September 3, 2025 • 17 mins
Explore one of the most pivotal periods in Old Testament history with The Exodus and Wilderness Wanderings. This enlightening journey begins in the shadows of Egypt, where centuries of silence and Divine forgetfulness are shattered by miraculous events that lead to Israels liberation and the fall of Pharaohs empire. Experience the birth of the Israelite nation on that fateful Paschal night, marked by the blood of sacrifice. As they are guided to Mount Sinai, discover the laws, ordinances, and divine guidance that shape their identity. This narrative not only recounts the ancient history of Gods chosen people but also serves as a profound metaphor for the redemption and sanctification of the Church. By integrating archaeological insights and contemporary geographical research, Ive aimed to vividly illustrate the circumstances of their journey, allowing you to visualize the landscapes and experiences of the Israelites as they wander toward their promised inheritance.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Chapter twenty of The Bible History, Volume two, The Exodus
and the Wanderings in the Wilderness. This is a LibriVox recording.
A LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more
information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox DoD Worg read
by Tatiana Chichilla. The Bible History, Volume two, The Exodus
and the Wanderings in the Wilderness by Alfred Ettersheim. The
(00:21):
Second Gathering of Israel and Kadesh, the sin of Moses
and Aaron embassy to Edam, death of Erin retreat of
Israel from the borders of Edam, attack by the Canaanitish
king of Arad. It was indeed most fitting that at
the end of the thirty seven years Wanderings, Israel should
once more gather at Kadesh. There they had been scattered
when the evil report which the Spies had brought led
(00:43):
to their unbelief and rebellion. And thence had the old
generation carried, as it were, its sentence of death back
into the wilderness, till during these long and weary years
its full term had been exhausted. And now a generation
was once more at Kadesh from the very spot where
the old was broken off the fresh start to be made.
God is faithful to his purpose. He never breaks off.
(01:04):
If the old was interrupted, it had been by man's
unbelief and rebellion, not by failure on the part of God.
And when he resumed his work, it was exactly where
it had been so broken off. And man also must
return to where he has departed from God, and to
where the sentence has been pronounced against him before he
enters on his new journey to the land of promise.
But what solemn thoughts might not have been expected in
this new generation, as they once more stood ready to
(01:27):
resume their journeying on the spot where that of their
fathers had been arrested. As he had sanctified his name
in Kadesh by judgment, would they now sanctify it by
their faith and willing obedience. Besides Joshua and Caleb, to
whom entrance into the land had been specially promised, only
three of the old generations still remained. These were Miriam, Moses,
and Aaron, And now just at the commencement of this
(01:49):
fresh start, as if the more solemnly to remind them
of the past. Miriam, who had led the hymn of
thanksgiving and triumph on their first entering the desert was
taken away. Only Moses and Aaron were now left, weary,
way worn pilgrims to begin a new journey with new
pilgrims who had to learn afresh the dealings of Jehovah.
And this may help us understand what happened at the
very outset of their pilgrimage. Israel was in Kadesh, or
(02:12):
rather in the desert of Zinn, the name Kadesh applying
probably to the whole district as well as to a
special locality. So large a number of people gathered in
one place would naturally soon suffer from want of water.
Let it also be remembered that that generation knew of
the wonders of the Lord, chiefly by the hearing of
the ear, but of his judgments by what they had
seen of death sweeping away all who had come out
(02:32):
of Egypt. In the hardness of their hearts, it now
seemed to them as if the prospect before them were hopeless,
and they destined to suffer the same fate as their fathers.
Something of this unbelieving despair appears in their cry, would God,
that we had died when our brethren died before Jehovah,
that is, by divine judgment. During these years of wandering,
(02:52):
the remembrance of the past, with its disappointments, seems to
find expression in their complaints Chapter twenty, verse five. It
is as if they contract did the day of their
nation in Egypt, and the hopes awakened on leaving it,
with the disappointment of seeing the good land almost within
their grasp and then being turned back to die in
the wilderness. And so the people broke forth in rebellion
against Moses and against Arin. Feeling similar to theirs, seemed
(03:14):
to have taken hold even on Moses and Arin, but
in a different direction. The people despaired of success and
rebelled against Moses and Arin. With them as leaders, they
would never get possession of the land of Promise. On
the other hand, Moses and Aaron also despaired of success
and rebelled, as it were, against the people. Such an
unbelieving people rebelling at the very outset, would never be
allowed to enter the land. The people felt as if
(03:36):
the prospect before them were hopeless, and so did Moses
and Arin. Although on opposite grounds, as we have said,
the people rebelled against Moses and Aaron, and Moses and
Arin against the people. But at bottom, the ground of
despair and of rebellion, both on the same part of
the people and of Moses, was precisely the same. In
both cases it was really unbelief of God. The people
had looked upon Moses and not upon God as their
(03:57):
leader into the land, and they had despaired. Moses looked
at the people as they were in themselves, instead of
thinking of God, who now sent them forward, secure in
his promise which he would assuredly fulfill. This soon appeared
in the conduct and language of Moses by a divine direction.
