on the edge of the land of Edom.

38 And Aaron the priest went up (Z)Mount Hor at the command of the Lord and died there, in the fortieth year after the people of Israel had come out of the land of Egypt, on the first day of the fifth month. 39 And Aaron was (AA)123 years old when he died on Mount Hor.

40 And (AB)the Canaanite, the king of Arad, who lived in the Negeb in the land of Canaan, heard of the coming of the people of Israel.

41 And they set out from Mount Hor and camped at Zalmonah. 42 And they set out from Zalmonah and camped at Punon. 43 And they set out from Punon and camped at (AC)Oboth. 44 And they set out from Oboth and camped at (AD)Iye-abarim, in the territory of Moab. 45 And they set out from Iyim and camped at (AE)Dibon-gad. 46 And they set out from Dibon-gad and camped at Almon-diblathaim. 47 And they set out from Almon-diblathaim (AF)and camped in the mountains of Abarim, before Nebo. 48 And they set out from the mountains of Abarim and camped in (AG)the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho; 49 they camped by the Jordan from Beth-jeshimoth as far as (AH)Abel-shittim in the plains of Moab.

Drive Out the Inhabitants

50 And the Lord spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying, 51 “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, (AI)When you pass over the Jordan into the land of Canaan, 52 then (AJ)you shall drive out (AK)all the inhabitants of the land from before you and destroy all their (AL)figured stones and destroy all their metal images and demolish all their high places. 53 And you shall take possession of the land and settle in it, for I have given the land to you to possess it. 54 (AM)You shall inherit the land by lot according to your clans. (AN)To a large tribe you shall give a large inheritance, and to a small tribe you shall give a small inheritance. Wherever the lot falls for anyone, that shall be his. According to the tribes of your fathers you shall inherit. 55 But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those of them whom you let remain shall be as (AO)barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall trouble you in the land where you dwell. 56 And I will do to you (AP)as I thought to do to them.”

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 33:8 Some manuscripts and versions Pi-hahiroth

33 These are the journeys of the children of Israel, which went forth out of the land of Egypt with their armies under the hand of Moses and Aaron.

And Moses wrote their goings out according to their journeys by the commandment of the Lord: and these are their journeys according to their goings out.

And they departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the morrow after the passover the children of Israel went out with an high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians.

For the Egyptians buried all their firstborn, which the Lord had smitten among them: upon their gods also the Lord executed judgments.

And the children of Israel removed from Rameses, and pitched in Succoth.

And they departed from Succoth, and pitched in Etham, which is in the edge of the wilderness.

And they removed from Etham, and turned again unto Pihahiroth, which is before Baalzephon: and they pitched before Migdol.

And they departed from before Pihahiroth, and passed through the midst of the sea into the wilderness, and went three days'journey in the wilderness of Etham, and pitched in Marah.

And they removed from Marah, and came unto Elim: and in Elim were twelve fountains of water, and threescore and ten palm trees; and they pitched there.

