Numbers 33

The Journey from Egypt to Moab

33The following account gives the names of the places where the Israelites set up camp after they left Egypt in their tribes under the leadership of Moses and Aaron. ²At the command of the Lord, Moses wrote down the name of the place each time they set up camp.

³The people of Israel left Egypt on the fifteenth day of the first month of the year, the day after the first Passover. Under the Lord’s protection they left the city of Rameses in full view of the Egyptians, ⁴who were burying the firstborn sons that the Lord had killed. By doing this, the Lord showed that he was more powerful than the gods of Egypt.

⁵The people of Israel left Rameses and set up camp at Sukkoth. ⁶Their next camp was at Etham on the edge of the desert. ⁷From there they turned back to Pi Hahiroth, east of Baal Zephon, and camped near Migdol. ⁸They left Pi Hahiroth and passed through the Red Sea^h into the desert of Shur; after a three days’ march they camped at Marah. ⁹From there they went to Elim, where they camped, because there were twelve springs of water and 70 palm trees there.

¹⁰They left Elim and camped near the Gulf of Suez. ¹¹Their next camp was in the desert of Sin. ¹²Then they camped at Dophkah, ¹³and after that at Alush. ¹⁴Next was Rephidim, where there was no water for them to drink.

¹⁵From Rephidim to Mount Hor they set up camp at the following places: the Sinai Desert, ¹⁶Kibroth Hattaavah (or “Graves of Craving”), ¹⁷Hazeroth, ¹⁸Rithmah, ¹⁹Rimmon Perez, ²⁰Libnah, ²¹Rissah, ²²Kehelathah, ²³Mount Shepher, ²⁴Haradah, ²⁵Makheloth, ²⁶Tahath, ²⁷Terah, ²⁸Mithkah, ²⁹Hashmonah, ³⁰Moseroth, ³¹Bene Jaakan, ³²Hor Haggidgad, ³³Jotbathah, ³⁴Abronah, ³⁵Eziongeber, ³⁶the wilderness of Zin (that is, Kadesh), ³⁷and Mount Hor, at the edge of the land of Edom.

^38–39*At the command of the Lord, Aaron the priest climbed Mount Hor. At the age of 123 he died there on the first day of the fifth month of the fortieth year after the Israelites had left Egypt.

^40*The king of Arad in southern Canaan heard that the Israelites were coming.

⁴¹From Mount Hor to the plains of Moab the Israelites set up camp at the following places: Zalmonah, ⁴²Punon, ⁴³Oboth, ⁴⁴the ruins of Abarim in the territory of Moab, ⁴⁵Dibon Gad, ⁴⁶Almon Diblathaim, ⁴⁷the Abarim Mountains near Mount Nebo, ⁴⁸and in the plains of Moab across the River Jordan from Jericho, ⁴⁹between Beth Jeshimoth and the Valley of Acacia.

Instructions before Crossing the Jordan

⁵⁰There in the plains of Moab across the Jordan from Jericho the Lord gave Moses ⁵¹the following instructions for Israel: “When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, ⁵²you must drive out all the inhabitants of the land. Destroy all their stone and metal idols and all their places of worship. ⁵³Occupy the land and settle in it, because I am giving it to you. ^54*Divide the land among the various tribes and clans by drawing lots, giving a large piece of property to a large clan and a small one to a small clan. ⁵⁵But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land, those that are left will be as troublesome as splinters in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they will fight against you. ⁵⁶If you do not drive them out, I will destroy you, as I planned to destroy them.”