WANDERING, WILDERNESS OF. The object of this article is to trace the footsteps of the Israel ites from Egypt to Palestine, to describe the physi cal geography and topography of the Wilder ness' through which they passed, and to throw light, as far as it may be possible from the results of modern research, upon their mode of travel, their various routes, and the supplies of water and pasture afforded by the country for their flocks and herds.
From the time the people left Egypt until they crossed the Jordan into Palestine, forty years elapsed (Deut. 3 ; viii. 2 ; Josh. v. 6). During that long period they were wandering in the wil derness. They did not proceed in a direct course from Egypt to Canaan. Had they done so they might have performed the journey in ten or twelve days, for the distance is not more than iso miles.
But God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near ; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt ; but God lea' the people about through the way of thewilder nes: of the Red Sea' (Exod. xiii. 17, i8). Even in this way they (lid not advance along one direct line of route. They were led from place to place, back and forward, by a divine guide. For thirty-eight years they were literally wanderers ;' moving apparently from pasture to pasture, and from fountain to fountain, like one of the great nomad tribes of Arabia. The full history of these wan
derings' is not given in the Bible. All the places through which they passed, or in which they lin gered, are not mentioned. Even the few stations whose names are recorded cannot all be identified. It is consequently impossible to trace the footsteps of the Israelites in every part of their wilderness journey. There are, however, several leading places on the route which have been unquestion ably identified ; and taking these as landmarks, it is not difficult to determine the general line along which they marched. These places are the follow ing Goshen, from which the people set out. 2. That point on the western gulf of the Red Sea, near Suez, where a way was opened up for them through the waters. 3. Mount Sinai, where the law was given, and the camp was fixed for nearly a year. 4. Kadesh-Barnea, where an unsuccessful attempt was made to enter Canaan. 5. The plains of Moab, on the east side of the Jordan, to which they passed from Kadesh round the southern and eastern borders of Edom.
In order that the reader may fully understand the details of the route now about to be sketched, be is recommended to read with care the articles GOSHEN, EXODUS, SINAI, and KADESH. The present article is to some extent supplementary to these ; and the conclusions arrived at rest, in part, on arguments therein developed.