Kibroth-hattaavah
Kibroth-hattaavah is an ancient city mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Sinai in modern-day Egypt. Known today as Erweis el Ebeirig. It appears across 5 verses in Scripture.
Biblical History
Kibroth-hattaavah, meaning "graves of craving" or "graves of greed," is one of the most dramatically named locations in the wilderness narrative. The site received its name after a devastating episode recorded in Numbers 11:31-34. When the Israelites complained bitterly about the monotony of manna and craved meat, God sent an overwhelming abundance of quail that covered the ground around the camp. But while the meat was still between their teeth, before it could be consumed, the Lord struck the people with a severe plague. Those who had yielded to their craving were buried there, giving the place its grim name. The incident is recalled in Numbers 33:16-17 as a station on the wilderness journey, in Deuteronomy 9:22 where Moses reminds Israel of their provocations against God, and in Psalm 78:30-31 which recounts how God's anger rose against the people even as they ate. Kibroth-hattaavah stands as a sobering memorial to the consequences of ingratitude and unchecked desire, located between the Wilderness of Sinai and Hazeroth on Israel's northward march.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Kibroth-hattaavah has been tentatively identified with Erweis el-Ebeirig, a site in the northeastern Sinai Peninsula along one of the proposed routes of the Exodus. The identification is based on geographical reasoning regarding the distance from Mount Sinai (traditionally Jebel Musa) and the direction of travel toward Hazeroth, the next recorded campsite. The site has not been subject to modern systematic excavation, and definitive archaeological confirmation of the identification is lacking. The Sinai landscape in this area consists of arid granite and sandstone terrain with sparse vegetation and seasonal water sources in wadi systems. Archaeological surveys of the northeastern Sinai have documented scattered campsites and seasonal occupation from various periods, but connecting any specific site to the Israelite wilderness sojourn remains methodologically challenging.
Verse Appearances (5)
Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →