The Bible Commentaries and Others: Kadesh

Kadesh

KADESH-BARNEA (PLACE) [Heb qādeš barnēa˓ (קָדֶשׁ בַּרְנֵעַ)]. Var. KADESH; KEDESH; MERIBATH-KADESH. A site in N Sinai where the Israelites camped before their entrance into Canaan. It was also known simply as Kadesh (Num 13:26; cf. Deut 1:19) or Kedesh (Josh 15:23). The first part of the name of the site appears to derive from the Hebrew root qdš, referring to “holiness” or “separateness”; the meaning of the second element is unknown. According to Gen 14:7, Kadesh-barnea was the scene of Chedorlaomer’s defeat of the Amalekites, when it was also known as Enmishpat. Kadesh-barnea was the site of some significant developments in Israel’s history. After their departure from Mt. Sinai, the Israelites traveled to Kadesh-barnea, from whence the twelve spies were sent into Canaan; as a result of Israel’s discouragement and ensuing complaints when they heard the report of ten of the spies, Yahweh sentenced Israel to wander in the wilderness for forty years (Numbers 13–14). It was at Kadesh-barnea that Miriam, sister of Moses and Aaron, died and was buried (Num 20:1). It was also the setting where Moses disobeyed Yahweh’s command when he struck the rock to provide water rather than speaking to it (Num 20:2–13); this disobedience was the basis for Moses’ exclusion from entry into the promised land. After Israel’s entrance into Canaan, the site is mentioned as part of the S border of Judah (Josh 15:1–3).

A. Location

During the early 1800s, the search for Kadesh-barnea concentrated in the Arabah because of the reference in Num 20:16, which places the site on the border of Edom. The search shifted W in the latter part of the century because of problems correlating the Arabah locations with the geographical descriptions in the Bible. Some suggested that Kadesh-barnea should be identified with ˓Ain Qedeis, an oasis in the N Sinai which also seemed to preserve the name of the site. However, the name apparently did not preserve any real tradition, since ˓Ain Qedeis, too, failed to conform to the biblical descriptions of the site and its location. In 1905 N. Schmidt (1910) recognized that the biblical texts conformed better with remains near ˓Ain el-Qudeirat (M.R. 096006) and suggested that this was the region in which Kadesh-barnea should be located. C. L. Woolley and T. E. Lawrence (1914–15) made an extensive study of the region soon after and confirmed Schmidt’s conclusion, and their identification has essentially been universally accepted since.

The site now recognized as Kadesh-barnea is located near ˓Ain el-Qudeirat in the Wadi el-˓Ain. It rests near the junction of a road leading from Suez to Beer-sheba/Hebron and the road branching from the Via Maris near el-Arish leading to ˓Aqaba. This area is now the largest oasis in the N Sinai and has a spring that produces about 40 m3 of water per hour (Dothan 1965).

B. Excavation History

Woolley and Lawrence conducted a three-day excavation at the site in 1914, enough to provide a basic outline of the upper fortress. M. Dothan reexcavated the site in 1956 and discovered the Persian levels as well as two fortresses dating from the Iron Age II. The excavations by R. Cohen in 1972–82 supplied significant additional detail to the earlier excavations.

1. The Earliest Fortress. The excavations revealed three superimposed fortresses dating from the 10th century b.c. to the 7th–6th century b.c., followed by some Persian occupation. The bottom fortress lay under some 5 m of debris and was a large (ca. 27 m diameter) oval fortress with casemate outer walls. It rested on the E edge of the site and was later bisected by the upper two fortresses. A large multiroom building was located separate from the oval fortress to the W (i.e., under and just inside the NW corner of the upper two levels). It contained a room (ca. 4 m by 6 m) with stone benches lining the walls. The ceramic collection of this stratum was characteristically 10th century b.c., but consisted of wheel-made pottery and a handmade pottery often found in the Negeb now referred to as “Negebite” ware. The ceramic repertoire included large pithoi storejars, juglets, flasks, lamps, kraters, cooking pots, various sizes of bowls, and chalices. Among the small finds were three iron arrowheads and an “eye of Horus,” along with a faience statuette.

The date of the ceramic collection and layout of the site are consistent to suggest that the fortress was constructed during the time of Solomon. It was probably one of a series of fortresses built to protect the S border of Israel. Perhaps it was destroyed during the raids into Canaan by Shishak (cf. 1 Kgs 14:25–28).

2. The Middle Fortress. After an occupational gap of about two centuries, the site (in contrast to the other fortresses along the S border) was rebuilt. The new construction neither followed nor reused the earlier remains. The new fortress was rectangular (ca. 60 × 40 m) and had solid walls (ca. 4 m thick). Eight projecting towers were incorporated into its design with one at each corner and one at the midpoint along each of the walls. See Fig. KAD.01. The walls were in turn protected by a defensive complex consisting of an earth glacis which sloped down to a retaining wall about 2.5 m high, beyond which was a 4-m-wide moat measuring 2.5 m deep.

A wide street (ca. 3.5 m) bisected the interior of the fortress. While there were buildings on both sides of the street, some special features were on the W end of the fortress. In the NW corner (built over the remains of the separated large building with stone benches of the earlier period) was a building in which were found mudbrick installations with traces of fire and large numbers of animal bones. Immediately across the street to the S was a cistern with a 10-m-diameter shaft, which was lined on the lower levels with large stones and plaster. Twenty-five steps descended into the cistern providing access. The cistern was fed from the spring outside the fortress to the S via a plastered conduit which carried the water under the rampart. The cistern had a capacity of ca. 180 m3. Just to the E of the cistern was a large rectangular room (ca. 5.5 m by 3.8 m) which may have been a silo; a smaller (ca. 2 m diameter) circular silo was nearby.

Outside the fortress on the N were located several round granaries (which contained a fairly large number of camel bones) and a room attached to the fortress in which was found an oven with a complete handmade cooking pot inside of it. The ceramics of this fortress, like that of the lower fortress, exhibited a mixture of wheel-made pottery (typically 8th–7th centuries b.c.) and handmade Negebite ware.

Uzziah may have directed the construction of this fortress; he tried to fortify the S part of Judah (2 Chr 26:10). Its destruction apparently came at the end of Manasseh’s reign in the middle of the 7th century b.c.

3. The Upper Fortress. The upper fortress followed essentially the same external plan as the middle fortress with the exception that the outer walls were casemate instead of solid. See Fig. KAD.01. The glacis and moat continued in use. The interior layout of the fortress changed, although the cistern continued in use (however, from a higher level). In the NW corner the special character of the architecture continued and the excavators found three rectangular rooms which opened onto a large stone pavement. On the pavement stood a large circular structure (ca. 1.9 m) built of mudbrick and preserved to a height of ca. 1.2 m. This structure was filled with a thick layer of ashes and next to it were found a small incense burner, many ceramic vessels, and animal bones. In view of the kinds of finds located in the NW quadrant and the special architectural features (e.g., the stone benches along the walls in the lowest level; cf. Dever 1987) it might be suggested that this constituted a shrine either for the personnel of the site or for the region. This stratum also yielded a typical collection of wheel-made and handmade Negebite ceramic pieces of the 7th century b.c. In addition, ceramic figurine fragments of the head of a horse and a pinch-face male were found which may originally have been part of a “horse and rider” figurine.

Cohen suggests that this fortress was built during the time of Josiah and that it was destroyed as part of Nebuchadnezzar’s campaign when he destroyed Jerusalem (1983: XVII).

4. Persian Period. The site was reoccupied during the Persian period with no apparent architectural addition or repair to the defensive walls. The occupants apparently lived in some of the remaining casemate rooms and, as was common for the Persian period, dug various pits on the site.

5. Ostraca. Several ostraca have been found, most indicating some kind of accounting system. It is unclear whether the hieratic numbers were for actual accounting purposes or represented student exercises. Of special significance, however, are the appearances of a sign for the shekel; a reference from the Persian levels to a gerah (the smallest Hebrew unit of weight measurement, ca. 0.50 gram); references to a “thousand” (˒alep) and to “thousands” (˒alepı̂m); what appears to be a fragment of an abecedary with the Hebrew sequence of zayin, h\et, t\et; and a reference to a sherd of unclear context to an ˒eškār (perhaps an allusion to an offering or gift [cf. Ps 72:10]).

C. Peculiarities and Problems

A peculiar feature of the site is the fact that no gate has been found to provide access to the inside. While the upper fortress had experienced some erosion, it seems clear from the nature of the glacis and lower ramparts that there was no typical gate into the fortress. Nor has the middle fortress yielded evidence of a gate. The lower fortress may have had one, but the excavations have not been extensive enough to locate it. Perhaps access was via ladders, which would have eliminated the weakness of a break in the wall for a gate.

A beleaguering point is the fact that the excavations have produced no evidence of a large number of people having stayed at the site any time during when the Exodus is postulated to have occurred. While there are remains of settlements in the vicinity from the EB II period (Beit-Arieh and Gophna 1976; 1981), these are obviously much too early to have anything to do with the Israelites. There are at least three lines by which to address this dilemma: (1) perhaps the site is not Kadesh-barnea of the Hebrew Bible; (2) evidence may yet be unearthed to corroborate the presence of a large group of people in the LB/Iron Age, since the excavations have not exhausted the site; or (3) a growing number of scholars suggest that the Exodus, at least in the way the Hebrew Bible portrays the event, did not occur, in which case one should not necessarily expect to find evidence of Israel’s LB/early Iron Age I occupation.

Bibliography

Beit-Arieh, I., and Gophna, R. 1976. Early Bronze Age II Sties in Wadi el-Qudeirat (Kadesh-barnea). TA 3: 142–50.

———. 1981. The Early Bronze Age II Settlement at ˓Ain el-Qudeirat (1980–1981). TA 8: 128–35.

Cohen, R. 1976. Notes and News. Kadesh-Barnea, 1976. IEJ 26: 201–2.

———. 1979. The Iron Age Fortresses in the Central Negev. BASOR 236: 61–79.

———. 1980. Notes and News. Kadesh-Barnea, 1979. IEJ 30: 235–36.

———. 1981. Excavations at Kadesh-Barnea, 1976–1978. BA 44: 93–107.

———. 1982. Notes and News. Kadesh-Barnea, 1980. IEJ 32: 70–71.

———. 1983. Kadesh-barnea. Jerusalem.

Dever, W. G. 1987. The Contribution of Archaeology to the Study of Canaanite and Early Israelite Religion. Pp. 209–47 in AIR.

Dothan, M. 1965. The Fortress at Kadesh-Barnea. IEJ 15: 134–51.

———. 1977. Kadesh-Barnea. EAEHL 3: 697–98.

Schmidt, N. 1910. Kadesh Barnea. JBL 29: 61–76.

Woolley, C. L., and Lawrence, T. E. 1914–15. The Wilderness of Zin. PEFA 3. London.

Dale W. Manor

Freedman, D. N. (1996, c1992). The Anchor Bible Dictionary (4:2). New York: Doubleday.

Kadesh — holy, or Kadesh-Barnea, sacred desert of wandering, a place on the south-eastern border of Palestine, about 165 miles from Horeb. It lay in the “wilderness” or “desert of Zin” (Gen. 14:7; Num. 13:3–26; 14:29–33; 20:1; 27:14), on the border of Edom (20:16). From this place, in compliance with the desire of the people, Moses sent forth “twelve spies” to spy the land. After examining it in all its districts, the spies brought back an evil report, Joshua and Caleb alone giving a good report of the land (13:18–31). Influenced by the discouraging report, the people abandoned all hope of entering into the Promised Land. They remained a considerable time at Kadesh. (See HORMAH ; KORAH.) Because of their unbelief, they were condemned by God to wander for thirty-eight years in the wilderness. They took their journey from Kadesh into the deserts of Paran, “by way of the Red Sea” (Deut. 2:1). (One theory is that during these thirty-eight years they remained in and about Kadesh.)

At the end of these years of wanderings, the tribes were a second time gathered together at Kadesh. During their stay here at this time Miriam died and was buried. Here the people murmured for want of water, as their forefathers had done formerly at Rephidim; and Moses, irritated by their chidings, “with his rod smote the rock twice,” instead of “speaking to the rock before their eyes,” as the Lord had commanded him (comp. Num. 27:14; Deut. 9:23; Ps. 106:32, 33). Because of this act of his, in which Aaron too was involved, neither of them was to be permitted to set foot within the Promised Land (Num. 20:12, 24). The king of Edom would not permit them to pass on through his territory, and therefore they commenced an eastward march, and “came unto Mount Hor” (20:22).

This place has been identified with ‘Ain el-Kadeis, about 12 miles east-south-east of Beersheba. (See SPIES.)

Easton, M. (1996, c1897). Easton's Bible dictionary. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

KADESH, KADESH-BARNEA Home of the wandering Israelites for nearly 38 years. In the vast area of the Sinai there are two main oases: in the south is Wadi Feiran, near the mountain of Moses (Mt Sinai or Horeb); in the north is Kadesh, or Kadesh-barnea. The former was the place where the law was given; the latter, the main campsite of the 12 tribes during their exodus from Egypt (Dt 1:46).

