Looking for the Promised Land

Let Their Be Water!

7 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 8 Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink. 9 And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him. 10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock? 11 And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also. 12 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them. Numbers 20:11

If you’re a biblical site junkie, you should think about a visit to Jordan. Once you’re Petra-d out, you can take in a few local biblically referenced sights compliments of Moses trek through the area with the Israelites en route to the Promised Land. Though not universally accepted as the true site, you can see the rock that Moses struck and the accompanying spring. I bet that water was looking pretty good after 40 years in the desert! Don’t get too excited though. Today the spring appears to be a popular source of water for car washing.

And from atop one of the many mountains in Petra you can see Jebel Haroun, Aaron’s mountain, where a white shrine marks the alleged location of his burial – a popular pilgrimage site for Christians, Jews and Muslims.