Iye-abarim
Iye-abarim is a location mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Transjordan in modern-day Israel. Known today as Medeineh. It appears across 3 verses in Scripture.
Biblical History
Iye-abarim, meaning "ruins of Abarim" or "heaps of the passages," served as an important waypoint during Israel's wilderness journey toward the Promised Land. It appears in the travel itinerary of Numbers 21:11, where the Israelites camped at Iye-abarim "in the wilderness that is opposite Moab, toward the sunrise," after departing from Oboth. The site is also listed in the comprehensive wilderness itinerary of Numbers 33:44-45, which records that the people journeyed from Oboth and camped at Iye-abarim on the border of Moab. The name "Abarim" connects this site to the broader Abarim mountain range, from which Moses would later view the Promised Land before his death (Deuteronomy 32:49). The location on the eastern frontier of Moab placed the Israelites at a critical juncture in their journey, transitioning from the southern wilderness route to the Transjordanian approach toward Canaan. Each campsite in the wilderness narrative testifies to God's faithful guidance of His people through decades of wandering, and Iye-abarim marks one of the final stages before Israel's dramatic victories over Sihon and Og that opened the way to the Jordan crossing.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Iye-abarim has been tentatively identified with Medeineh (also rendered Mahay), a site located in the arid region east of the Dead Sea on the border between ancient Moab and Edom. The identification is based on the site's position along the likely route of the Israelite wilderness journey as described in Numbers. The Transjordanian plateau in this area has been surveyed by Nelson Glueck and subsequent expeditions, revealing scattered Iron Age and earlier settlement remains. The harsh desert landscape of the eastern Moabite frontier preserves ancient ruins and cairns that may correspond to the "ruins" implied by the Hebrew name. However, no definitive archaeological confirmation of the biblical identification has been established. The region remains sparsely inhabited, and its remote location has limited systematic excavation.
Verse Appearances (3)
Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →