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From Egypt to the Promised Land

PEOPLE everywhere know of the Exodus from Egypt. But what awaited Moses and God’s people after they crossed the Red Sea? Where did they head, and how did they reach the Jordan River to enter the Promised Land?

Their goal was the land of Canaan, yet Moses did not take the shortest route​—about 250 miles [400 km] along the sandy coast—​which would have led straight through Philistia, enemy territory. Nor did he head across the vast center of the Sinai Peninsula, where intense heat baked the gravel and limestone plateau. No, Moses led the people south, down the narrow coastal plain. The first camp was at Marah, where Jehovah made bitter water turn sweet.a After leaving Elim, the people murmured for food; God sent quail and then manna. At Rephidim, water was again an issue, attacking Amalekites were vanquished, and Moses’ father-in-law urged him to get help from capable men.​—Ex, chaps. 15-18.

Moses then led Israel toward the mountains farther south, camping at Mount Sinai. There God’s people received the Law, built the tabernacle, and offered sacrifices. In the second year, they went north through a “great and fear-inspiring wilderness,” the journey to the area of Kadesh (Kadesh-barnea) apparently taking 11 days. (De 1:1, 2, 19; 8:15) Because of becoming fearful over a negative report from ten spies, the people had to wander for 38 years. (Nu 13:1–14:34) Among their stops were Abronah and Ezion-geber, and then they went back to Kadesh.​—Nu 33:33-36.

When it was finally time for Israel to approach the Promised Land, the Israelites did not move due north. Their route took them around Edom’s heartland and up “the king’s road,” the King’s Highway. (Nu 21:22; De 2:1-8) It was not easy for a whole nation​—with children, animals, and tents—​to move over this trail. They had to wind down into and climb back out of formidable gorges​—the Zered and the Arnon (nearly 1,700 feet [520 m] deep).​—De 2:13, 14, 24.

Finally, the Israelites reached Mount Nebo. Miriam had died at Kadesh, and Aaron, at Mount Hor. Moses now died in sight of the land he had desired to enter. (De 32:48-52; 34:1-5) It fell to Joshua to lead Israel into the land, ending a journey begun 40 years earlier.​—Jos 1:1-4.

[Footnote]

[Box on page 8]

BIBLE BOOKS FROM THIS PERIOD:

Genesis

Exodus

Leviticus

Numbers

Deuteronomy

Job

Psalms (part)

[Map on page 9]

(For fully formatted text, see publication)

Exodus Route

Route Israel Took

A7 EGYPT

A5 Rameses?

B5 Succoth?

C5 Etham?

C5 Pihahiroth

D6 Marah

D6 Elim

E6 WILDERNESS OF SIN

E7 Dophkah

F8 Rephidim

F8 Mt. Sinai (Horeb)

F8 WILDERNESS OF SINAI

F7 Kibroth-hattaavah

G7 Hazeroth

G6 Rimmon-perez

G5 Rissah

G3 Kadesh

G3 Bene-jaakan

G5 Hor-haggidgad

H5 Jotbathah

H5 Abronah

H6 Ezion-geber

G3 Kadesh

G3 WILDERNESS OF ZIN

H3 Mt. Hor

H3 Zalmonah

I3 Punon

I3 Iye-abarim

I2 MOAB

I1 Dibon

I1 Almon-diblathaim

H1 Jericho

[Other locations]

A3 GOSHEN

A4 On

A5 Memphis (Noph)

B3 Zoan

B3 Tahpanhes

C5 Migdol

D3 SHUR

D5 WILDERNESS OF ETHAM

F5 WILDERNESS OF PARAN

G1 PHILISTIA

G1 Ashdod

G2 Gaza

G2 Beer-sheba

G3 Azmon

G3 NEGEB

H1 Jerusalem

H1 Hebron (Kiriath-arba)

H2 Arad (Canaanite)

H4 SEIR

H4 EDOM

I7 MIDIAN

Main Roads

Way to the Land of the Philistines

Way to Shur

I4 King’s Road

Caravan Route

El Haj Route

[Mountains]

F8 Mt. Sinai (Horeb)

H3 Mt. Hor

I1 Mt. Nebo

[Bodies of water]

E2 Mediterranean Sea (Great Sea)

D7/G7 Red Sea

I1 Salt Sea

[Rivers and streams]

A6 Nile River

F3 T.V. of Egypt

I2 Arnon

I3 Zered

[Picture on page 8]

Caravans crossed the Sinai Peninsula

[Picture on page 8]

Israel camped before Mount Sinai

[Picture on page 9]

Water was available from springs at or near Kadesh

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All Israel had to traverse the torrent valley of Arnon