Bible Dictionary

Kadesh

Places & Geography • Old Testament

Kadesh was a sacred site and wilderness station on Israel’s southern border, associated with the spies’ mission, Israel’s unbelief, Miriam’s death, and Moses’ striking of the rock. Another Kadesh was a Hittite city near the Orontes.

Definition

Kadesh, or Kadesh-barnea, was a sacred wilderness station on the southern border of Palestine. It was associated with Israel’s encampment, the sending of the spies, the people’s unbelief, Miriam’s death, and Moses’ striking of the rock. The name also belongs to a Hittite city near the Orontes.

Biblical Usage

From Kadesh Moses sent twelve spies into Canaan. The people rejected the favorable report of Joshua and Caleb and were condemned to years of wilderness wandering. Later Miriam died there, and Moses struck the rock when the people complained for water; this act resulted in the exclusion of Moses and Aaron from the Promised Land.

Historical Background

Kadesh lay in the wilderness of Zin near the border of Edom. It has been identified with Ain el-Kadeis. A separate Kadesh, a sacred Hittite city on the Orontes, is identified with Tell Neby Mendeh and is mentioned in an Egyptian inscription describing its capture by Rameses II.

Scripture References

Genesis 14:7 Numbers 13:3-26 Numbers 14:29-33 Numbers 20:1 Numbers 27:14 Deuteronomy 2:1 Deuteronomy 9:23 Psalms 106:32 Psalms 106:33 Numbers 20:12 Numbers 20:24

Related Figures

Historical Bible Dictionaries

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Holy, or Kadesh-Barnea, sacred desert of wandering, a place on the south-eastern border of Palestine, about 165 miles from Horeb. It lay in the “wilderness” or “desert of Zin” (Gen. 14:7; Num. 13:3-26; 14:29-33; 20:1; 27:14), on the border of Edom (20:16). From this place, in compliance with the desire of the people, Moses sent forth “twelve spies” to spy the land. After examining it in all its districts, the spies brought back an evil report, Joshua and Caleb alone giving a good report of the land (13:18-31). Influenced by the discouraging report, the people abandoned all hope of entering into the Promised Land. They remained a considerable time at Kadesh. (See HORMAH; KORAH.) Because of their unbelief, they were condemned by God to wander for thirty-eight years in the wilderness. They took their journey from Kadesh into the deserts of Paran, “by way of the Red Sea” (Deut. 2:1). (One theory is that during these thirty-eight years they remained in and about Kadesh.) At the end of these years of wanderings, the tribes were a second time gathered together at Kadesh. During their stay here at this time Miriam died and was buried. Here the people murmured for want of water, as their forefathers had done formerly at Rephidim; and Moses, irritated by their chidings, “with his rod smote the rock twice,” instead of “speaking to the rock before their eyes,” as the Lord had commanded him (comp. Num. 27:14; Deut. 9:23; Ps. 106:32, 33). Because of this act of his, in which Aaron too was involved, neither of them was to be permitted to set foot within the Promised Land (Num. 20:12, 24). The king of Edom would not permit them to pass on through his territory, and therefore they commenced an eastward march, and “came unto Mount Hor” (20:22). This place has been identified with ‘Ain el-Kadeis, about 12 miles east-south-east of Beersheba. (See SPIES.)

The sacred city of the Hittites, on the left bank of the Orontes, about 4 miles south of the Lake of Homs. It is identified with the great mound Tell Neby Mendeh, some 50 to 100 feet high, and 400 yards long. On the ruins of the temple of Karnak, in Egypt, has been found an inscription recording the capture of this city by Rameses II. (See PHARAOH.) Here the sculptor “has chiselled in deep work on the stone, with a bold execution of the several parts, the procession of the warriors, the battle before Kadesh, the storming of the fortress, the overthrow of the enemy, and the camp life of the Egyptians.” (See HITTITES.)

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)

<p>See KADESH-BARNEA.</p>

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