But this theory is by no means free from diffi culties. According to Num. xxxiii. 36 the people journeyed direct from Ezion-gaber to Kadesh ; and the stations of Moseroth, Bene-jaakan, Hor-hagid gad, and Jotbathah, were visited in succession be fore reaching Ezion-gaber (30-34). These stations are unquestionably identical with Mosera, Beeroth of the children of Jaakan' (or Bene-jaakan), Gud godah, and Jotbah, where they subsequently encamped when goingfrom Eadesh to Ezion-gaber (cf. Deut. x. 6, 7 ; S ; Num. xxi. 4) ; and they consequently lay between these places, and appa rently in the valley of the Arabah. The Israelites must, therefore, have traversed the Arabah several times. In fact the thoughtful reader will observe that it was not the design of the sacred writer to give a full, connected, and consecutive narrative of the journeyings. Leading events alone are re corded, and the places in which they occurred are mentioned. Even these are not mentioned in chronological order. In the book of Deuteronomy this is especially the case. Moses is there instruct ing the people before his death, and he improves his solemn exhortations by lessons drawn from the most noted events of their history. Again, it will be observed from a careful examination of the nar ratives that the most direct line of route to the point of ultimate destination was rarely if ever fol lowed. The people appear to have directed their course now to the right, now to the left ; they even turned back, and passed and repassed the same places, in obedience, no doubt, to their divine guide. They also spent much more time than was required for the mere purposes of travel. They lingered for days, and even weeks, in some places. They were a.t least seven days at Hazeroth (Num. xii. 14), and they were apparently much longer at Taberah.
It will thus be seen that it would be vain to at tempt to construct an exact itinerary of this part of the desert journey, nor is this of any consequence in so far as the illustration of Scripture is concerned. Two points alone are fixed with any approach to accuracy--Hazeroth and Ezion-gaber. The latter place they must have approached from the north, and after encamping at it, turned back again north ward. In going from Hazeroth they probably travelled down Wadys Ain and Wetir to the shore of the gulf, then along the shore northward past Ezion-gaber, and up the Arabah. Then back down the Arabah to Ezion-gaber ; and finally up it again to Kadesh. To some this may seem strange and inconsistent, but it is the theory most in accordance with the physical geography of the desert and the statements of the sacred historian.
Kadesh, whose site has already been fixed and described [KADEsx], was, next to Sinai, the most important of all the resting-places of the children of Israel. Its name implies a sanctity of a far earlier origin than the Exodus; but at this time it received, as it were, a fresh baptism. During the first visit to Kadesh the twelve spies were sent to view the land of promise. Their report had a most important bearing on the future history of the nation. The faithfulness of Joshua and Caleb gained for them privileges denied to all their brethren ; and the mingled falsehood and cowardice of the remaining ten roused the people to rebellion, which resulted in the thirty-eight years' wandering. When too late, the Israelites saw their sin and folly, and attempted to force their way up the passes of and to enter Canaan from the south. But God was not with them, and they were driven back with disgrace and slaughter (Num. xiii. and xiv.)
The rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, afterwards sprang up, instigated perhaps by the feeling that Reuben's birthright and Levi's services in God's cause at Sinai had given to the princes of these tribes a title to rule above that of Moses and Aaron. The destruction of the whole rebel band was one of the most signal and terrible mani festations of divine wrath and power in Israelitish history (Num. xvi.) It \vas, perhaps, on thiS' occa sion, instigated by these solemn events, and in pro spect of the long wanderings, and final desert tomb, that Moses wrote the ninetieth Psalm, in which, with deep sorrow and pathos, he exclaims, Who knoweth the power of thine anger ? Even accord ing to thy fear, so is thy wrath. So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.' Of the thirty-eight years' wandering to which the Israelites were now condemned, and of that great and terrible wilderness ' into which they were driven, not a single record has been preserved. The name Et- TM, The wandering,' appears to be the only local memorial of it. History is abso lutely silent until, after the lapse of that long period, another generation, but still under the same aged leaders, appears once more around the sacred fountain of Kadesh.
The second visit to Kadesh appears to have been prolonged like the first. It was signalised also by some solemn incidents. The first was the death of Moses's sister, thus simply recorded : 'And the people abode in Kadesh ; and Miriam died there, and was buried there ' (Num. xx. i). Another murmuring of the congregation followed, because the supply of water failed. , The sacred spring was unable to meet the wants of such a multitude. God again commanded Moses to smite one of the desert cliffs with his rod ; 'And the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts' (xx. 1). Tbis last clause is im portant. It proves that the flocks and herds had survived the forty years' wandering, and had been brought together at Kadesh probably in the pro spect of an immediate entrance into Canaan. The Israelites appear to have hoped that the Edomites would permit them to pass direct through their territory, and thus reach the eastern bank of the Jordan without a long and painful march through the great desert. In this they were disappointed. The messengers sent to the king of Edom made the fairest possible proposals, but were met with a direct refusal (Num. xx. I4)• 4. Kadesh to the Plains of illoab.-1mmediately afterwards the Israelites left Kadesh, crossed the Arabah in a south-eastern direction, and encamped on the very ben-der of Edom, at the foot of the mountain-range near Mount Hor. This became the scene of one of their most painful bereave ments--the death of Aaron. I3oth he and his brother had displeased God in some unexplained way, at the water of Meribah ;' and because ot this they were told that they should not enter the Promised Land. Aaron's sentence was soon exe cuted. His death, next to that of Moses, was 'one of the most solemn and imposing on record. He was an old man, but apparently still hale and vigorous. In company with his brother and son he went up by divine command into Mount Hor, in the sight of all the congregation :' and Moses stripped Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son ; and Aaron died there on the top of the mount ' (xx. 22-28), in the fortieth year of the wandering, on the first day of the fifth month (xxxiii. 38).