# On the plains of Moab

Exodus & Wilderness · Reviewed · BSB

Content revision: ecc8de18e12c2d71 · Editorial review: 2026-09-23

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Date: c. 1406 BC · Opening address: Year 40, month 11, day 1. Dated from 1 Kings 6:1, which places the Exodus 480 years before Solomon began the temple (c. 966 BC). Many scholars instead date the Exodus to about 1260 BC.

On the plains across from Jericho, Moses addresses Israel before entry into the land. He recalls the journey and teaches the covenant obligations. Deuteronomy 29 describes a covenant made in Moab in addition to the one at Horeb.

Deuteronomy 1:3 dates the opening address to the first day of the eleventh month in year 40. This date does not date every speech. Numbers 33:49 describes an extended camp along the Jordan.

## Primary Scripture

[Numbers 33:48–49 (BSB)](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers%2033%3A48%E2%80%9349&version=BSB)

33:48 They set out from the mountains of Abarim and camped on the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho.

33:49 And there on the plains of Moab they camped by the Jordan, from Beth-jeshimoth to Abel-shittim.

[Deuteronomy 1:1–5 (BSB)](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy%201%3A1%E2%80%935&version=BSB)

1:1 These are the words that Moses spoke to all Israel in the wilderness east of the Jordan—in the Arabah opposite Suph—between Paran and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Dizahab.

1:2 It is an eleven-day journey from Horeb to Kadesh-barnea by way of Mount Seir.

1:3 In the fortieth year, on the first day of the eleventh month, Moses proclaimed to the Israelites all that the LORD had commanded him concerning them.

1:4 This was after he had defeated Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon, and then at Edrei had defeated Og king of Bashan, who lived in Ashtaroth.

1:5 On the east side of the Jordan in the land of Moab, Moses began to explain this law, saying:

## Related Scripture

Teaching at this setting: Deuteronomy 4, 29, and 30 are teaching and covenant passages within the Moab setting. Chapter 29 explicitly distinguishes the covenant in Moab from the one at Horeb.

[Deuteronomy 4:1–9 · teaching](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy%204%3A1%E2%80%939&version=BSB)

[Deuteronomy 29:1–15 · teaching](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy%2029%3A1%E2%80%9315&version=BSB)

[Deuteronomy 30:11–20 · teaching](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy%2030%3A11%E2%80%9320&version=BSB)

## Location evidence

Numbers describes an extended camp on the plains opposite Jericho. The highlighted area is approximate, not a precise camp boundary.

Event map marker: Approximate region; \[longitude, latitude\] = \[35.64, 31.85\]. This is a teaching marker, not an exact event venue.

Plains of Moab: Approximate region. Coordinates \[longitude, latitude\]: \[35.64, 31.85\]. Classification source: editorial.

Illustrative regional extent: \[\[35.56,31.77\],\[35.7,31.91\]\]; not a measured confidence interval.

[Numbers 33:48–49 · extent of the camp](https://ebible.org/eng-web/NUM33.htm)

[Numbers 33:48–49 · extent of the camp](https://ebible.org/eng-web/NUM33.htm)

## For the class

What must this new generation carry with them across the Jordan?

## Interpretation and reuse

Narrative order is a reading arrangement, not a proven chronology. Dates retain their stated uncertainty. An identified locality does not establish the exact venue or prove an event. Region extents and routes are illustrative, not surveyed boundaries or ancient roads. Draft material has not completed editorial review.

Record source: editorial (src/data/journey.ts)

Place coordinates from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding Data, CC BY 4.0.

Teaching stops, summaries and regional extents are original editorial content of this atlas.

Berean Standard Bible (BSB), public domain. https://berean.bible/licensing.htm

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