Numbers 10:12

_AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL TOOK THEIR JOURNEYS OUT OF THE WILDERNESS OF SINAI; AND THE CLOUD RESTED IN THE WILDERNESS OF PARAN._ WILDERNESS OF PARAN. It stretched from the base of the Sinaitic group, or from Et-Tih, over that extensive plateau to the southwestern borders of Palestine (see further the note at Genesis 21:21)....

11-28 After the Israelites had continued nearly a year at mount Sinai, and all was settled respecting their future worship, they began their march to Canaan. True religion begins with the knowledge of the holy law of God, and humiliation for sin, but we must go on towards perfection, in acquaintance with Christ and his gospel, and those effectual encouragements, motives, and assistances to holiness, which it proposes. They took their journey according to the commandment of the Lord, Deuteronomy 1:6-5, and as the cloud led them. Those who give themselves to the direction of God's word and Spirit, steer a steady course, even when they seem bewildered. While they are sure they cannot lose their God and Guide, they need not fear losing their way. They went out of the wilderness of Sinai, and rested in the wilderness of Paran. All our removes in this world are but from one wilderness to anot...

Verse Numbers 10:12. _THE CLOUD RESTED IN THE WILDERNESS OF PARAN._] This was three days' journey from the wilderness of Sinai, (see Numbers 10:33,) and the people had three stations; the first at _Kibroth-hattaavah_, the second at _Hazeroth_, Numbers 11:35, and the third in the wilderness of _Paran_, see Numbers 12:16. But it is extremely difficult to determine these journeyings with any degree of exactness; and we are often at a loss to know whether the place in question was in a _direct_ or _retrograde_ position from the place previously mentioned....

THE WILDERNESS OF PARAN - See Genesis 14:6 note. The wilderness is mentioned here by anticipation. The earliest halting-places, Kibroth-hattaavah and Hazeroth, were not within its limits Numbers 11:35; Numbers 12:16....

EXPOSITION THE ORDER OF MARCH FROM SINAI (Numbers 10:11-4). NUMBERS 10:11 On THE TWENTIETH DAY of THE SECOND MONTH. This answered approximately to our May 6th, when the spring verdure would still be on the land, but the heat of the day would already have become intense. We may well suppose that the departure would have taken place a month earlier, had it not been necessary to wait for the due celebration of the second or supplemental passover (Numbers 9:11). As this march was, next to the actual exodus, _the _great trial of Israel's f

AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL TOOK THEIR JOURNEYS OUT OF THE WILDERNESS OF SINAI,.... Each of their camps removed from thence, and so everyone took their journey; AND THE CLOUD RESTED IN THE WILDERNESS OF PARAN; which was a signal for the camps to rest and pitch their tents; this was after they had gone three days journey, and were come to Taberah, which, it is probable, was in the wilderness of Paran; otherwise we read of their pitching in the wilderness of Paran, after they had been a month at Kibrothhattaavah, Numbers 11:34, and seven days at Hazeroth, Numbers 12:16; so they went from one wilderness to another; of this wilderness, Genesis 21:21....

THE DEPARTURE FROM SINAI. The stay at Sinai lasted about 11 months (_cf. Numbers 10:11_ with Exodus 19:1), and the people now moved to the wilderness of Paran (the modern El Tih), N. of Sinai. The order of the march here differs in some respects from that described in ch. 2; for there it is assumed that all the Levites kept together (Numbers 2:17), whereas here the Gershonites and Merarites, with the hangings and frame of the Tabernacle, are to follow the division of Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun, whilst the Kohathites, with the Ark and the furniture of the Tabernacle, are to follow the division of Reuben, Simeon, and Gad. The arrangement was intended to secure that the Tabernacle should be set up before the arrival of its

CHILDREN. sons. TOOK THEIR JOURNEYS. Hebrew idiom, "journeyed for their journeyings". set forward. On 20th of Ziph, 1490, and ended 10th Abib 1451. Lasted 38 years and 15 days....

JOURNEYS OUT OF THE WILDERNESS OF SINAI, &C.— After having continued near a year (namely, eleven months and twenty days; compare Exodus 19:1 with the foregoing verse of this chapter) in the wilderness of Sinai; the children of Israel now removed from thence, and, after three days march, pitched in the wilderness of Paran. Though Moses mentions this as their first station after decamping from Sinai, we are to observe, that they made two stations before they came thither: the first at Kibroth Hattaavah; the second at Hazeroth: (see ch. Numbers 11:35.) and then their third encampment was in the wilderness of Paran; ch. Numbers 12:16 to which verse we refer the reader for an account of this wilderness....

PART TWO: SINAI TO KADESH-BARNEA (NUMBERS 10:11-36; NUMBERS 11; NUMBERS 12; NUMBERS 13; NUMBERS 14) I. FROM SINAI TO HAZEROTH (Numbers 10:11-36; Numbers 11; Numbers 12) A. DEPARTURE, AND ORDER OF MARCH, vv. 11-28 TEXT Numbers