Page:The Northern Ḥeǧâz (1926).djvu/288

 Hor with the modern Mount Hârûn to the south of the ruins of Petra.

From Mount Hor they proceeded (Num., 21: 4) toward the Sea of Reeds in order to pass round the land of Edom. The same account is given in Deuteronomy, 2: 1, where it is stated that they turned towards the Sea of Reeds and passed round Mount Seʻîr.—

The direction is thus indicated. As far as Ḳadeš they had gone in a north-northwesterly direction from Ḥoreb. Being unable to penetrate the mountains of the Amorites, they had wished to proceed to the north-northeast through the mountains of the Edomites. Refused access this way, they turned in a southerly direction back toward the Sea of Reeds from the direction of which they had started. If we agree that the modern Mount Hârûn is identical with the Biblical Mount Hor, it necessarily follows that they proceeded to the south past Mount Seʻîr along the same road by which they had reached Ḳadeš, until they drew near the northern extremity of the Gulf of al-ʻAḳaba: that is until they were at no great distance from the Sea of Reeds; then, going into the region of Ḥesma, they turned toward the northeast and proceeded thence through the southern aš-Šera range (the ancient Edom) to Maʻân and farther to the north (Deut., 2: 4).

According to the account given in Deuteronomy, 2: 8, the Israelites passed through the land of the sons of Esau, who dwelt in Seʻîr, along the road of ʻAraba from Elath and ʻEṣjôngeber and then turned aside and proceeded in the direction of the wilderness of Moab.—

The Bible does not state that the Israelites arrived at Elath and ʻEṣjôngeber but only mentions that they passed along the road of ʻAraba leading from Elath and ʻEṣjôngeber through the land of the sons of Esau, who dwelt in Seʻîr. This road starts from the rift valley of al-ʻAraba, in which the harbors of Elath and ʻEṣjôngeber were situated, runs through the valley of al-Jitm to the region of Ḥesma, thence through the pass of aš-Štâr in the aš-Šera’ range, and farther in a northeasterly direction to Maʻân, where it joins with the main transport route passing from south to north. This road was used by the nomads encamping east of Edom when they journeyed to the harbors of Elath and ʻEṣjôngeber. From Maʻân northward this road remains on the border between the settlers and the nomads, between the cultivated land and the wilderness; it therefore could be called the road of ʻAraba, or the road leading along the borders of Arabia, for the Assyrian sources give the name of Arubi, Aribi, partly to the nomads and partly to the wilderness which they frequent. According to Numbers, 21: 10, it was by this road that the Israelites reached Ôbôt and, farther on, ʻIjjê ha-ʻAbârîm in the wilderness which borders with Moab on the east, and, finally (Num., 21: 12), the stream Zâred, which forms the eastern border of Moab. These particulars agree entirely, if we concede that the road of ʻAraba leading from Elath and ʻEṣjôngeber is identical with the modern Pilgrim Route extending along the eastern border of Moab and Edom, a branch of which passes from Maʻân through the valley of al-Jitm to al-ʻAḳaba, the ancient Elath.