Hazeroth
Hazeroth is an ancient city mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Sinai in modern-day Egypt. Known today as Ain el Khadra. It appears across 6 verses in Scripture.
Biblical History
Hazeroth, whose name means 'enclosures' or 'villages,' is primarily remembered as a campsite along the Israelites' wilderness journey following the Exodus from Egypt. Numbers 11:35 records that after the devastating plague at Kibroth-hattaavah, where the people had craved meat, the entire congregation moved on to Hazeroth and camped there. It was at this location that one of the most dramatic personal confrontations in the Pentateuch unfolded: Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of his Cushite wife, challenging his unique prophetic authority (Numbers 12:1–16). The Lord's anger burned against them, and Miriam was struck with leprosy. After Moses interceded for her, she was healed but required to remain outside the camp for seven days before the people could journey onward to the wilderness of Paran. This episode at Hazeroth underscores the supreme authority God invested in Moses as His servant and the serious consequences of challenging divinely ordained leadership. Hazeroth is also listed among the stopping points recalled in Moses' retrospective account of Israel's journey in Deuteronomy 1:1.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Hazeroth is traditionally identified with Ain el Khadra, a spring oasis in the southern Sinai Peninsula. The site's perennial water source would have made it a logical campsite for a large migrating community. The identification was proposed by early explorers on the basis of the name's meaning and the location's suitability along ancient Sinai travel routes. No significant formal archaeological excavation has been conducted at this remote site. The surrounding Sinai terrain preserves Bronze Age nomadic traces at various springs, though conclusive material culture linking the site to the Exodus narrative specifically remains elusive. The oasis continues to be inhabited seasonally by Bedouin communities.
Verse Appearances (6)
Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →