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"Mount Nebo"

Madaba, Near The Northern End of The Dead Sea,

Jordan

Friday, ‎December ‎27, ‎2013

Seventh Day of my Holy Land Trip, Mount Zion, Jerusalem

My Holy Land Trip

"Mount Nebo"

Madaba, Jordan

THE ABU BADD, Rolling stone used as a fortified door of a Byzantine monastery in the old Village of Faisaliyah once known as Kufeir Abu Badd, Mount Nebo, Madaba, Jordan:

When the Israelites came to Sinai, they pitched camp near the mountain. Moses commanded the people not to touch the mountain. Moses received the Ten Commandments orally (but not yet in tablet form) and other moral laws.

He then went up with Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy of the elders to see the god of Israel. Before Moses went up the mountain to receive the tablets, he told the elders to direct any questions that arose to Aaron or Hur.

THE ABU BADD, Rolling stone used as a fortified door of a Byzantine monastery in the old Village of Faisaliyah once known as Kufeir Abu Badd, Mount Nebo, Madaba, Jordan:

While Moses was on Mount Sinai receiving instruction on the laws for the Israelite community, the Israelites went to Aaron and asked him to make gods for them. After Aaron had received golden earrings from the people, he made a golden calf and said, "These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt." A "solemnity of the Lord" was proclaimed for the following day, which began in the morning with sacrifices and was followed by revelry.

Ancient Mosaic Floor, The Memorial Church of Moses, consisting of a simple shelter over the ancient ruints, Mt Nebo, Jordan:

After Moses had persuaded the Lord not to destroy the people of Israel, he went down from the mountain and was met by Joshua. Moses destroyed the calf and rebuked Aaron for the sin he had brought upon the people. Seeing that the people were uncontrollable, Moses went to the entry of the camp and said, "Who is on the Lord's side? Let him come unto me." All the sons of Levi rallied around Moses, who ordered them to go from gate to gate slaying the idolaters.

Ancient Mosaic Floor, The Memorial Church of Moses, consisting of a simple shelter over the ancient ruints, Mt Nebo, Jordan:

After Moses had persuaded the Lord not to destroy the people of Israel, he went down from the mountain and was met by Joshua. Moses destroyed the calf and rebuked Aaron for the sin he had brought upon the people. Seeing that the people were uncontrollable, Moses went to the entry of the camp and said, "Who is on the Lord's side? Let him come unto me." All the sons of Levi rallied around Moses, who ordered them to go from gate to gate slaying the idolaters.

Ancient Mosaic Floor, The Memorial Church of Moses, consisting of a simple shelter over the ancient ruints, Mt Nebo, Jordan:

Following this, according to the last chapters of Exodus, the Tabernacle was constructed, the priestly law ordained, the plan of encampment arranged both for the Levites and the non-priestly tribes, and the Tabernacle consecrated. Moses was given eight prayer laws that were to be carried out in regards to the Tabernacle. These laws included light, incense and sacrifice.

Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses on account of his marriage to an Ethiopian, Josephus explains the marriage of Moses to this Ethiopian in the Antiquities of the Jews and about his being the only one through whom the Lord spoke. Miriam was punished with leprosy for seven days.

Ancient Mosaic Floor, The Memorial Church of Moses, consisting of a simple shelter over the ancient ruints, Mt Nebo, Jordan:

Desert of Paran

The people left Hazeroth and pitched camp in the wilderness of Paran. (Paran is a vaguely defined region in the northern part of the Sinai peninsula, just south of Canaan) Moses sent twelve spies into Canaan as scouts, including most famously Caleb and Joshua. After forty days, they returned to the Israelite camp, bringing back grapes and other produce as samples of the regions fertility. Although all the spies agreed that the land's resources were spectacular, only two of the twelve spies (Joshua and Caleb) were willing to try to conquer it, and were nearly stoned for their unpopular opinion. The people began weeping and wanted to return to Egypt.

Display Board 1 - Mount Nebo's history in English & Arabic, Mt Nebo, Jordan:

Moses turned down the opportunity to have the Israelites completely destroyed and a great nation made from his own offspring, and instead he told the people that they would wander the wilderness for forty years until all those twenty years or older who had refused to enter Canaan had died, and that their children would then enter and possess Canaan. Early the next morning, the Israelites said they had sinned and now wanted to take possession of Canaan. Moses told them not to attempt it, but the Israelites chose to disobey Moses and invade Canaan, but were repulsed by the Amalekites and Canaanites.