He was to stand in sight of the people at
the rock before their eyes, with the rod from before Jehovah,
(04:18):
no doubt, the same with which the miracles had been
wrought in Egypt, and under whose stroke water had once
before sprung from the rock at Rafeedum. It is generally
thought that the sin of Moses in which Erin shared
consisted in his striking the rock and doing so twice
instead of merely speaking to it, and it shall give
forth its water, and also in the hasty and improper
(04:38):
language which he used on the occasion. Here now ye rebels,
must we fetch you water out of this rock? Footnote.
The great rabbinical interpreter Rashi accounts for the twice striking
by supposing that Moses went to the wrong rock, when
at the first stroke only a few drops came, but
at the second abundance of water. He finds the sin
of Moses in his striking instead of speaking, since the
(04:58):
people would in all latter case have argued, if the rock,
which neither speaks, hears, nor needs nourishment, obeys the voice
of God, how much more are we bound so to do?
The Jerusalem targum has it that at the first stroke
blood came from the rock. End of footnote. But it
seems difficult to accept this view. On the one hand,
we can scarcely imagine that unbelief should have led Moses
(05:19):
to strike rather than to speak to the rock, as
if the former would have been more efficacious than the latter.
On the other hand, it seems strains that Moses should
have been directed to take the rod if he were
not to have used it, the more so as this
had been the divinely sanctioned mode of proceeding at refudum. Lastly,
how in that case could erin have been implicated in
the sin of Moses. Of course, the striking the rock twice,
(05:41):
as we read in Psalm one hundred and seven verses
thirty two to thirty three, evidence that they had angered
Moses and that his spirit was provoked. This also showed
itself in his language, which Scripture thus characterizes he spake
unadvisedly with his lips, or, as the word literally means,
he babbled. Be it observed that Moses is not anywhere
(06:02):
in scripture blamed for striking instead of speaking to the roc,
while it is expressly stated that the people angered him
also at the waters of strife, so that it went
ill with Moses for their sakes. The other aspect of
the sin of Moses was afterwards expressly stated by the
Lord himself when he pronounced on Moses and Aaron the
(06:23):
sentence that they should not bring this congregation into the
land which he had given them on this ground because
ye believed me not to sanctify me in the eyes
of the children of Israel, Chapter twenty, verse twelve. Thus,
in their rebellion against Moses and Aaron, the people had
not believed that Jehovah would bring them into the land
which He had given them, while in their anger at
the people, Moses and Aaron had not believed God to
(06:46):
sanctify him in his power and grace in the eyes
of the children of Israel. Israel failed as the people
of God. Moses as their mediator. Hitherto, Moses had under
every provocation, been faithful as a steward over his charge
and pleaded with God, prevailed because he believed. Now for
the first time, Moses failed, as we all fail, through unbelief,
looking at the sin of the people and thence inferring
(07:08):
the impossibility of their inheriting the promises, instead of looking
at the grace and power of God which made all
things possible, and at the certainty of the promise. Unlike
Abraham in similar circumstances, he staggered at the promises, and,
having through unbelief, failed as mediator of the people, his
office was to cease, and the conduct of Israel into
the land to devolve upon another. It is only in
(07:30):
this sense that we can accept the common statement that
the sin of Moses was official rather than personal. For
these two, office or work and person cannot be separated,
either as regards responsibility or duty. Rather, would we think
of Moses and Aaron as aged pilgrims, worn with a
long way through the wilderness and footsore with its roughnesses
and stones, whose strength momentarily failed when the weary journey
(07:52):
was once more resumed, and who, in their weariness, stumbled
at the rock of offense. Yet few events possessed deeper
pathos than this babbling at the waders of Merabah. Its
true parallel is found not in the Old but in
the New Testament. It is true that, in similar circumstances,
Elijah also despaired of Israel and was directed to the
Mount of God, there to learn the same lesson as
(08:12):
Moses before. Like him, he was unclothed of his office.
