Reading the Bible in Historical Sequence Part 2Sýnishorn

A red heifer is sacrificed to provide for special cleansing. Miriam dies. To supply drinking water, Moses and Aaron are told to speak to the rock but disobey. As a result Moses is forbidden entry to the land. At Kadesh they send messages to Edom and Moab requesting passage, but are refused. They stay a while at Kadesh. In 1452 BC, after 38 years of wandering, Aaron dies aged 122 on Mt. Hor and God tells them now to go north without provoking Edom. Their route is via the listed camps. They have to defeat a Canaanite force and brave an attack of snakes using an uplifted bronze serpent for healing.

Note 1 (Numbers 20:1–13): The sin of Moses was not obeying God exactly. God wanted ‘the rock’ to represent Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 10:4). The striking of the rock the first time (Exodus 17:5–7) enigmatically pointed to Christ being smitten at His first coming. This second rock event without the smiting was to point to Christ’s glorious second coming.

Note 2 (Deuteronomy 10:6–7): After Aaron’s death on an unknown hill (Hor = mountain or hill), they travel southeast from Ezion-Geber for two days (Deuteronomy 7; Numbers 33:32–33) to the well-watered place of Jotbathah. They may have done this little circuit often. See Appendix H: A Suggested Wilderness Route.

Note 3 (Numbers 20:14–21): The people of Edom (Edom is later called Idumea) were descended from Esau, Jacob’s brother. The brothers’ enmity lived on in their descendants.