Kadesh-barnea (Gn 14:7, “En-mishpat”) was raided by Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, during the time of Abraham. In this area Hagar was driven from the tent of Sarah, her mistress (16:14), and here Miriam died and was buried (Nm 20:1). The great contention over water took place here, giving rise to the name Meribah or Meribath-kadesh (Nm 20:2–24; Dt 32:51; Ez 47:19; 48:28). This was also the scene of Korah’s rebellion against the leadership of Moses and Aaron (Nm 16–17). This area would long remain in the memory of the Israelite tribes as the place of their unbelief following the report of the 10 spies and a delay of 38 years before their occupancy of the Promised Land (Ps 95:8–11; cf. Heb 3:7–19).

Because of the water, pasture, and agricultural lands, plus its proximity to Canaan, the Israelites found this area the best spot in which to spend most of their time prior to entering the Promised Land.

See also Meribah #2; Wilderness Wanderings.

Elwell, W. A., & Comfort, P. W. (2001). Tyndale Bible dictionary. Tyndale reference library (767). Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers.

KA´DESH (kāʹdesh; “consecrated”). More fully Ka´desh-bar´nea (kaʹdesh-barʹnē-a). A spot where the Israelites encamped twice while journeying from Egypt to Palestine, their nineteenth and thirty-seventh station. Its original name seems to have been Rithmah (which see), becoming Kadesh when the Tabernacle rested there; En-mishpat (Gen. 14:7), “Fountain of Judgment,” when judgment was passed upon the Israelites; and Meribah (which see) when it became the place of murmuring and strife.

From Kadesh-barnea Moses sent messengers to explore the Promised Land. There the people rebelled and prepared to choose a captain to lead them back to Egypt (Num. 14:4). Consequently, Kadesh, the “sanctuary,” became En-mishpat, a “Fountain of Judgment,” when the rebellious people were sentenced to complete forty years of wandering. Israel determined to obtain possession of Canaan (14:39–40) and pushed into the S country (the Negeb), that is, the high land between the desert and Canaan proper. They were, however, defeated by the Amorites (Deut. 1:44) and the Amalekites (Num. 14:45).

Scripture References. The first mention of Kadesh-barnea is in connection with the devastating march of Chedorlaomer (which see), king of Elam, in the days of Abraham (Gen. 14:1–16). Kadesh is mentioned in connection with the flight of Hagar, where it is recorded that she rested by “the spring on the way to Shur” (16:7), between Kadesh and Bered (v. 14). Again it is recorded that Abraham moved from Hebron and sojourned at a point “between Kadesh and Shur” (20:1). Some believe that the rebellion of Korah and his company occurred at Kadesh, that it was there “the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up” (Num. 16:1–32). It was certainly at Kadesh that Miriam died and was buried (20:1), and it was there that Moses struck the rock when he had been told only to speak to it (vv. 2–11). This was the third time that it became the “Fountain of Judgment” by Jehovah’s passing judgment upon Moses for his impatience, presumption, and lack of reverent obedience (vv. 12–24). Then Kadesh, “consecrated (place)” or “sanctuary,” became Meribah, or “strife” (v. 13).

A long halt at Kadesh followed (Deut. 1:46), and it appears that the Israelites scattered in the valleys of the desert, leading a nomadic life. All this time Kadesh was the northernmost limit of their roving and, in a peculiar sense, the center of their occupancy, the pivot of their wanderings. Thirty-seven years passed, during which time Israel did not advance one single step toward the occupancy of the Promised Land. Then “the whole congregation” (Num. 20:1; Deut. 2:1) came together in Kadesh, as if it was the rendezvous and rallying point of the scattered nation.

From Kadesh Moses sent messengers to the king of Edom with the request that Israel might pass through his country on the way to Canaan (Num. 20:14–21), and he also sent a similar request to the king of Moab (Judg. 11:16–17).

Location. This has been successfully identified with ‘Ain Kadeis or ‘Ain el Qudeirat, about fifty miles S of Beersheba in the NE part of the Sinai Peninsula. The determining factor of the location was water (Num. 20:2). With the region some five or six miles to the N, which was also well watered, Israel acquired the most livable part of the Sinai Peninsula. This circumstance offers the reason for their extended stay at this place. T. E. Lawrence and C. L. Woolley examined ‘Ain Kadeis in 1914 on behalf of the Palestine Exploration Fund and drew up a plan of a fortress on the site. In 1956 M. Dothan excavated the fortress under the auspices of the Israel Department of Antiquities and found that it dated to the tenth century b.c. No remains of the Mosaic period have been located there, but none should be expected—given the nature of the Hebrew encampment. Moreover, excavation or even exploration of the site is incomplete.

bibliography: H. C. Trumbull, Kadesh-Barnea: Its Importance and Probable Site (1884); C. L. Wooley and T. E. Lawrence, The Wilderness of Zin (1936); L. J. Wood, A Survey of Israel’s History (1970), pp. 137–38, 155–61.

