What this Numbers 33 will do is refresh our minds as to all the locations of encampment that the children of Israel had over the past forty years of wandering. Moses is giving the last set of instructions to the entire congregation, before he ascends up on mount Nebo [Pisgeh] to die and be with his father. The time Moses is speaking here is just a few months away from when the Israelites will cross the Jordan river, and move into the land of Canaan, the promise land. So God is instructing Moses to make a permanent record to all those travels and encampments where the children of Israel had journeyed.

Numbers 33:1 "These are the journeys of the children of Israel, which went forth out of the land of Egypt with their armies under the hand of Moses and Aaron."

In the Word "journeys", "micca" in the Hebrew text, and it means "departure, from striking a tent post". This review starts way back in the land of Egypt, and the morning after the night of the Passover when the death angel passed over the land of Egypt.

Numbers 33:2 "And Moses wrote their goings out according to their journeys by the commandment of the Lord: and these are their journeys according to their goings out."

God commanded Moses to keep good record as to when the Israelites would move, and where they would stop for camp. and this is the record that comes from Moses daily record. So this is a permanent memorial to those men and women that strived through those hard time, and now made it to the end of their journey. This will mark all those times that God provided them with the things that they needed to see to it that they would reach the promise land.

Numbers 33:3 "And they departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the morrow after the passover the children of Israel went out with an high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians."

The journey started with the children of Israel released from their bondage, and gathering for the journey in the city of Rameses, in the land of Goshen, in Egypt. In the word, "departed", in the Hebrew test, meant that they "pulled up their tent pegs". They are leaving that land that Joseph, Jacob, and their forefathers brought them to, where they grew as a nation, and went under bondage at Joseph's death.

This marks the very first day that this journey started; at the first day after the Passover, for the first Passover started 14 days following the spring vernal Equinox, marking the start of the new year, and the first month of Abib. The year would be want we call 1491 B.C., and on the fifteenth day of that month they started to go. It is forty years later, of Moses is giving this review in the year 1452 B. C.

The Israelites come out of their bondage at the high hand of the Lord, He is the one that brought the plagues on Egypt, and cause the death angel to Passover the land and take the life of the first born of man and animal. As these plagues struck their land, they knew exactly where the torment was coming, and for what purpose that it was given, for Moses told them.

Numbers 33:4 "For the Egyptians buried all their firstborn, which the Lord had smitten among them: upon their gods also the Lord executed judgments."

Numbers 33:5 "And the children of Israel removed from Ramesis, and pitched in Succoth."

So the morning after the death angel passed over Egypt and claimed the life of all firstborn, the Israelites departed Ramesis, out of Egypt, and set up camp in Succoth. Succoth means booths, and this location is where the feast of Tabernacles or Booths comes from, the remembrance of that first place of encampment after they left Egypt. God made this law, that each year after they entered into the promise land, that they would build these booths and remain in them for seven days.

Numbers 33:6 "And they departed from Succoth, and pitched in Etham, which is in the edge of the wilderness."

Numbers 33:7 "And they removed from Etham, and turned again unto Pihahiroth, which is before Baal-zephon: and they pitched before Migdol."

Numbers 33:8 "And they departed from before Pi-hahiroth, and passed through the midst of the sea into the wilderness, and went three days' journey in the wilderness of Etham, and pitched in Marah."

Numbers 33:9 "And they removed from Marah, and came unto Elim: and in Elim were twelve fountains of water, and threescore and ten palm trees; and they pitched there."

Numbers 33:10 "And they removed from Elim, and encamped by the Red sea."

Numbers 33:11 "And they removed from the Red sea, and encamped in the wilderness of Sin."

This is where they crossed over the Red Sea to the wilderness of Etham.

Numbers 33:12 "And they took their journey out of the wilderness of Sin, and encamped in Dophkah."

Numbers 33:13 "And they departed from Dophkah, and encamped in Alush."

Numbers 33:14 "And they removed from Alush, and encamped at Rehpidim, where was not water for the people to drink."

Numbers 33:15 "And they departed from Rephidim, and pitched in the wilderness of Sinai."

This is near the base of Mount Sinai, where God gave Moses the law and the ten commandments. It is here that marked one year from their departure from Egypt.

Numbers 33:16 "And they removed from the desert of Sinai, and pitched at Kibroth-hattavah."

Numbers 33:17 "And they departed from Kibroth-hattaavah, and encamped at Hizer-oth."

Numbers 33:18 "And they departed from Hazeroth, and pitched in Rithmah."

This is near Kadesh-barnea, where they sent out the twelve spies, and it occurred about three and a half years following their departure out of Egypt. This is also where Korah rebelled against Moses, and many of the people wanted to return to Egypt. It was also here that God in anger told Moses that none of the people over the age of 20, except Caleb and Joshua would live to see the promise land. So from here on, there would be thirty seven years of wandering in the wilderness before they would encamp along the river Jordan, and prepare to enter into the promise land.

Numbers 33:19 "And they departed from Rithmah, and pitched at Rimmon-parez."

Notice on the map how they started to go north for a very short distance, and by were soundly defeated, and finally turned south again on their journey to Ezion-geber, where they would cross over the Jordan to the east side.

Numbers 33:20 And they departed from Rimmon-parez, and piched in Libnah."

Numbers 33:21 "And they removed from Libnah, and pitched at Rissah."

Numbers 33:22 "And they went from Kehelathah, and pitched in Kehelathah."

Numbers 33:23 "And they went from Kehelathah, and pitched in mount Shapher."

Numbers 33:24 "And they removed from mount Shapher, and encamped in Hara-dah."

Numbers 33:25 "And they removed from Haradah, and pitched in Makheloth."

Numbers 33:26 "And they removed from Makheloth, and encamped at Tahath."

Numbers 33:27 "And they departed from Tahath, and pitched at Tarah."

Numbers 33:28 "And they removed from Tarah, and pitched in Mithcah."

Numbers 33:29 "And they went from Mithcah, and pitched in Hashmonah."

Numbers 33:30 "And they departed from Hashmonah, and encamped at Moseroth."

Numbers 33:31 "And they departed from Moseroth, and pitched in Bene-jaakan."

Numbers 33:32 "And they removed from Bene-jaakan, and encamped at Hor-hagidgad."

Numbers 33:33 "And they went from Hor-hagidgad, and pitched in Jotbathah."

Numbers 33:34 "And they removed from Jotbathah, and encamped at Ebronah."

Numbers 33:35 "And they departed from Ebronah, and encamped at Ezion-gaber."

Ezion-gaber was the Edomites seaport on the Red Sea. There was a lot of wandering during this time all over the place, before they reached this sea coast town.

Numbers 33:36 "And they removed from Ezion-Gaber, and pitched in the wilderness of Zin, which is Dadesh."

This was the point where the Israelites crossed to the east side of the Jordan, and started north through around the land of the Edomites. It was here that Moses asked the Edomites for permission to travel on their kings highway up north, to make an easy travel past the land of Edom, as they continued north. Of course they were refused, and thus the wandering off to the east, and the broken lines of their route.

Numbers 33:37 "And they removed from Dadesh, and pitched in mount Hor, in the edge of the land of Edom."

Numbers 33:38 "And Aaron the priest went up into mount Hor at the commandment of the Lord, and died there, in the fortieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the first day of the fifth month."

Numbers 33:39 "And Aaron was an hundred and twenty and three years old when he died in mount Hor."

It was at mount Hor that Aaron went up on the mount, and Moses took the mantle and garments of the High priest, and placed them on Eleazar, and anointed him as the High priest that would lead the Israelites into the land of Canaan. And Aaron died at the age of 123 there on mount Hor.

Numbers 33:40 "And king Arad the Canaanite, which dwelt in the south in the land of Canaan, hear of the coming of the children of Israel."

Numbers 33:41 "And the departed from mount Hor, and pitched in Zalmonah."

Numbers 33:42 "And they departed from Zalmonah, and pitched in Punon."

Numbers 33:43 "And they depearted from Punon, and pitched in Oboth."

Numbers 33:44 "And they departed from Oboth, and pitched in Ije-abarim, in the border of Moab."