But the full counterpart to the temptation of Moses is
presented in the history of John the Baptist, When doubting
not the person but the mode of working of the Messiah,
and despairing from what he saw and heard of the
fulfillment of the promise at that time and among that generation,
he sent his disciples on that memorable embassy, just before
(08:33):
he also was unclothed of his office. This is not
the place to follow the subject further, suffice it to
point out on the one hand Moses, Elijah, John the Baptist,
and on the other Joshua Alicia and our blessed Lord,
as the types and anti types presented to us in
the Scripture. Before leaving Kedesh, Moses sent messengers to the
King of Edam, and also, as we learn from Judges
(08:55):
chapter eleven, verse seventeen, to the King of Moab, whose
dominions lay to the north of Edam, asking permission for
Israel to pass through their countries. Footnote. The reply of
the King of Moab is not mentioned in scripture, because
upon the refusal of Edam, even his permission would have
been of no use, as the road to Moab lay
through Edam end footnote. A glance at the map will
(09:15):
show that this would have been the most direct route
if Palestine was to be entered from the other side
Jordan at Jericho. Certainly, it was the easiest route as
it avoided contact with those who held the Negeb or
South country, who thirty seven years before had met Israel
in hostile conflict and signally defeated them. But in vain,
Moses urged upon dam the claims of national kinship Israel's
(09:36):
past sufferings in Egypt and their marvelous deliverance and guidance
by the Angel of Jehovah in Vain. Also did he
limit his request to permission to use the ordinary caravan road,
the King's Highway, without straying either to the right or
the left, adding the promise of payment for the use
of the wells. The children of Esau not only absolutely refused,
but hastily gathered an army of observation on their borders. Meantime,
(09:59):
while the messengers of Moses had gone on their embassy,
the camp of Israel had moved forward to what may
be described as the uttermost of the border of Edam.
A day's journey eastward from Kendesh through the wide and
broad Wadi Murrah suddenly rises a remarkable mountain, quite isolated
and prominent, which Canon Williams describes as singularly formed, and
the late professor Robinson Li likens to a lofty citadel.
(10:22):
Its present name, Modera, preserves the ancient biblical Mozara, which,
from a comparison of numbers chapter twenty, verses twenty two
to twenty nine with Deuteronomy chapter ten, verse six, we
know to have been only another designation for Mount hor
In fact, Mount Horror or Hoorja Hoorr mountain. The mountain
just means the remarkable mountain. This was the natural route
(10:43):
for Israel to take if they hoped to pass through
Edam by the King's highway, the present Wadi Guerre, which
would have led them by way of Moab easily and
straight to the other side of the Jordan. It was
natural for them here to halt and await the reply
of the King of Edam. For while Madera lies at
the very boundary, but still outside Edim, it is also
at the entrance to the various waddis or roads, which
(11:03):
thence open east, south and southwest, so that the children
of Israel might thence take any route which circumstances would indicate. Moreover,
from the height of Modera, they would be able to
observe any hostile movement that might be directed against them,
whether from the east by Edam, or from the north
and west by the Amlkites and Canaanites. From what has
been said, it will be gathered that we regardless as
Mount hor where Erin died. Footnote. The traditional site for
(11:27):
Mount Hore is Jebel Haroun, close by Petra, the capital
of Edam. To state is already to refute a supposition
which implies that Israel had asked to leave the pass
through Edam, and then, without awaiting the reply, marched into
a heart of Edam and camped for thirty days close
by its capital. Moreover, it is difficult to understand what
could have been the object of going so far south
if Israel hoped, as at the time they did, to
(11:50):
strike through the nearest practicable wadi, the road that led
northward through Edam and Moab to the ford of Jordan.
In that case, Jebel Haroun would have been far out
of their way. Finally, it is impossible to arrange the
chronological succession of events as given in the Bible, except
on the supposition that Modera was Mount war. For if
the camp of Israel had been near Petra, there could
have been no reason for the king of a Rad
(12:10):
to dread their forcing their way through his territory Numbers
Chapter twenty one, verse one, even as it seems most
unlikely that he should have reached so far southeast as
Petra to attack Israel. Accordingly, interpreters who regard General Heron
as Mount Hoar are obliged to suppose that the attack
of the King of Arad had taken place earlier, say
at the period indicated in numbers Chapter twenty, verse twenty two.
(12:32):
But in that case it is difficult to imagine how
the king could have heard that Israel was coming by
the way of the spies, seeing they were taking exactly
the opposite direction, and had just requested permission to pass
through Etam. Against these weighty reasons, we have only the
authority of tradition in favor of Harun. On the other hand,
all becomes plain and easily understood if we regard Modera
as mount War, and the whole narrative in its chronological
(12:54):
succession in scripture is just what we should have expected.
The reader who wishes further information is referred to the
admirable work of the late Reverend E. Wilton on the
Negeb or South Country of Scripture, pages one, twenty six
through and thirty four, and the excellent map attached to
it and footnote. Thus, speedily within a day's journey of
the place of his sin was the divine sentence upon
Aarin executed. There is a solemn grandeur about this narrative,
(13:17):
befitting the occasion, and in condition with the locality, in
sight of all the congregation, these three Moses, Aaron and
Eliezar went up the mount in his full priestly dress,
walked erin to his burial. He knew it, and so
did all in that camp, who now for the last
time reverently and silently looked upon the venerable figure of
him who these forty years administered unto them in holy things. Footnote.
(13:40):
According to Numbers, chapter thirty three, verse thirty seven, et cetera,
Aaron died on the first day of the fifth month
of the fortieth year after the exodus, and at the
age of one hundred and twenty three years and footnote,
there was no farewell in that typical priesthood. All depended
on the unbroken continuance of the office, not of the person,
And hence on that mountain top Arin was first unclothed
(14:02):
of his priestly robes, and Eliezar, his son, formally invested
with them. Thus the priesthood had not for a moment ceased.
When Aaron died, then not as a priest, but simply
as one of God's Israel. He gathered unto his people.
But over that which passed between the three on the mount,
has the hand of God drawn the veil of silence.
And so the new priest, Eliezer, came down from the
solemn scene on Mount Hoar to Minister amidst a hushed
(14:24):
and awe stricken congregation. And when all the congregation saw
that Erin was dead, they mourned for Erin thirty days
even all the House of Israel. Serious tidings were now
in store for Israel. The messengers returned from Edam bringing
absolute refusal to the request of passage through that country.
Not only so, but the large army of Edam was
assembling on the frontier close to the camping ground of Israel.
(14:47):
If according to the divine command Edam was not to
be attacked, then Israel must rapidly retreat. The ordinary route
from Mount Hoard to encompass the land of Edam so
as to advance northwards by the east of Edam would
have led Israel straight down the wadding al Jib and
so through the northern part of the Araba. But this
route touched the western boundary of Dam, just where as
we gather from scriptural narrative, the army of Adam was
(15:10):
chaland to avoid them. It became therefore necessary in the
first place to retrace their steps through the part of
the Wadimurrah in order events to strike in a southeasterly
direction the mountains that are now known as the Mountains
of the Azazimah, the ancient dukedom of the Timan or
Mount Paran. By this detour, Israel would strike the Araba
(15:30):
far south of where the army of Adam awaited them,
passing through the modern wadis Gudhagid and Adbeh. In point
of fact, we learned from Deuteronomy chapter ten, verse seven
that gud Godha and Jodebah were the two stations reached
next after the retreat from Mount Hore, but just at
the point where the host of Israel would turn southwards
from Wadimurrah. They were also in almost a straight line
(15:51):
for the territory of the King of Arad. Of course,
he would be informed that Israel had been refused a
passage through Edam, and finding them on the flank of
his territory would naturally imagine that they intended to invade it,
and the Canaanitish king of Arad, which dealt in the
Negeb or south country. Heard tell that Israel came by
way of the spies, or more probably the way of
the merchants the caravan road. Then he fought against Israel
(16:13):
and took of them prisoners, having probably fallen on their
rear guard. Footnote. So literally Arad is the modern Telarad,
about twenty miles south of Hebron. So tenaciously do names
claim to localities in the east. So mister Wilton rightly
renders it, and not the way of the spies, i e.
Of the twelve men who had thirty eight years before
(16:34):
gone up to spy the land. Others translate the beaten
track end footnote. The event is mentioned for this twofold
reason to show the unprovoked enmity of Canaan against Israel
and the faithfulness of God. For Israel at that time
vowed a vow utterly to destroy the cities of the Canaanites,
and God hearkened and heard. Many years afterwards, he gave
(16:54):
the preyed for victory. When the name of Horma or
ban utter destruction given in prophetic into his patient of
God's faithfulness became a reality. Footnote. Some commentators imagined that
even at the first a great victory had been gained
by the Israelites over the Canaanites. But this supposition is incompatible,
alike with the narrative and with other portions of scripture.
