Numbers 33:18

_AND THEY REMOVED FROM THE DESERT OF SINAI, AND PITCHED AT KIBROTH-HATTA'AVAH._ KIBROTH-HATTAAVAH - the graves of lust (see the notes at Numbers 9:4). The route, on breaking up the encampment at Sinai, led down Wady Sheikh, then, crossing Jebel-et-Tyh, which intersected the peninsula, they descended into Wady Zalaka, pitching successively at two brief though memorable stations (Deuteronomy 9:22). AND ENCAMPED AT HAZEROTH - unwalled villages, supposed to be at Ain-Hudera (Numbers 11:35). Verse 18. RITHMAH - the place of the broom, a station possibly in some wady extending westward of the Ghor (Num. 10:40). Verse 19. RIMMON-PAREZ - or Rimmon, a city of Judah and Simeon

1-49 This is a brief review of the travels of the children of Israel through the wilderness. It is a memorable history. In their travels towards Canaan they were continually on the remove. Such is our state in this world; we have here no continuing city, and all our removes in this world are but from one part a desert to another. They were led to and fro, forward and backward, yet were all the while under the direction of the pillar of cloud and fire. God led them about, yet led them the right way. The way God takes in bringing his people to himself is always the best way, though it does not always seem to us the nearest way. Former events are mentioned. Thus we ought to keep in mind the providences of God concerning us and families, us and our land, and the many instances of that Divine care which has led us, and fed us, and kept us all our days hitherto. Few periods of our lives can b...

STAT. XIV. Verse Numbers 33:18. RITHMAH.] This place lay somewhere in the wilderness of _Paran_, through which the Israelites were now passing. See Numbers 13:1; Numbers 13:3. The name signifies the juniper tree; and the place probably had its name from the great number of those trees growing in that district....

This list was written out by Moses at God’s command Numbers 33:2, doubtless as a memorial of God’s providential care for His people throughout this long and trying period. Numbers 33:3. For these places, see the marginal reference. Numbers 33:8 PI-HAHIROTH - Hebrew “Hahiroth,” but perhaps only by an error of transcription. However, the omitted “pi” is only a common Egyptian prefix. WILDERNESS OF ETHAM - i. e., that part of the great wilderness of Shur which adjoined Etham; compare Exodus 15:22

EXPOSITION ITINERARY OF THE WANDERINGS (Numbers 33:1). NUMBERS 33:1 THESE ARE THE JOURNEYS. The Hebrew word מַסְעֵי is rendered σταθμοί_ _by the Septuagint, which means "stages" or "stations." It is, however, quite rightly translated "journeys," for it is the act of setting out and marching from such a place to such another which the word properly denotes (cf. Genesis 13:3; Deuteronomy 10:11). Numbers 33:2

AND THEY DEPARTED FROM HAZEROTH, AND PITCHED AT RITHMAH. Eight miles from Hazeroth: Rethem, from whence this place seems to have had its name, is generally rendered by "juniper", 1 Kings 19:4 and the Targum of Jonathan here adds, where the juniper trees grew; and, perhaps, it is the same with the valley of Retheme, of which some travellers e thus write, "this valley", called in the Hebrew Retheme, and commonly Ritma, derives its name from a yellow flower, with which the valley is covered; we found here, on the left hand, two cisterns of excellent water; and water being to be had here, might be the reason of the Israelites pitching in this place. Some learned men f think it is the same with Kadeshbarnea, from whence the spies were sent, that being the next remove from Hazeroth, as this was; see Numb

9. THE ENCAMPMENTS IN THE WILDERNESS CHAPTER 33:1-49 _ 1. The first stage: From Egypt to Sinai (Numbers 33:1)_ 2. The second stage: From Sinai to Kadesh (Numbers 33:16) 3. The third stage: From Rithmah to Kadesh-- The 38 years wandering (Numbers 33:18) 4. The fourth stage: From Kadesh to the plain of Moab-- The fortieth year (Numbers 33:37) The chapter shows most blessedly how the eye of God follows the journeys and wanderings of His people and how He keeps record of them. Nothing escapes His watchful eye. And He leads His people in spite of their failures to the promised goal. Noti

THE ITINERARY OF THE ISRAELITES BETWEEN EGYPT AND THE JORDAN (P) The time covered is rather more than forty years (Numbers 33:3; Numbers 33:38), and there is probably an artificial correspondence between the number of the years and the number of the stations, which, excluding the terminus (the plain of Moab), amount to Numbers 33:40. The names in Numbers 33:5 designate stations on the march from Egypt to Sinai; those in Numbers 33:16 places visited during the forty years-' wanderings; and those in...

BITHMAH. Compare Numbers 13:1. Whence the spies went to view the land: means "Juniper": well named for the evil tongues of the spies. Compare Psalms 120:3; Psalms 120:4....

B. SINAI TO MT. HOR vv. 16-37 TEXT Numbers 33:16. And they removed from the desert of Sinai, and pitched at Kebroth-hattaavah; 17. And they departed from Kibroth-hattaavah, and encamped at Hazeroth. 18. And they departed from Hazeroth, and pitched in Rithmah. 19. And they departed from Rithmah, and pitched at Rimmon-parez. 20. And they departed from Rimmon-parez, and pitched in Libnah. 21. And they removed from Libnah, and pitched at Rissah. 22. And they journeyed from Rissah, and pitched in Kehelathah. 23. And they went from Kehelathah, and pitched in mount Shapher. 24. And they removed from mount Shapher, and encamped in Haradah. 25. And they removed from Haradah, and pitched in Makheloth. 26. And they removed from Makheloth, and encamped at Tahath. 27. and departed from Tahath and pitched at Tarah. 28. And they removed from Tarah, and pitched in Mithcah. 29. And they went from M