Read & explore together
Israel's Wilderness Journey Stops
Numbers 33:1–49 is a travel record of Israel’s journey from Egypt to the plains of Moab. Rather than retelling every event, this passage lists stopping places and marks a few important notes along the way.
Understanding the passage
Understanding this record
The passage says Moses wrote the starting points of these journeys by Yahweh’s command. It begins with Israel leaving Rameses after the Passover and ends with the camp by the Jordan at Jericho. Along the way, the record pauses to note the sea crossing, a few camp details, Aaron’s death, and the king of Arad hearing of Israel’s coming.
Numbers 33:1–49Main takeaway
This journey record shows that Israel’s path from Egypt to the plains of Moab was carefully remembered, with key stages and notes preserved under Yahweh’s command.
Explore the record
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01A written record of the journeyThe chapter opens by calling these places “the journeys of the children of Israel” as they left Egypt under Moses and Aaron.
Explanation
The chapter opens by calling these places “the journeys of the children of Israel” as they left Egypt under Moses and Aaron. It also says Moses wrote their starting points by Yahweh’s commandment. This means the list is intentional. It records where they set out and where they camped, stage by stage.
02The journey begins with a public departureThe list starts at Rameses on the day after the Passover. Israel went out “with a high hand” in the sight of all the Egyptians.
Explanation
The list starts at Rameses on the day after the Passover. Israel went out “with a high hand” in the sight of all the Egyptians. At the same time, the Egyptians were burying their firstborn, and Yahweh had executed judgments on their gods. The opening stresses the seriousness of this departure from Egypt.
03A long list with a few places highlightedMost verses repeat a simple pattern: they travelled and encamped. A few stops include extra detail.
Explanation
Most verses repeat a simple pattern: they travelled and encamped. A few stops include extra detail. Israel crossed through the middle of the sea into the wilderness, Elim had twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and Rephidim had no water for the people to drink. These details make certain stages stand out in the itinerary.
04Later notes near the end of the routeThe record pauses again at Mount Hor, where Aaron died at Yahweh’s command in the fortieth year after Israel came out of Egypt, aged one hundred twenty-three years.
Explanation
The record pauses again at Mount Hor, where Aaron died at Yahweh’s command in the fortieth year after Israel came out of Egypt, aged one hundred twenty-three years. It also notes that the Canaanite king of Arad, living in the South in Canaan, heard of Israel’s coming. These are distinct notes within the travel list.
05The journey stops by the JordanAfter further stages through Zalmonah, Punon, Oboth, border regions of Moab, and the mountains of Abarim, Israel camped in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.
Explanation
After further stages through Zalmonah, Punon, Oboth, border regions of Moab, and the mountains of Abarim, Israel camped in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho. The final line gives the spread of the camp from Beth Jeshimoth to Abel Shittim. The list ends with Israel beside the Jordan.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01Why does the passage say Moses wrote these journeys down?
Look at the opening explanation that Moses wrote the starting points by Yahweh’s commandment, showing this list was meant to be kept as a record.
02Which stopping places receive extra description, and what details are added about them?
Notice the added notes about the sea crossing, Elim’s springs and palm trees, and Rephidim’s lack of water instead of only the usual travel formula.
03What extra notices appear near the end of the itinerary before the camp by the Jordan?
Read carefully for the note about Aaron’s death and the separate statement that the Canaanite king of Arad heard of Israel’s coming.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Numbers 33:1–49
1These are the journeys of the children of Israel, when they went out of the land of Egypt by their armies under the hand of Moses and Aaron.
2Moses wrote the starting points of their journeys by the commandment of Yahweh. These are their journeys according to their starting points.
3They traveled from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the next day after the Passover, the children of Israel went out with a high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians,
4while the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn, whom Yahweh had struck among them. Yahweh also executed judgments on their gods.
5The children of Israel traveled from Rameses, and encamped in Succoth.
6They traveled from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, which is in the edge of the wilderness.
7They traveled from Etham, and turned back to Pihahiroth, which is before Baal Zephon, and they encamped before Migdol.
8They traveled from before Hahiroth, and crossed through the middle of the sea into the wilderness. They went three days’ journey in the wilderness of Etham, and encamped in Marah.
9They traveled from Marah, and came to Elim. In Elim, there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they encamped there.
10They traveled from Elim, and encamped by the Red Sea.
11They traveled from the Red Sea, and encamped in the wilderness of Sin.
12They traveled from the wilderness of Sin, and encamped in Dophkah.
13They traveled from Dophkah, and encamped in Alush.
14They traveled from Alush, and encamped in Rephidim, where there was no water for the people to drink.
15They traveled from Rephidim, and encamped in the wilderness of Sinai.
16They traveled from the wilderness of Sinai, and encamped in Kibroth Hattaavah.
17They traveled from Kibroth Hattaavah, and encamped in Hazeroth.
18They traveled from Hazeroth, and encamped in Rithmah.
19They traveled from Rithmah, and encamped in Rimmon Perez.
20They traveled from Rimmon Perez, and encamped in Libnah.
21They traveled from Libnah, and encamped in Rissah.
22They traveled from Rissah, and encamped in Kehelathah.
23They traveled from Kehelathah, and encamped in Mount Shepher.
24They traveled from Mount Shepher, and encamped in Haradah.
25They traveled from Haradah, and encamped in Makheloth.
26They traveled from Makheloth, and encamped in Tahath.
27They traveled from Tahath, and encamped in Terah.
28They traveled from Terah, and encamped in Mithkah.
29They traveled from Mithkah, and encamped in Hashmonah.
30They traveled from Hashmonah, and encamped in Moseroth.
31They traveled from Moseroth, and encamped in Bene Jaakan.
32They traveled from Bene Jaakan, and encamped in Hor Haggidgad.
33They traveled from Hor Haggidgad, and encamped in Jotbathah.
34They traveled from Jotbathah, and encamped in Abronah.
35They traveled from Abronah, and encamped in Ezion Geber.
36They traveled from Ezion Geber, and encamped at Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.
37They traveled from Kadesh, and encamped in Mount Hor, in the edge of the land of Edom.
38Aaron the priest went up into Mount Hor at the commandment of Yahweh and died there, in the fortieth year after the children of Israel had come out of the land of Egypt, in the fifth month, on the first day of the month.
39Aaron was one hundred twenty-three years old when he died in Mount Hor.
40The Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the South in the land of Canaan, heard of the coming of the children of Israel.
41They traveled from Mount Hor, and encamped in Zalmonah.
42They traveled from Zalmonah, and encamped in Punon.
43They traveled from Punon, and encamped in Oboth.
44They traveled from Oboth, and encamped in Iye Abarim, in the border of Moab.
45They traveled from Iyim, and encamped in Dibon Gad.
46They traveled from Dibon Gad, and encamped in Almon Diblathaim.
47They traveled from Almon Diblathaim, and encamped in the mountains of Abarim, before Nebo.
48They traveled from the mountains of Abarim, and encamped in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.
49They encamped by the Jordan, from Beth Jeshimoth even to Abel Shittim in the plains of Moab.