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The Exodus and the Wilderness

“but God led the people around by the way of the wilderness by the Red Sea.”Exodus 13:18 — WEB
Where It Fits

From Promise to Law

The Seven Acts

IInnocence
IIConscience
IIIGovernment
IVPromise
VLaw
VIGrace
VIIKingdom

The Exodus closes Act 4, the Age of Promise. God keeps His word to Abraham and brings his descendants out of Egypt. At Sinai He gives the Law, and Act 5, the Age of Israel under the Law, begins.

A Warning for Believers

The generation that left Egypt had been redeemed by the blood of the Passover lamb, yet through unbelief they did not enter the land (Hebrews 3:19). Hebrews uses them to warn believers that they can fall short of God’s rest (Hebrews 4:1). What is at stake is the believer’s inheritance and reward, not eternal life.

Map

The Route on the Map

This map follows the traditional route through southern Sinai to Jebel Musa. The exact places of the sea crossing and of Mount Sinai are debated (see the notes). Choose a stage to follow it by itself.

Map of the Exodus and the wilderness journeyMap of Egypt, the Sinai peninsula, the Negev and Transjordan showing Israel's route from Rameses across the Red Sea to Mount Sinai, north to Kadesh Barnea, around Edom to the plains of Moab, and across the Jordan to Gilgal. A dotted line marks the coastal road to Gaza that God did not lead them on. Mediterranean Sea Gulf of Suez Gulf of Aqaba Red Sea Dead Sea Nile EGYPT GOSHEN WILDERNESS OF SHUR WILDERNESS OF PARAN WILDERNESS OF ZIN EDOM MOAB CANAAN SINAI MIDIAN The way of the land of the Philistines (Exodus 13:17) The way not taken · Exodus 13:17 Egypt to Sinai · Exodus 12:37–19:2 Sinai to Kadesh · Numbers 10:11–13:26 Around Edom to Moab · Numbers 20:1–22:1 Into the land · Joshua 3:1–4:19 Rameses Rameses Succoth Succoth Etham Etham Pi-hahiroth Pi-hahiroth Marah Marah Elim Elim Wilderness of Sin Wilderness of Sin Rephidim Rephidim Mount Sinai Mount Sinai Hazeroth Hazeroth Kadesh Barnea Kadesh Barnea Mount Hor Mount Hor Ezion-geber Ezion-geber Brook Zered Brook Zered Arnon Arnon Plains of Moab Plains of Moab Mount Nebo Mount Nebo Gilgal Gilgal Gaza Gaza

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Dotted: the coastal road God did not lead them on
Chart

The Four Stages

StagePassageWhenStops
Egypt to SinaiExodus 12:37–19:21st–3rd monthRameses, Succoth, Etham, Pi-hahiroth, Marah, Elim, Wilderness of Sin, Rephidim, Mount Sinai
Sinai to KadeshNumbers 10:11–13:262nd yearMount Sinai, Hazeroth, Kadesh Barnea
Around Edom to MoabNumbers 20:1–22:140th yearKadesh Barnea, Mount Hor, Ezion-geber, Brook Zered, Arnon, Plains of Moab
Into the landJoshua 3:1–4:191406 BCPlains of Moab, Gilgal
Timeline

The Forty Years

Moses dates many events by the month and year after leaving Egypt. Red entries mark the unbelief at Kadesh and the years it cost.

  1. 1446 BCMonth 1, day 15
    Exodus

    Israel leaves Egypt

    After 430 years in Egypt, Israel sets out from Rameses the day after the Passover.

    Exodus 12:40–41; Numbers 33:3
  2.  Month 1
    Red Sea

    Crossing the sea

    God leads them by the wilderness road rather than the coastal road, and opens the sea before them.

    Exodus 13:17–18; 14:21–22
  3.  Month 2, day 15
    Wilderness of Sin

    Manna from heaven

    Between Elim and Sinai the people grumble for food, and God sends quail and manna.

    Exodus 16:1; 16:13–15
  4.  Month 3
    Mount Sinai

    The Law is given

    Israel camps before the mountain. God gives the Ten Commandments and makes His covenant with the nation.

    Exodus 19:1–2; 20:1–17
  5. 1445 BCYear 2, month 1, day 1
    Mount Sinai

    The tabernacle set up

    Exodus 40:17
  6. 1445 BCYear 2, month 2, day 20
    Leaving Sinai

    The cloud lifts

    Israel sets out from Sinai toward the wilderness of Paran, an eleven days’ journey from Kadesh.

    Numbers 10:11–12; Deuteronomy 1:2
  7.  Year 2
    Kadesh Barnea

    Unbelief at the border

    Twelve spies search the land for forty days. The people refuse to go up, and God sentences that generation to forty years in the wilderness, a year for each day.

    Numbers 13:25–26; 14:33–34
  8.  38 years
    The wilderness

    The wandering years

    From Kadesh Barnea until they crossed the brook Zered took thirty-eight years, until the generation of fighting men had died.

    Deuteronomy 2:14
  9. 1407 BCYear 40, month 1
    Kadesh

    Back at Kadesh

    Miriam dies, and Moses strikes the rock.

    Numbers 20:1; 20:11–12
  10. 1407 BCYear 40, month 5, day 1
    Mount Hor

    Aaron dies

    Numbers 33:38
  11. 1406 BCYear 40, month 11, day 1
    Plains of Moab

    Moses’ final words

    Moses explains the Law again to the new generation. He sees the land from Mount Nebo and dies.

    Deuteronomy 1:3; 34:1–5
  12. 1406 BCMonth 1, day 10
    Gilgal

    Into the land

    Under Joshua, Israel crosses the Jordan and camps at Gilgal, east of Jericho.

    Joshua 4:19

Notes & Sources

  1. The date of 1446 BC comes from 1 Kings 6:1: Solomon began the temple in 966 BC, “the four hundred and eightieth year” after the Exodus. Forty years later Israel entered the land in 1406 BC.
  2. Most of these places cannot be located with certainty. The map uses the traditional identifications: Succoth at Tell el-Maskhuta, Marah at ‘Ain Hawarah, Elim at Wadi Gharandel, Rephidim at Wadi Feiran, Hazeroth at ‘Ain Khadra, and Kadesh Barnea at ‘Ain el-Qudeirat.
  3. Mount Sinai is placed at Jebel Musa, its traditional site since the fourth century. Other proposals include Jebel Sin Bishar, Har Karkom in the Negev, and Jebel al-Lawz in Arabia.
  4. The Hebrew Yam Suph (“Red Sea,” or “Sea of Reeds”) may refer to the lakes along the modern Suez Canal, the Gulf of Suez, or the Gulf of Aqaba. The crossing is drawn at the head of the Gulf of Suez.
  5. Mount Hor is shown at its traditional site near Petra. Some place it closer to Kadesh, at Jebel Madurah.
  6. Coastlines, rivers, and lakes are from Natural Earth (public domain). The modern Suez Canal is not shown.

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Adapted from Philippe R. Sterling’s Bible survey notes, used with permission.