The big picture
Numbers 33 opens in verse 1 with “These are the journeys of the children of Israel, which went forth out of the land of…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 28 with “And they removed from Tarah, and pitched in Mithcah.”, and closes in verse 56 with “Moreover it shall come to pass, that I shall do unto you, as I thought to do unto them.” Repeated or prominent terms include pitched, departed, removed, encamped, land. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Numbers · King James Version · 56Numbers 33:1-8
1–8: These are the journeys of the children of Israel, which went forth out…
Numbers 33:1–8 opens with “These are the journeys of the children of Israel, which went forth out of the land of Egypt with…” and reaches “And they departed from before Pi-hahiroth, and passed through the midst of the sea into the…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Numbers 33 develops its own movement around pitched, departed, removed, encamped, land, with particular weight carried by pitched, children, departed.
Context that brings the passage to life
“These are the journeys of the children of Israel, which went forth out of the land of Egypt with their armies under…” Naming Aaron and Egypt keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And they departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the morrow after the…” Naming Egyptians and Israel keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Numbers 33:1-8
King James Version1These 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.
2And 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.
3And 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.
4For the Egyptians buried all their firstborn, which the LORD had smitten among them: upon their gods also the LORD executed judgments.
5And the children of Israel removed from Rameses, and pitched in Succoth.
6And they departed from Succoth, and pitched in Etham, which is in the edge of the wilderness.
7And they removed from Etham, and turned again unto Pi-hahiroth, which is before Baal-zephon: and they pitched before Migdol.
8And 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 33:9-16
9–16: They removed from Marah, and came unto Elim: and in Elim were twelve…
Numbers 33:9–16 opens with “And they removed from Marah, and came unto Elim: and in Elim were twelve fountains of water, and…” and reaches “And they removed from the desert of Sinai, and pitched at Kibroth-hattaavah.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Numbers 33 develops its own movement around pitched, departed, removed, encamped, land, with particular weight carried by encamped, removed, Elim.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And they removed from Marah, and came unto Elim: and in Elim were twelve fountains of water, and threescore and ten…” The number twelve makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
Numbers 33:9-16
King James Version9And 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.
10And they removed from Elim, and encamped by the Red sea.
11And they removed from the Red sea, and encamped in the wilderness of Sin.
12And they took their journey out of the wilderness of Sin, and encamped in Dophkah.
13And they departed from Dophkah, and encamped in Alush.
14And they removed from Alush, and encamped at Rephidim, where was no water for the people to drink.
15And they departed from Rephidim, and pitched in the wilderness of Sinai.
16And they removed from the desert of Sinai, and pitched at Kibroth-hattaavah.
Numbers 33:17-24
17–24: They departed from Kibroth-hattaavah, and encamped at Hazeroth.
Numbers 33:17–24 opens with “And they departed from Kibroth-hattaavah, and encamped at Hazeroth.” and reaches “And they removed from mount Shapher, and encamped in Haradah.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Numbers 33 develops its own movement around pitched, departed, removed, encamped, land, with particular weight carried by pitched, departed, encamped.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And they departed from Kibroth-hattaavah, and encamped at Hazeroth.” Naming Hazeroth and Kibroth keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Numbers 33:17-24
King James Version17And they departed from Kibroth-hattaavah, and encamped at Hazeroth.
18And they departed from Hazeroth, and pitched in Rithmah.
19And they departed from Rithmah, and pitched at Rimmon-parez.
20And they departed from Rimmon-parez, and pitched in Libnah.
21And they removed from Libnah, and pitched at Rissah.
22And they journeyed from Rissah, and pitched in Kehelathah.
23And they went from Kehelathah, and pitched in mount Shapher.
24And they removed from mount Shapher, and encamped in Haradah.
Numbers 33:25-32
25–32: They removed from Haradah, and pitched in Makheloth.
Numbers 33:25–32 opens with “And they removed from Haradah, and pitched in Makheloth.” and reaches “And they removed from Bene-jaakan, and encamped at Hor-hagidgad.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Numbers 33 develops its own movement around pitched, departed, removed, encamped, land, with particular weight carried by pitched, removed, departed.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And they removed from Haradah, and pitched in Makheloth.” Naming Haradah and Makheloth keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Numbers 33:25-32
King James Version25And they removed from Haradah, and pitched in Makheloth.
26And they removed from Makheloth, and encamped at Tahath.
27And they departed from Tahath, and pitched at Tarah.
28And they removed from Tarah, and pitched in Mithcah.
29And they went from Mithcah, and pitched in Hashmonah.
