The 42 Stations in the Wilderness

In Numbers 33, Moses, at the Lord’s command, recorded the stages of their journey. Over the forty years from their departure from Egypt to the plains of Moab, the Israelites camped at many places, but God only instructed Moses to record some of them. Some stops, like Taberah, were omitted, while others, like the “Red Sea shore,” were added. The final total was forty-two stations. The exact locations of these forty-two stations cannot be fully determined today.

The Forty-two Stations of Israel’s Wandering in the Wilderness

This itinerary is a record of God’s grace and preservation, as well as human weakness and failure. God shepherded them with integrity of heart and guided them with skillful hands (Psalm 78:72). In His grace, God transformed human failures into divine victories, allowing the people to move forward from one station to the next until they entered the Promised Land. This journey shows us that God’s power is made perfect in human weakness. Although people may be weak and may fail, God always keeps His chosen people walking in grace, ultimately leading them to receive His promise through that grace.

Edited and compiled based on the Chinese Union Version of the Bible and a comprehensive biblical interpretation.