End footnote, end of Chapter twenty
Chapter twenty of The Bible History, Volume two, The Exodus
and the Wanderings in the Wilderness. This is a LibriVox recording.
A LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more
information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox DoD Worg read
by Tatiana Chichilla. The Bible History, Volume two, The Exodus
and the Wanderings in the Wilderness by Alfred Ettersheim. The
(00:21):
Second Gathering of Israel and Kadesh, the sin of Moses
and Aaron embassy to Edam, death of Erin retreat of
Israel from the borders of Edam, attack by the Canaanitish
king of Arad. It was indeed most fitting that at
the end of the thirty seven years Wanderings, Israel should
once more gather at Kadesh. There they had been scattered
when the evil report which the Spies had brought led
(00:43):
to their unbelief and rebellion. And thence had the old
generation carried, as it were, its sentence of death back
into the wilderness, till during these long and weary years
its full term had been exhausted. And now a generation
was once more at Kadesh from the very spot where
the old was broken off the fresh start to be made.
God is faithful to his purpose. He never breaks off.
(01:04):
If the old was interrupted, it had been by man's
unbelief and rebellion, not by failure on the part of God.
And when he resumed his work, it was exactly where
it had been so broken off. And man also must
return to where he has departed from God, and to
where the sentence has been pronounced against him before he
enters on his new journey to the land of promise.
But what solemn thoughts might not have been expected in
this new generation, as they once more stood ready to
(01:27):
resume their journeying on the spot where that of their
fathers had been arrested. As he had sanctified his name
in Kadesh by judgment, would they now sanctify it by
their faith and willing obedience. Besides Joshua and Caleb, to
whom entrance into the land had been specially promised, only
three of the old generations still remained. These were Miriam, Moses,
and Aaron, And now just at the commencement of this
(01:49):
fresh start, as if the more solemnly to remind them
of the past. Miriam, who had led the hymn of
thanksgiving and triumph on their first entering the desert was
taken away. Only Moses and Aaron were now left, weary,
way worn pilgrims to begin a new journey with new
pilgrims who had to learn afresh the dealings of Jehovah.
And this may help us understand what happened at the
very outset of their pilgrimage. Israel was in Kadesh, or
(02:12):
rather in the desert of Zinn, the name Kadesh applying
probably to the whole district as well as to a
special locality. So large a number of people gathered in
one place would naturally soon suffer from want of water.
Let it also be remembered that that generation knew of
the wonders of the Lord, chiefly by the hearing of
the ear, but of his judgments by what they had
seen of death sweeping away all who had come out
(02:32):
of Egypt. In the hardness of their hearts, it now
seemed to them as if the prospect before them were hopeless,
and they destined to suffer the same fate as their fathers.
Something of this unbelieving despair appears in their cry, would God,
that we had died when our brethren died before Jehovah,
that is, by divine judgment. During these years of wandering,
(02:52):
the remembrance of the past, with its disappointments, seems to
find expression in their complaints Chapter twenty, verse five. It
is as if they contract did the day of their
nation in Egypt, and the hopes awakened on leaving it,
with the disappointment of seeing the good land almost within
their grasp and then being turned back to die in
the wilderness. And so the people broke forth in rebellion
against Moses and against Arin. Feeling similar to theirs, seemed
(03:14):
to have taken hold even on Moses and Arin, but
in a different direction. The people despaired of success and
rebelled against Moses and Arin. With them as leaders, they
would never get possession of the land of Promise. On
the other hand, Moses and Aaron also despaired of success
and rebelled, as it were, against the people. Such an
unbelieving people rebelling at the very outset, would never be
allowed to enter the land. The people felt as if
(03:36):
the prospect before them were hopeless, and so did Moses
and Arin. Although on opposite grounds, as we have said,
the people rebelled against Moses and Aaron, and Moses and
Arin against the people. But at bottom, the ground of
despair and of rebellion, both on the same part of
the people and of Moses, was precisely the same. In
both cases it was really unbelief of God. The people
had looked upon Moses and not upon God as their
(03:57):
leader into the land, and they had despaired. Moses looked
at the people as they were in themselves, instead of
thinking of God, who now sent them forward, secure in
his promise which he would assuredly fulfill. This soon appeared
in the conduct and language of Moses by a divine direction.
He was to stand in sight of the people at
the rock before their eyes, with the rod from before Jehovah,
(04:18):
no doubt, the same with which the miracles had been
wrought in Egypt, and under whose stroke water had once
before sprung from the rock at Rafeedum. It is generally
thought that the sin of Moses in which Erin shared
consisted in his striking the rock and doing so twice
instead of merely speaking to it, and it shall give
forth its water, and also in the hasty and improper
(04:38):
language which he used on the occasion. Here now ye rebels,
must we fetch you water out of this rock? Footnote.
The great rabbinical interpreter Rashi accounts for the twice striking
by supposing that Moses went to the wrong rock, when
at the first stroke only a few drops came, but
at the second abundance of water. He finds the sin
of Moses in his striking instead of speaking, since the
(04:58):
people would in all latter case have argued, if the rock,
which neither speaks, hears, nor needs nourishment, obeys the voice
of God, how much more are we bound so to do?
The Jerusalem targum has it that at the first stroke
blood came from the rock. End of footnote. But it
seems difficult to accept this view. On the one hand,
we can scarcely imagine that unbelief should have led Moses
(05:19):
to strike rather than to speak to the rock, as
if the former would have been more efficacious than the latter.
On the other hand, it seems strains that Moses should
have been directed to take the rod if he were
not to have used it, the more so as this
had been the divinely sanctioned mode of proceeding at refudum. Lastly,
how in that case could erin have been implicated in
the sin of Moses. Of course, the striking the rock twice,
(05:41):
as we read in Psalm one hundred and seven verses
thirty two to thirty three, evidence that they had angered
Moses and that his spirit was provoked. This also showed
itself in his language, which Scripture thus characterizes he spake
unadvisedly with his lips, or, as the word literally means,
he babbled. Be it observed that Moses is not anywhere
(06:02):
in scripture blamed for striking instead of speaking to the roc,
while it is expressly stated that the people angered him
also at the waters of strife, so that it went
ill with Moses for their sakes. The other aspect of
the sin of Moses was afterwards expressly stated by the
Lord himself when he pronounced on Moses and Aaron the
(06:23):
sentence that they should not bring this congregation into the
land which he had given them on this ground because
ye believed me not to sanctify me in the eyes
of the children of Israel, Chapter twenty, verse twelve. Thus,
in their rebellion against Moses and Aaron, the people had
not believed that Jehovah would bring them into the land
which He had given them, while in their anger at
the people, Moses and Aaron had not believed God to
(06:46):
sanctify him in his power and grace in the eyes
of the children of Israel. Israel failed as the people
of God. Moses as their mediator. Hitherto, Moses had under
every provocation, been faithful as a steward over his charge
and pleaded with God, prevailed because he believed. Now for
the first time, Moses failed, as we all fail, through unbelief,
looking at the sin of the people and thence inferring
(07:08):
the impossibility of their inheriting the promises, instead of looking
at the grace and power of God which made all
things possible, and at the certainty of the promise. Unlike
Abraham in similar circumstances, he staggered at the promises, and,
having through unbelief, failed as mediator of the people, his
office was to cease, and the conduct of Israel into
the land to devolve upon another. It is only in
(07:30):
this sense that we can accept the common statement that
the sin of Moses was official rather than personal. For
these two, office or work and person cannot be separated,
either as regards responsibility or duty. Rather, would we think
of Moses and Aaron as aged pilgrims, worn with a
long way through the wilderness and footsore with its roughnesses
and stones, whose strength momentarily failed when the weary journey
(07:52):
was once more resumed, and who, in their weariness, stumbled
at the rock of offense. Yet few events possessed deeper
pathos than this babbling at the waders of Merabah. Its
true parallel is found not in the Old but in
the New Testament. It is true that, in similar circumstances,
Elijah also despaired of Israel and was directed to the
Mount of God, there to learn the same lesson as
(08:12):
Moses before. Like him, he was unclothed of his office.