Display Board 2 - Mount Nebo's history in English & Arabic, Mt Nebo, Jordan:

The Tribe of Reuben, led by Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and 250 Israelite princes, accused Moses and Aaron of raising themselves over the rest of the people. Moses told them to come the next morning with a censer for every man. Dathan and Abiram refused to come when summoned by Moses. Moses went to the place of Dathan and Abiram's tents. After Moses spoke, the ground opened up and engulfed Dathan and Abiram's tents, after which it closed again. Fire consumed the 250 men with the censers. Moses had the censers taken and made into plates to cover the altar. The following day, the Israelites came and accused Moses and Aaron of having killed his fellow Israelites. The people were struck with a plague that killed 14,700 persons, and was ended only when Aaron went with his censer into the midst of the people.

Display Board 3 - Mount Nebo's history in English & Arabic, Mt Nebo, Jordan:

To prevent further murmurings and settle the matter permanently, Moses had each of the chief princes of the non-Levitic tribes write his name on his staff and had them lay them in the sanctuary. He also had Aaron write his name on his staff and had it placed in the tabernacle. The next day, when Moses went into the tabernacle, Aaron's staff had budded, blossomed, and yielded almonds.

Map of Mount Nebo, Mt Nebo, Jordan:

North into Canaan

After leaving Sinai, the Israelites camped in Kadesh. After more complaints from the Israelites, Moses struck the stone twice, and water gushed forth. However, because Moses and Aaron had not shown the Lord's holiness, they were not permitted to enter the land to be given to the Israelites. This was the second occasion Moses struck a rock to bring forth water; however, it appears that both sites were named Meribah after these two incidents.

Ancient pottery found in Mount Nebo, Mt Nebo, Jordan:

Now ready to enter Canaan, the Israelites abandoned the idea of attacking the Canaanites head-on in Hebron, a city in the southern part of Canaan. Having been informed by spies that the Canaanites were too strong, it was decided that they would flank Hebron by going farther East, around the Dead Sea. This required that they pass through Edom, Moab, and Ammon. These three tribes were considered Hebrews by the Israelites as descendants of Lot, and therefore could not be attacked.

Layers of mount Nebo, and Memorial Church of Moses on the top, Mt Nebo, Jordan:

However they were also rivals, and did not therefore give permission to allow the Israelites to pass openly through their territory. So Moses led his people carefully along the eastern border of Edom, the southernmost of these territories. While the Israelites were making their journey around Edom, they complained about the manna. After many of the people had been bitten by serpents and died, Moses made the brass serpent and mounted it on a pole, and if those who were bitten looked at it, they did not die.

Display Board 11 - Memorial Church of Moses, Mt Nebo, Jordan:

According to the Biblical Book of Kings, this brass serpent remained in existence until the days of King Hezekiah, who destroyed it after persons began treating it as an idol. When they reached Moab, it was revealed that Moab had been attacked and defeated by the Amorites led by a king named Sihon. The Amorites were a non-Hebrew Canaanic people who once held power in the Fertile Crescent. When Moses asked the Amorites for passage and it was refused, Moses attacked the Amorites (as non-Hebrews, the Israelites had no reservations in attacking them), presumably weakened by conflict with the Moabites, and defeated them.

Display Board 16 - Mount Nebo's history in English & Arabic, Mt Nebo, Jordan:

The Israelites, now holding the territory of the Amorites just north of Moab, desired to expand their holdings by acquiring Bashan, a fertile territory north of Ammon famous for its oak trees and cattle. It was led by a king named Og. Later rabbinical legends made Og a survivor of the flood, suggesting that he had sat on the Ark and was fed by Noah. The Israelites fought with Og's forces at Edrei, on the southern border of Bashan, where the Israelites were victorious and slew every man, woman, and child of his cities and took spoil for their bounty.