30And they departed from Hashmonah, and encamped at Moseroth.
31And they departed from Moseroth, and pitched in Bene-jaakan.
32And they removed from Bene-jaakan, and encamped at Hor-hagidgad.
Numbers 33:33-40
33–40: They went from Hor-hagidgad, and pitched in Jotbathah.
Numbers 33:33–40 opens with “And they went from Hor-hagidgad, and pitched in Jotbathah.” and reaches “And king Arad the Canaanite, which dwelt in the south in the land of Canaan, heard of the coming…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Numbers 33 develops its own movement around pitched, departed, removed, encamped, land, with particular weight carried by land, mount, pitched.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And they went from Hor-hagidgad, and pitched in Jotbathah.” Naming Hor and Jotbathah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And they departed from Ebronah, and encamped at Ezion-gaber.” Naming Ebronah and Ezion keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Numbers 33:33-40
King James Version33And they went from Hor-hagidgad, and pitched in Jotbathah.
34And they removed from Jotbathah, and encamped at Ebronah.
35And they departed from Ebronah, and encamped at Ezion-gaber.
36And they removed from Ezion-gaber, and pitched in the wilderness of Zin, which is Kadesh.
37And they removed from Kadesh, and pitched in mount Hor, in the edge of the land of Edom.
38And 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.
39And Aaron was an hundred and twenty and three years old when he died in mount Hor.
40And king Arad the Canaanite, which dwelt in the south in the land of Canaan, heard of the coming of the children of Israel.
Numbers 33:41-48
41–48: They departed from mount Hor, and pitched in Zalmonah.
Numbers 33:41–48 opens with “And they departed from mount Hor, and pitched in Zalmonah.” and reaches “And they departed from the mountains of Abarim, and pitched in the plains of Moab by Jordan near…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Numbers 33 develops its own movement around pitched, departed, removed, encamped, land, with particular weight carried by pitched, departed, Abarim.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And they departed from mount Hor, and pitched in Zalmonah.” Naming Hor and Zalmonah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Numbers 33:41-48
King James Version41And they departed from mount Hor, and pitched in Zalmonah.
42And they departed from Zalmonah, and pitched in Punon.
43And they departed from Punon, and pitched in Oboth.
44And they departed from Oboth, and pitched in Ije-abarim, in the border of Moab.
45And they departed from Iim, and pitched in Dibon-gad.
46And they removed from Dibon-gad, and encamped in Almon-diblathaim.
47And they removed from Almon-diblathaim, and pitched in the mountains of Abarim, before Nebo.
48And they departed from the mountains of Abarim, and pitched in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho.
Numbers 33:49-56
49–56: They pitched by Jordan, from Beth-jesimoth even unto Abel-shittim in the…
Numbers 33:49–56 opens with “And they pitched by Jordan, from Beth-jesimoth even unto Abel-shittim in the plains of Moab.” and reaches “Moreover it shall come to pass, that I shall do unto you, as I thought to do unto them.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Numbers 33 develops its own movement around pitched, departed, removed, encamped, land, with particular weight carried by land, inheritance, inhabitants.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And they pitched by Jordan, from Beth-jesimoth even unto Abel-shittim in the plains of Moab.” Naming Abel and Beth keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye are passed over Jordan into the land of Canaan;” Naming Canaan and Israel keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And ye shall dispossess the inhabitants of the land, and dwell therein: for I have given you the land to possess it.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Numbers 33:49-56
King James Version49And they pitched by Jordan, from Beth-jesimoth even unto Abel-shittim in the plains of Moab.
50And the LORD spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying,
51Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye are passed over Jordan into the land of Canaan;
52Then 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:
53And ye shall dispossess the inhabitants of the land, and dwell therein: for I have given you the land to possess it.
54And 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 where his lot falleth; according to the tribes of your fathers ye shall inherit.
55But 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.
56Moreover it shall come to pass, that I shall do unto you, as I thought to do unto them.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Numbers 33:1 begins with “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.”
Where the chapter turns
Numbers 33:52 forms a natural hinge: “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…”
The final note
Numbers 33:56 leaves the reader with “Moreover it shall come to pass, that I shall do unto you, as I thought to do unto them.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words pitched, departed, removed, encamped, land, wilderness help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What action most sharply overturns Jacob's expectations?
Esau runs to embrace him instead of attacking.
How is Jacob's language about blessing different now?
He presses a gift on the brother from whom he once took, and credits God's generosity.
KJV words made clear
- unto
- to
- spake
- spoke
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.