But the full counterpart to the temptation of Moses is
presented in the history of John the Baptist, When doubting
not the person but the mode of working of the Messiah,
and despairing from what he saw and heard of the
fulfillment of the promise at that time and among that generation,
he sent his disciples on that memorable embassy, just before
(08:33):
he also was unclothed of his office. This is not
the place to follow the subject further, suffice it to
point out on the one hand Moses, Elijah, John the Baptist,
and on the other Joshua Alicia and our blessed Lord,
as the types and anti types presented to us in
the Scripture. Before leaving Kedesh, Moses sent messengers to the
King of Edam, and also, as we learn from Judges
(08:55):
chapter eleven, verse seventeen, to the King of Moab, whose
dominions lay to the north of Edam, asking permission for
Israel to pass through their countries. Footnote. The reply of
the King of Moab is not mentioned in scripture, because
upon the refusal of Edam, even his permission would have
been of no use, as the road to Moab lay
through Edam end footnote. A glance at the map will
(09:15):
show that this would have been the most direct route
if Palestine was to be entered from the other side
Jordan at Jericho. Certainly, it was the easiest route as
it avoided contact with those who held the Negeb or
South country, who thirty seven years before had met Israel
in hostile conflict and signally defeated them. But in vain,
Moses urged upon dam the claims of national kinship Israel's
(09:36):
past sufferings in Egypt and their marvelous deliverance and guidance
by the Angel of Jehovah in Vain. Also did he
limit his request to permission to use the ordinary caravan road,
the King's Highway, without straying either to the right or
the left, adding the promise of payment for the use
of the wells. The children of Esau not only absolutely refused,
but hastily gathered an army of observation on their borders. Meantime,
(09:59):
while the messengers of Moses had gone on their embassy,
the camp of Israel had moved forward to what may
be described as the uttermost of the border of Edam.
A day's journey eastward from Kendesh through the wide and
broad Wadi Murrah suddenly rises a remarkable mountain, quite isolated
and prominent, which Canon Williams describes as singularly formed, and
the late professor Robinson Li likens to a lofty citadel.
(10:22):
Its present name, Modera, preserves the ancient biblical Mozara, which,
from a comparison of numbers chapter twenty, verses twenty two
to twenty nine with Deuteronomy chapter ten, verse six, we
know to have been only another designation for Mount hor
In fact, Mount Horror or Hoorja Hoorr mountain. The mountain
just means the remarkable mountain. This was the natural route
(10:43):
for Israel to take if they hoped to pass through
Edam by the King's highway, the present Wadi Guerre, which
would have led them by way of Moab easily and
straight to the other side of the Jordan. It was
natural for them here to halt and await the reply
of the King of Edam. For while Madera lies at
the very boundary, but still outside Edim, it is also
at the entrance to the various waddis or roads, which
(11:03):
thence open east, south and southwest, so that the children
of Israel might thence take any route which circumstances would indicate. Moreover,
from the height of Modera, they would be able to
observe any hostile movement that might be directed against them,
whether from the east by Edam, or from the north
and west by the Amlkites and Canaanites. From what has
been said, it will be gathered that we regardless as
Mount hor where Erin died. Footnote. The traditional site for
(11:27):
Mount Hore is Jebel Haroun, close by Petra, the capital
of Edam. To state is already to refute a supposition
which implies that Israel had asked to leave the pass
through Edam, and then, without awaiting the reply, marched into
a heart of Edam and camped for thirty days close
by its capital. Moreover, it is difficult to understand what
could have been the object of going so far south
if Israel hoped, as at the time they did, to
(11:50):
strike through the nearest practicable wadi, the road that led
northward through Edam and Moab to the ford of Jordan.
In that case, Jebel Haroun would have been far out
of their way. Finally, it is impossible to arrange the
chronological succession of events as given in the Bible, except
on the supposition that Modera was Mount war. For if
the camp of Israel had been near Petra, there could
have been no reason for the king of a Rad
(12:10):
to dread their forcing their way through his territory Numbers
Chapter twenty one, verse one, even as it seems most
unlikely that he should have reached so far southeast as
Petra to attack Israel. Accordingly, interpreters who regard General Heron
as Mount Hoar are obliged to suppose that the attack
of the King of Arad had taken place earlier, say
at the period indicated in numbers Chapter twenty, verse twenty two.
(12:32):
But in that case it is difficult to imagine how
the king could have heard that Israel was coming by
the way of the spies, seeing they were taking exactly
the opposite direction, and had just requested permission to pass
through Etam. Against these weighty reasons, we have only the
authority of tradition in favor of Harun. On the other hand,
all becomes plain and easily understood if we regard Modera
as mount War, and the whole narrative in its chronological
(12:54):
succession in scripture is just what we should have expected.
