Taberah
Taberah is a location mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Sinai in modern-day Egypt. Known today as Erweis el Ebeirig. It appears across 2 verses in Scripture.
Biblical History
Taberah, whose name means "burning" in Hebrew, was a campsite along the Israelite wilderness journey between Egypt and Canaan. It appears in two key passages: Numbers 11:3 and Deuteronomy 9:22. At Taberah, the people complained bitterly about the hardships of desert travel, and the LORD's anger was kindled against them, so that fire broke out and consumed the outer parts of the camp. The people cried out to Moses, who interceded on their behalf, and the fire was quenched — thus giving the site its ominous name as a memorial of divine judgment. Moses later invokes Taberah alongside Massah and Kibroth Hattaavah in Deuteronomy 9:22 as examples of Israel's persistent rebellion in the wilderness, using these episodes to underscore the nation's need for continued dependence on God's grace. Taberah stands in the broader narrative as a sobering reminder that the covenant relationship carries accountability; God's presence among his people is simultaneously a source of protection and a call to holiness. The episode anticipates later prophetic themes about the consuming fire of divine holiness.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
The precise location of Taberah remains uncertain, as with most wilderness encampments mentioned in the Exodus itinerary. The proposed modern identification with Erweis el Ebeirig is tentative, based on general geographic alignment with the Sinai route rather than definitive archaeological evidence. The Sinai peninsula has been surveyed repeatedly, but the transient nature of nomadic encampments means that sites associated with the wilderness wanderings leave minimal material traces. No inscriptions or distinctive artifacts have been found that would confirm any specific site as Taberah. Scholarly consensus generally places the wilderness itinerary along routes through the central Sinai plateau or along the western coastal plain.
Verse Appearances (2)
Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →