331 These are the camping sites in the journey of the People of Israel after they left Egypt, deployed militarily under the command of Moses and Aaron. 2 Under God's instruction Moses kept a log of every time they moved, camp by camp: 3 They marched out of Rameses the day after the Passover. It was the fifteenth day of the first month. They marched out heads high and confident. 4 The Egyptians, busy burying their firstborn whom God had killed, watched them go. God had exposed the nonsense of their gods. 5 The People of Israel: left Rameses and camped at Succoth; 6 left Succoth and camped at Etham at the edge of the wilderness; 7 left Etham, circled back to Pi Hahiroth east of Baal Zephon, and camped near Migdol; 8 left Pi Hahiroth and crossed through the Sea into the wilderness; three days into the Wilderness of Etham they camped at Marah; 9 left Marah and came to Elim where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees; they camped there; 10 left Elim and camped by the Red Sea; 11 left the Red Sea and camped in the Wilderness of Sin; 12 left the Wilderness of Sin and camped at Dophkah; 13 left Dophkah and camped at Alush; 14 left Alush and camped at Rephidim where there was no water for the people to drink; 15 left Rephidim and camped in the Wilderness of Sinai;
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Numbers 33:1-15
Commentary on Numbers 33:1-49
(Read Numbers 33:1-49)
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 be thought upon, without reminding us of the Lord's goodness, and our own ingratitude and disobedience: his kindness leaves us without excuse for our sins. We could not wish to travel over again the stages we have passed, unless we could hope, by the grace of God, to shun the sins we then committed, and to embrace such opportunities of doing good as we have let slip. Soon will our wanderings end, and our eternal state be fixed beyond recall; how important then is the present moment! Happy are those whom the Lord now guides with his counsel, and will at length receive to his glory. To this happiness the gospel calls us. Behold now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation. Let sinners seize the opportunity, and flee for refuge to the hope set before them. Let us redeem our time, to glorify God and serve our generation; and he will carry us safely through all, to his eternal kingdom.