Unger, M. F., Harrison, R. K., Vos, H. F., Barber, C. J., & Unger, M. F. (1988). The new Unger's Bible dictionary. Revision of: Unger's Bible dictionary. 3rd ed. c1966. (Rev. and updated ed.). Chicago: Moody Press.

KADESH. 1. Kadesh Barne˒a. The site has been identified with ˓Ain Qudeis, about 80km SW of Beer Sheva, but this depends on the similarity of the ancient and modern names. The spring produces an insignificant amount of water. ˓Ain Qudeirat, roughly 8 km NW of ˓Ain Qudeis, has much more water and vegetation and is a more suitable location for Kadesh Barne˒a.

Chadarlaomer and his allies came to En Mishpat (i.e. Kadesh) and subdued the Amalekites before returning to defeat the kings of the Cities of the (Dead Sea) Plain (Gn. 14:5–9). In the narrative of the fugitive Hagar’s experience of God, the well Be˒er-le Hai-Ro˒i is ‘between Kadesh and Bered’, on the way to Shur (Gn. 16:7, 14); Kadesh is also associated with the way to Shur in Gn. 20:1.

Journeying through the Sinai wilderness, the Israelites stayed in the region of Kadesh on the edges of the wilderness of Paran and Zin more than once (Nu. 13:26; 20:1; Dt. 1:19, 46); from here Moses sent his spies into Canaan. From Horeb or Sinai to Kadesh was 11 days’ journey via Mt. Seir (Dt. 1:2). From the traditional Mt. Sinai to Dahab on the E coast of Sinai and up the coast and across to Kadesh (Qudeirat) is indeed 11 days’ travel. At Kadesh, after doubting God’s ability to give them the promised land, Israel was condemned to wander for 40 years until a new generation should arise (Nu. 14:32–35; cf. Dt. 2:14). After some time, Israel returned to Kadesh (Nu. 33:36–37), Miriam being buried there (Nu. 20:1). At this time, too, for failing to glorify God when striking water from the rock (Nu. 20:10–13; 27:14; Dt. 32:51), Moses was denied entry to the promised land; from there, too, he sent messengers in vain to the king of Edom, to grant Israel permission to pass through his territory (Nu. 20:14–21; Jdg. 11:16–17). Kadesh Barne˒a was to be the S corner of the SW boundary of Judah, turning W then NW to reach the Mediterranean along the ‘Brook of Egypt’ (Nu. 34:4; Jos. 15:3). It was also included as a boundary-point by Ezekiel (47:19; 48:28). The SE to SW limits of Joshua’s S Canaanite campaign were marked by Kadesh Barne˒a and Gaza respectively (Jos. 10:41). Kedesh in Jos. 15:23, in the southernmost territory of Judah, may either be Kadesh Barne˒a or an otherwise unknown site.

The site of Tell el-Qudeirat was first surveyed by Woolley and Lawrence in 1914. The fortress they identified was excavated by M, Dothan in 1956, and by Cohen in 1976–82. Cohen identified three superimposed fortresses, but Ussishkin has shown that there were only two. The lower fortlet was small and elliptical in shape, fortified by a casemate wall with a courtyard in the centre. To the W of it was a small unfortified settlement. The fortlet is dated to the 10th century bc and is one of many such fortlets known from the Negev. Today they are thought to have served as focal points for local desert clans. The daily utensil pots were made of the local ‘Negbite’ ware, whereas the storage jars had been imported with their contents from Judah. The later and larger fortress is rectangular with casemate walls and eight protruding towers, one in each corner, and one along each side. The fortress was constructed on a raised platform of earth with a shallow moat around it. On the inside were a number of buildings and a cistern. Around the fortress and the spring was a small unfortified settlement. The fortress is one of a number known from the Negev from the end of the Judaean kingdom. Its construction was probably the initiative of the Assyrians, as part of their efforts to control the trade routes to Arabia, but following Assyria’s collapse it came under the control of the Egyptians before finally being destroyed in 586 bc by Nebuchadrezzar. It is from this final phase that a number of ostraca (potsherds with writing on them) were found. One ostracon contained three columns of Heb. script and hieratic numerals, and is thought to have been part of a student’s exercise.

