Numbers 33:29
And they went from Mithcah, and pitched in Hashmonah.
Original Language Analysis
וַיִּסְע֖וּ
And they went
H5265
וַיִּסְע֖וּ
And they went
Strong's:
H5265
Word #:
1 of 4
properly, to pull up, especially the tent-pins, i.e., start on a journey
Historical Context
This itinerary section (vv. 16-36) covers the 38 years of wandering between departing Sinai and returning to Kadesh. Many of these place names appear nowhere else in Scripture, suggesting the original audience knew the geography intimately even though later generations lost the specific locations.
Questions for Reflection
- How does the repetitive nature of these journey notices mirror seasons of 'waiting' in your spiritual life?
- What does Israel's nomadic existence teach about holding earthly possessions lightly?
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Analysis & Commentary
They went from Mithcah, and pitched in Hashmonah—The Hebrew מִתְקָה (Mithqah, 'sweetness') to חַשְׁמֹנָה (Hashmōnāh, possibly 'fruitful'). These wilderness stations between Sinai and Kadesh represent the interim period of Israel's wandering, when they were neither at the mountain of God nor yet approaching Canaan.
The bare recitation of movement verbs—went (נָסַע, nasa') and pitched (חָנָה, chanah)—emphasizes the transient nature of pilgrimage. God's people lived in tents, not cities, learning dependence on divine provision. Hebrews 11:13-16 celebrates this nomadic faith: 'strangers and pilgrims on the earth.'