The reader who wishes further information is referred to the
admirable work of the late Reverend E. Wilton on the
Negeb or South Country of Scripture, pages one, twenty six
through and thirty four, and the excellent map attached to
it and footnote. Thus, speedily within a day's journey of
the place of his sin was the divine sentence upon
Aarin executed. There is a solemn grandeur about this narrative,
(13:17):
befitting the occasion, and in condition with the locality, in
sight of all the congregation, these three Moses, Aaron and
Eliezar went up the mount in his full priestly dress,
walked erin to his burial. He knew it, and so
did all in that camp, who now for the last
time reverently and silently looked upon the venerable figure of
him who these forty years administered unto them in holy things. Footnote.
(13:40):
According to Numbers, chapter thirty three, verse thirty seven, et cetera,
Aaron died on the first day of the fifth month
of the fortieth year after the exodus, and at the
age of one hundred and twenty three years and footnote,
there was no farewell in that typical priesthood. All depended
on the unbroken continuance of the office, not of the person,
And hence on that mountain top Arin was first unclothed
(14:02):
of his priestly robes, and Eliezar, his son, formally invested
with them. Thus the priesthood had not for a moment ceased.
When Aaron died, then not as a priest, but simply
as one of God's Israel. He gathered unto his people.
But over that which passed between the three on the mount,
has the hand of God drawn the veil of silence.
And so the new priest, Eliezer, came down from the
solemn scene on Mount Hoar to Minister amidst a hushed
(14:24):
and awe stricken congregation. And when all the congregation saw
that Erin was dead, they mourned for Erin thirty days
even all the House of Israel. Serious tidings were now
in store for Israel. The messengers returned from Edam bringing
absolute refusal to the request of passage through that country.
Not only so, but the large army of Edam was
assembling on the frontier close to the camping ground of Israel.
(14:47):
If according to the divine command Edam was not to
be attacked, then Israel must rapidly retreat. The ordinary route
from Mount Hoard to encompass the land of Edam so
as to advance northwards by the east of Edam would
have led Israel straight down the wadding al Jib and
so through the northern part of the Araba. But this
route touched the western boundary of Dam, just where as
we gather from scriptural narrative, the army of Adam was
(15:10):
chaland to avoid them. It became therefore necessary in the
first place to retrace their steps through the part of
the Wadimurrah in order events to strike in a southeasterly
direction the mountains that are now known as the Mountains
of the Azazimah, the ancient dukedom of the Timan or
Mount Paran. By this detour, Israel would strike the Araba
(15:30):
far south of where the army of Adam awaited them,
passing through the modern wadis Gudhagid and Adbeh. In point
of fact, we learned from Deuteronomy chapter ten, verse seven
that gud Godha and Jodebah were the two stations reached
next after the retreat from Mount Hore, but just at
the point where the host of Israel would turn southwards
from Wadimurrah. They were also in almost a straight line
(15:51):
for the territory of the King of Arad. Of course,
he would be informed that Israel had been refused a
passage through Edam, and finding them on the flank of
his territory would naturally imagine that they intended to invade it,
and the Canaanitish king of Arad, which dealt in the
Negeb or south country. Heard tell that Israel came by
way of the spies, or more probably the way of
the merchants the caravan road. Then he fought against Israel
(16:13):
and took of them prisoners, having probably fallen on their
rear guard. Footnote. So literally Arad is the modern Telarad,
about twenty miles south of Hebron. So tenaciously do names
claim to localities in the east. So mister Wilton rightly
renders it, and not the way of the spies, i e.
Of the twelve men who had thirty eight years before
(16:34):
gone up to spy the land. Others translate the beaten
track end footnote. The event is mentioned for this twofold
reason to show the unprovoked enmity of Canaan against Israel
and the faithfulness of God. For Israel at that time
vowed a vow utterly to destroy the cities of the Canaanites,
and God hearkened and heard. Many years afterwards, he gave
(16:54):
the preyed for victory. When the name of Horma or
ban utter destruction given in prophetic into his patient of
God's faithfulness became a reality. Footnote. Some commentators imagined that
even at the first a great victory had been gained
by the Israelites over the Canaanites. But this supposition is incompatible,
alike with the narrative and with other portions of scripture.
End footnote, end of Chapter twenty
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Herd with Colin Cowherd
The Herd with Colin Cowherd is a thought-provoking, opinionated, and topic-driven journey through the top sports stories of the day.