Bible Commentaries

Nu 33:1-15.

TWO AND FORTY JOURNEYS OF THE ISRAELITES--FROM EGYPT TO SINAI.

1. These are the journeys of the children of Israel--This chapter may be said to form the winding up of the history of the travels of the Israelites through the wilderness; for the three following chapters relate to matters connected with the occupation and division of the promised land. As several apparent discrepancies will be discovered on comparing the records here given of the journeyings from Sinai with the detailed accounts of the events narrated in the Book of Exodus and the occasional notices of places that are found in that of Deuteronomy, it is probable that this itinerary comprises a list of only the most important stations in their journeys--those where they formed prolonged encampments, and whence they dispersed their flocks and herds to pasture on the adjacent plains till the surrounding herbage was exhausted. The catalogue extends from their departure out of Egypt to their arrival on the plains of Moab.

went forth . . . with their armies--that is, a vast multitude marshalled in separate companies, but regular order.

2. Moses wrote their goings out according to their journeys by the commandment of the Lord--The wisdom of this divine order is seen in the importance of the end to which it was subservient--namely, partly to establish the truth of the history, partly to preserve a memorial of God's marvellous interpositions on behalf of Israel, and partly to confirm their faith in the prospect of the difficult enterprise on which they were entering, the invasion of Canaan.

3. Rameses--generally identified with Heroopoils, now the modern Abu-Keisheid (see on

Ex 12:37),

which was probably the capital of Goshen, and, by direction of Moses, the place of general rendezvous previous to their departure.

4. upon their gods--used either according to Scripture phraseology to denote their rulers (the first-born of the king and his princes) or the idolatrous objects of Egyptian worship.

5. pitched in Succoth--that is, "booths"--a place of no note except as a temporary halting place, at Birketel-Hadji, the Pilgrim's Pool [CALMET].

6. Etham--edge, or border of all that part of Arabia-Petræa which lay contiguous to Egypt and was known by the general name of Shur.

7. Pi-hahiroth, Baal-zephon . . . Migdol--(See on

Ex 14:2).

8. Marah--thought to be Ain Howarah, both from its position and the time (three days) it would take them with their children and flocks to march from the water of Ayun Musa to that spot.