long trip to the promised land

[franksolich]

I was looking at an atlas yesterday, trying to find Broken Hill, Australia, and noticed that the distance between the Nile River and Jerusalem is 250 miles.

We're all familiar with the story of Exodus, the 40 years in the wilderness.

During ancient times, the route was a well-traveled commercial phenomenon, and so the Israelites leaving Egypt weren't trodding on unknown territory.

Even if one stopped and rested the seventh day, it seems to me this would've been about a three weeks' trip.

But for some reason, the Israelites under Moses wandered all over the Sinai for a generation and a half.

I suspect this was probably because none of the Israelites from Egypt had ever been to the promised land, and weren't exactly sure where it was, and there were--as usual--divisions among groups and tribes and clans, and conflicts between leadership, and incompetent leadership.

The usual stuff that delays progress.

However, I'm wondering if there was a "higher" reason for all this wandering around--perhaps to instill humility in great men, or to demonstrate that delayed gratification is better than instant gratification.

Any thoughts?

[dutch508]

The biblical reason behind it was everyone in the generation who sinned against God in the whorshiping of the golden calf was dead by the time the Iraelites crossed into the promised land. God was, in those days, what I would call 'a little bitchy'.

Historically, Moses taking a right and heading into the desert made sense if they thought the Egyptians would be after them once they recoved from the whole sea drowning the army deal.

Realistically, a little of both, I suppose. 250 miles across the desert at a walking pace of 3 miles an hour (on a good day consitering old  people and children) is still alot less than 40 years. Looking at the the land they had to cross, without modern stuff, it makes a bit more sense.

Add to it the fact that there were hostile peoples living in the promised land at the time and it took time to train and asemble an army.
There is some very good work done on the whole issue out there, Frank. I'll see if I can pull down some book names.

[franksolich]

The biblical reason behind it was everyone in the generation who sinned against God in the whorshiping of the golden calf was dead by the time the Israelites crossed into the promised land.

Okay, that makes sense.

[thundley4]

I always thought it was because the men were in charge and they refused to stop and ask directions.

[Wineslob]

May it have been that no one wanted the Jews IE: You are NOT gonna get this land? So, in a sense they "wandered" until they found a place to settle?