Numbers 33:45 "And they departed from Iim, and pitched in Dibon-gad."

Numbers 33:46 "And they removed from Dibon-gad, and encamped in Almon-diblathaim."

Numbers 33:47 "And they removed from Almon-diblathaim, and pitched in the mountains of Abarim, before Nebo."

Numbers 33:48 "And the departed from the mountains of Abarim, and pitched in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho."

When they arrived here on the plains of Moab, the warred against the armies of the Amorites, Moabites, Midianites, Ammorites, and all the towns and cities of these nations, and these are the lands east of the Jordan river that the tribes of Gad, Reuben and half the tribe of Manasseh will claim for their inheritance after the promise land is secured and divided for the rest of the tribes.

Numbers 33:49 "And they pitched by Jordan, from Beth-jesimoth even unto Abel-shittim in the plains of Moab."

This of course is where Balaam looked down on the Israelites and God spoke through him in the prophecies that he made. However it was became of using the harlots of the Midianites to lure the men of Israel into the Prostitute practices of the Baal religious forms that God commanded that all the Midianites, except those virgin girls that had not know a man.

Numbers 33:50 "And the Lord spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying,"

The Children of Israel are about to cross over Jordan, and take the promise land, but Moses will not be there with this war begins. That job of taking the land that dividing it into the lots for the inheritance of the families will be the job of Joshus, Eleazar, and the Elders that God selects for this job.

Numbers 33:51 "Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, `When ye are passed over Jordan into the land of Canaan;"

This is recorded in Joshua chapter three, where they started moving into the promise land. At that time God would perform another miracle for them to increase their trust in Him. The river of Jordan would actually stop flowing down stream and dry up the moment that the feet of the priests carrying the ark of the covenant touched the water, and they would cross over on dry ground.

Numbers 33:52 "Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their pictures, and destroy all their molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places:"

The "pictures" talked about in this verse, are figures carved in stone and used in idolatry. So God is instructing the Israelites to destroy completely all the idols and molten images, including those carved as a picture in stone, so that there will be no part of them left in the land of Canaan. The first two commandments are; "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me." then "Thou shalt have no graven image before Me that thou shalt bow down to." God will not allow His children to bow down to any other god, or image of any part of His creation.

Numbers 33:53 "And ye shall dispossess the inhabitants of the land and dwell therein: for I have given you the land to possess it."

The land is a gift from God, and He is promising the land for just going in and taking it. Just like He gave the army of the Midianites to the twelve thousand Israelites east of the Jordan river.

Numbers 33:54 "And ye shall divide the land by lot for an inheritance among your families: and to the more ye shall give the more inheritance, and to the fewer ye shall give the less inheritance: every man's inheritance shall be in the place were his lot falleth; according to the tribes of your fathers ye shall inherit."

The number of men that shall enter the land to possess it will determine the size of the land that will be received by each tribe. The tribe of Simeon was decreased greatly when they rebelled against God, and thus their portion of the promise land will be decreased greatly. More children, the more blessing, the more land that God will give to each tribe and family. Remember that it was the number of men that registered to the army, and bear arms that determined whether or not they had an inheritance. That is what the numbering of all men over the age of twenty was for.

Numbers 33:55 "But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain, of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell."

If you will not drive out all those nations that possess the land, they each of those inhabitants that you allow to remain will be thorns in your eyes, and sides, and will make war with you in your land later on. Joshua, in Joshua 23:13 repeats this same threat by God, through Moses, to the children of Israel; "Know for a certainty that the Lord your God will no more drive out any of these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which the Lord your God hath given you."

Numbers 33:56 "Moreover it shall come to pass, that I shall do unto you, as I thought to do unto them.'"

This last verse is a direct warning to the children of Israel. As the Lord gives the warning to drive the people out, and in most cases to kill every last one of them. And if God tells they to do something to the people of a town or nation, and you allow them to live, than what I intended for those people will come down on your heads. Get the picture? You do what the Lord commands you to do, or that judgment will come back on you. God has a plan, and if you violate that plan then you suffer the consequences of your rebellion. There is a cost of not doing things God's Way and that carries on even today.