10 And they removed from Elim, and encamped by the Red sea.

11 And they removed from the Red sea, and encamped in the wilderness of Sin.

12 And they took their journey out of the wilderness of Sin, and encamped in Dophkah.

13 And they departed from Dophkah, and encamped in Alush.

14 And they removed from Alush, and encamped at Rephidim, where was no water for the people to drink.

15 And they departed from Rephidim, and pitched in the wilderness of Sinai.

16 And they removed from the desert of Sinai, and pitched at Kibrothhattaavah.

17 And they departed from Kibrothhattaavah, and encamped at Hazeroth.

18 And they departed from Hazeroth, and pitched in Rithmah.

19 And they departed from Rithmah, and pitched at Rimmonparez.

20 And they departed from Rimmonparez, and pitched in Libnah.

21 And they removed from Libnah, and pitched at Rissah.

22 And they journeyed from Rissah, and pitched in Kehelathah.

23 And they went from Kehelathah, and pitched in mount Shapher.

24 And they removed from mount Shapher, and encamped in Haradah.

25 And they removed from Haradah, and pitched in Makheloth.

26 And they removed from Makheloth, and encamped at Tahath.

27 And they departed from Tahath, and pitched at Tarah.

28 And they removed from Tarah, and pitched in Mithcah.

29 And they went from Mithcah, and pitched in Hashmonah.

30 And they departed from Hashmonah, and encamped at Moseroth.

31 And they departed from Moseroth, and pitched in Benejaakan.

32 And they removed from Benejaakan, and encamped at Horhagidgad.

33 And they went from Horhagidgad, and pitched in Jotbathah.

34 And they removed from Jotbathah, and encamped at Ebronah.

35 And they departed from Ebronah, and encamped at Eziongaber.

36 And they removed from Eziongaber, and pitched in the wilderness of Zin, which is Kadesh.

37 And they removed from Kadesh, and pitched in mount Hor, in the edge of the land of Edom.

38 And Aaron the priest went up into mount Hor at the commandment of the Lord, and died there, in the fortieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the first day of the fifth month.

39 And Aaron was an hundred and twenty and three years old when he died in mount Hor.

40 And king Arad the Canaanite, which dwelt in the south in the land of Canaan, heard of the coming of the children of Israel.

41 And they departed from mount Hor, and pitched in Zalmonah.

42 And they departed from Zalmonah, and pitched in Punon.

43 And they departed from Punon, and pitched in Oboth.

44 And they departed from Oboth, and pitched in Ijeabarim, in the border of Moab.

45 And they departed from Iim, and pitched in Dibongad.

46 And they removed from Dibongad, and encamped in Almondiblathaim.

47 And they removed from Almondiblathaim, and pitched in the mountains of Abarim, before Nebo.

48 And they departed from the mountains of Abarim, and pitched in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho.

49 And they pitched by Jordan, from Bethjesimoth even unto Abelshittim in the plains of Moab.

50 And the Lord spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying,

51 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye are passed over Jordan into the land of Canaan;

52 Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their pictures, and destroy all their molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places:

53 And ye shall dispossess the inhabitants of the land, and dwell therein: for I have given you the land to possess it.

54 And ye shall divide the land by lot for an inheritance among your families: and to the more ye shall give the more inheritance, and to the fewer ye shall give the less inheritance: every man's inheritance shall be in the place where his lot falleth; according to the tribes of your fathers ye shall inherit.

55 But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell.

56 Moreover it shall come to pass, that I shall do unto you, as I thought to do unto them.

Stages of Israel’s Journey from Egypt

33 Here’s the travel itinerary[a] for the Israelis after they left the land of Egypt in groups under the authority of Moses and Aaron. Moses recorded their departures in their travels after being commanded[b] to do so by the Lord. Here’s a list of their travels based on[c] their departures:

They departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of that first month. The day[d] after the Passover, the Israelis came out confidently,[e] and all the Egyptians watched them leave, while they were burying their firstborn, whom the Lord had killed among them. The Lord also executed justice against their gods.

Then the Israelis traveled from Rameses and rested[f] in Succoth.

They traveled from Succoth, then rested in Etham, which is at the outskirts of the wilderness.

They traveled from Etham but turned back to Pi-hahiroth, which is outside of[g] Baal-zephon.

They rested outside of Migdol. They traveled from Hahiroth and passed through the midst of the sea to the wilderness. They were on the road three days in the wilderness of Etham, then rested in Marah.

They traveled from Marah and arrived at Elim. In Elim there were twelve wells[h] of water and 70 palm trees, so they rested there.