Museum at Mount Nebo, Madaba, Jordan:

Balak, king of Moab, having heard of the Israelites' conquests, feared that his territory might be next. Therefore he sent elders of Moab, and of Midian, to Balaam (apparently a powerful and respected prophet), son of Beor (Bible), to induce him to come and curse the Israelites. Balaam's location is unclear. Balaam sent back word that he could do only what God commands, and God had, via a dream, told him not to go. Moab consequently sent higher ranking priests and offered Balaam honours, and so God told Balaam to go with them.

Museum at Mount Nebo, Madaba, Jordan:

Balaam thus set out with two servants to go to Balak, but an Angel tried to prevent him. At first the Angel was seen by only the ass Balaam was riding. After Balaam started to punish the ass for refusing to move, it was miraculously given the power to speak to Balaam, and it complained about Balaam's treatment. At this point, Balaam was allowed to see the angel, who informed him that the ass was the only reason the Angel did not kill Balaam. Balaam immediately repented, but was told to go on.

Roman Milestones,  Mt Nebo, Jordan:

Balak met with Balaam at Kirjath-huzoth, and they went to the high places of Baal, and offered sacrifices at seven altars, leading to Balaam's being given a prophecy by God, which Balaam related to Balak. However, the prophecy blessed Israel; Balak remonstrated, but Balaam reminded him that he could speak only the words put in his mouth, so Balak took him to another high place at Pisgah, to try again. Building another seven altars here, and making sacrifices on each, Balaam provided another prophecy blessing Israel.

Balaam was finally taken by a now very frustrated Balak to Peor, and, after the seven sacrifices there, decided not to seek enchantments, but instead looked on the Israelites from the peak. The spirit of God came upon Balaam and he delivered a third positive prophecy concerning Israel. Balak's anger rose to the point where he threatened Balaam, but Balaam merely offered a prediction of fate.

Mosaic in the Basilica of Moses, Mt Nebo, Jordan:

After Moses had taken a census of the people, he sent an army to avenge the perceived evil brought on the Israelites by the Midianites. Numbers 31 says Moses instructed the Israelite soldiers to kill every Midianite woman, boy, and non-virgin girl, although virgin girls were shared among the soldiers. The Israelites killed Balaam, and the five kings of Midian: Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba.

Moses appointed Joshua, son of Nun, to succeed him as the leader of the Israelites. Moses then died at the age of 120.

The Memorial Church of Moses, consisting of a simple shelter over the ancient ruints., Mt Nebo, Jordan:

Balaam then looked on the Kenites, and Amalekites and offered two more predictions of fate. Balak and Balaam then went to their respective homes. Later, Balaam informed Balak and the Midianites that if they wished to overcome the Israelites for a short interval, they needed to seduce the Israelites to engage in idolatry. The Midianites sent beautiful women to the Israelite camp to seduce the young men to partake in idolatry, and the attempt proved successful.

God then commanded Moses to kill everyone who had engaged in idolatry and to hang their heads, and Moses ordered the judges to carry out the mass execution. At the same time, one of the Israelites brought home a Midianitish woman in the sight of the congregation. Upon seeing this, Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron, took a javelin in his hand and thrust it through both the Israelite and the Midianitish woman, turning away the wrath of God. By that time, however, the plague inflicted on the Israelites had already killed about twenty-four thousand persons. Moses was then told that because Phinehas had averted the wrath of God from the Israelites, Phinehas and his descendents were given the pledge of an everlasting priesthood.

View Across the Dead Sea into Israel from Mt Nebo, Jordan:

Moses was warned that he would not be permitted to lead the Israelites across the Jordan river, because of his trespass at the waters of Meribah (Deut. 32:51) but would die on its eastern shores (Num. 20:12). He therefore assembled the tribes, and delivered to them a parting address, which is taken to form the Book of Deuteronomy.

When Moses finished, he sang a song and pronounced a blessing on the people. He then went up Mount Nebo to the top of Pisgah, looked over the promised land of Israel spread out before him, and died, at the age of one hundred and twenty, according to Talmudic legend on 7 Adar, his 120th birthday exactly.^[66] God himself buried him in an unknown grave in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Bethpeor (Deut. 34:6).

Moses was thus the human instrument in the creation of the nation of Israel by communicating to it the Torah. More humble than any other man (Num. 12:3), he enjoyed unique privileges, for "there hath not arisen a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom YHWH knew face to face" (Deut. 34:10). See also Jude 1:9.