City
Kadesh Barnea
KAY-desh bar-NEE-uh · Modern Tell el-Qudeirat / Ein el-Qudeirat, northeastern Sinai Peninsula, Egypt · Also called Kadesh, En-mishpat
Kadesh Barnea is a city of the biblical world, known today as Tell el-Qudeirat / Ein el-Qudeirat, northeastern Sinai Peninsula, Egypt.
What is known
- Israel camped at Kadesh Barnea for most of the 38 remaining years of the wilderness wandering after the spies' report and the people's refusal to enter Canaan (Numbers 13-14; Deuteronomy 1:46)
- Twelve spies were sent from Kadesh Barnea to scout the land of Canaan (Numbers 13:1-26)
- Moses struck the rock at Kadesh (Meribah) in anger rather than speaking to it as God commanded, and was told he would not enter the Promised Land because of it (Numbers 20:1-13)
- Miriam died and was buried at Kadesh (Numbers 20:1)
- Ein el-Qudeirat remains the most abundant freshwater spring in the northern Sinai/Negev border region, which is why it could sustain a large encampment for an extended period
History
- Founded
- The oasis was used seasonally from ancient times; the Iron Age fortress on the tell dates from roughly the 10th to 6th centuries BC
- Population
- A wilderness oasis camp/garrison rather than a permanent city for most of its biblical use
- Industry
- Israel's largest wilderness oasis, watered by the Ein el-Qudeirat spring; later a fortified Judahite border post guarding the southern frontier
- Coordinates
- 30.6864° N, 34.4206° E
Rulers and powers
- Israelite/Judahite border fortress — Iron Age, c. 10th-6th centuries BC
Scripture references
- Genesis 14:7 — referred to as 'En-mishpat (that is, Kadesh)'
- Numbers 13:1-26
- Numbers 14:1-45
- Numbers 20:1-13
- Numbers 20:14-16
- Deuteronomy 1:19-46
- Deuteronomy 2:14
- Joshua 15:3
On a modern map
Further reading
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