10 They traveled from Elim, then rested by the Reed[i] Sea.

11 They traveled from the Reed[j] Sea, then rested in the Wilderness of Zin.

12 They traveled from the Wilderness of Zin, then rested in Dophkah.

13 They traveled from Dophkah, then rested in Alush.

14 They traveled from Alush, then rested in Rephidim, but there was no water there for the people to drink.

15 They traveled from Rephidim, then rested in the Wilderness of Sinai.

16 They traveled from the Wilderness of Sinai, then rested in Kibroth-hattaavah.

17 They traveled from Kibroth-hattaavah, then rested in Hazeroth.

18 They traveled from Hazeroth, then rested in Rithmah.

19 They traveled from Rithmah, then rested in Rimmon-perez.

20 They traveled from Rimmon-perez, then rested in Libnah.

21 They traveled from Libnah, then rested in Rissah.

22 They traveled from Rissah, then rested in Kehelathah.

23 They traveled from Kehelathah, then rested at Mount Shepher.

24 They traveled from Mount Shepher, then rested in Haradah.

25 They traveled from Haradah, then rested in Makheloth.

26 They traveled from Makheloth, then rested in Tahath.

27 They traveled from Tahath, then rested in Terah.

28 They traveled from Terah, then rested in Mithkah.

29 They traveled from Mithkah, then rested in Hashmonah.

30 They traveled from Hashmonah, then rested in Moseroth.

31 They traveled from Moseroth, then rested in Bene-jaakan.

32 They traveled from Bene-jaakan, then rested in Hor-haggidgad.

33 They traveled from Hor-haggidgad, then rested in Jotbathah.

34 They traveled from Jotbathah, then rested in Abronah.

35 They traveled from Abronah, then rested in Ezion-geber.

36 They traveled from Ezion-geber, then rested in the Wilderness of Zin, which is also known as Kadesh.

37 They traveled from Kadesh, then rested in Mount Hor at the outskirts of the land of Edom.

38 Then Aaron the priest ascended Mount Hor in obedience to the Lord’s command and died there, in the fortieth year after the Israelis had come out of the land of Egypt, on the first day of the fifth month. 39 Aaron was 123 years old when he died on Mount Hor.

40 Meanwhile, the Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the Negev[k] in the land of Canaan, heard of the approach of the Israelis, 41 who had traveled from Mount Hor and then rested in Zalmonah.

42 They traveled from Zalmonah, then rested in Punon.

43 They traveled from Punon, then rested in Oboth.

44 They traveled from Oboth, then rested in Iye-abarim at the outskirts of Moab.

45 They traveled from Iyim, then rested in Dibon-gad.

46 They traveled from Dibon-gad, then rested in Almon-diblathaim.

47 They traveled from Almon-diblathaim, then rested in the mountains of Abarim, facing Nebo.

48 They traveled from the mountains of Abarim, then rested in the plains of Moab by the Jordan River, across from Jericho.

49 They rested by the Jordan River in the area from Beth-jeshimoth to Abel-shittim in the plains of Moab.

50 Then the Lord told Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan River, across from Jericho, 51 “Tell the Israelis that when they have crossed the Jordan River to the land of Canaan, 52 they are to drive out all the inhabitants of the land and destroy all their idols and their molten images. You are to demolish all their high places, 53 take possession of the land, and live in it, because I’ve given you the land to inherit. 54 You are to divide the land among yourselves by lot according to your families. The larger the families are in number,[l] the larger their inheritance is to be. The fewer the families are in number,[m] the lesser their inheritance is to be. To whomever the lot falls, that inheritance goes to him. Divide it according to your ancestral tribes. 55 But if you fail to drive out the inhabitants of the land before you, their survivors will become irritants in your eyes and thorns in your sides, to prick your sides and afflict you in the very land in which you’ll be living. 56 Then, what I had planned to do to them, I’ll start to do to you.”

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 33:1 Lit. travel in stages
  2. Numbers 33:2 Lit. mouth
  3. Numbers 33:2 Lit. according to
  4. Numbers 33:3 Lit. morrow
  5. Numbers 33:3 Lit. with a high hand
  6. Numbers 33:5 Or encamped and so throughout the chapter
  7. Numbers 33:7 Lit. before; and so throughout the chapter
  8. Numbers 33:9 Or springs
  9. Numbers 33:10 So MT; LXX reads Red
  10. Numbers 33:11 So MT; LXX reads Red
  11. Numbers 33:40 I.e. the southern region of Israel; cf. Josh 10:40
  12. Numbers 33:54 The Heb. lacks the families are in number
  13. Numbers 33:54 The Heb. lacks the families are in number