2. Kadesh (on the Orontes). The site was excavated by M. Pezard and later P. Parr at Tell Nebi Merd and flourished in the late Bronze Age; renowned for the battle when Rameses II defeated the Hittites.

See also *Kedesh. j.w.

Wood, D. R. W., Wood, D. R. W., & Marshall, I. H. (1996, c1982, c1962). New Bible Dictionary. Includes index. (electronic ed. of 3rd ed.) (641). Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press.

Kadesh (kayʹdesh), a city in ancient Palestine. 1 Kadesh-barnea (kayʹdesh-bahr-neeʹah) or Qadesh, ‘Ain Kadeis, ‘Ain el-Qudeirat or Gedeirat, a place in the wilderness of Paran between Shur and Edom, or alternatively in the Wilderness of Zin, where it formed the south border of Canaan and the west border with Edom. Abraham dwelt in the area (Gen. 20:1). It was the camp for the failed invasion of Canaan from the south (Num. 13-14), after which the Israelites left the area (Num. 20:1-29). At this time Kadesh became an important symbol in the early history of Israel (see Num. 32:8; 33:36-37; Deut. 1:2, 19, 46; 2:14; 9:23; 32:51; Josh. 10:41; 14:6-7; 15:3; Judg. 11:16-17). The name En-mishpat is based on a geographical origin (etiology) story about the decisions made there (Gen. 14:7) and is another name for Kadesh. Miriam died there (Num. 20:1). It was there that the Hebrews were camped when they were denied permission to traverse Edom by the king of Edom (Num. 20:14-21). Modern ‘Ain-Gedeirat, the location of ancient Kadesh, has a tenth-century b.c. fortress as well as a reservoir 75 feet square and 9 feet deep dating from the pre-Roman era. 2 Kadesh-on-the-Orontes, where Rameses II fought with the Hittites (ca. 1286 b.c.). While the Hittites were able to prevail in the battle, they were unable to press the advantage. S.B.R.

Achtemeier, P. J., Harper & Row, P., & Society of Biblical Literature. (1985). Harper's Bible dictionary. Includes index. (1st ed.) (522). San Francisco: Harper & Row.

Kadesh (Heb. qāḏēš), KADESH-BARNEA (qāḏēš barnēa˓)

1. Kadesh-barnea, a site in the northern Sinai (the wilderness of Zin; Num. 20:1; 33:36) where Israel encamped at least twice in their wanderings. In the narrative of Chedorlaomer’s campaign into southern Canaan, Kadesh is called En-misphat, “spring of judgment” (Gen. 14:7). It was near Kadesh that Hagar received God’s promise of Ishmael’s birth (Gen. 16:11–14). Moses sent the spies from Kadesh to reconnoiter Canaan, but their report destroyed Israel’s resolve to take the land (Num. 13–14; Deut. 1:19). For their lack of faith, God sentenced Israel to 40 years of wandering, which eventually found Israel back at Kadesh-barnea. It was also at Kadesh that Moses’ sister Miriam died and was buried (Num. 20:1) and there Israel complained again about their lack of water (vv. 2–10). At Kadesh, Moses disobeyed God by striking the rock with his staff to bring forth water rather than speaking to it as God had commanded; this insubordination checked Moses’ entry into Canaan (Num. 20:2–13). The site eventually served as a landmark for the southern border of Judah (Josh. 15:1–3; cf. v. 23, “Kedesh”).˓Ain el-Qudeirat (096006), the site identified as Kadesh-barnea, does not always mesh with the biblical texts. Working in part upon the identification by Nathaniel Schmidt, C. Leonard Woolley and T. E. Lawrence (1914–1915) confirmed Schmidt’s conclusions. Moshe Dothan reexcavated the site in 1956, and Rudolph Cohen in 1972–1982.

Excavations reveal three superimposed fortresses dating from the 10th to the 7th-6th century b.c., followed by some Persian occupation. The 10th-century fortress was a large oval (ca. 27 m. [88 ft.] in diameter) with casemate walls. The ceramic collection and layout of the site suggest that it was constructed during Solomon’s reign, probably as part of a defensive line along Judah’s southern border. It was likely destroyed during Shishak’s campaigns into Israel and Judah.

The fortress was rebuilt ca. two centuries later. The new fortress was rectangular (ca. 60 x 40 m.[196 x 131 ft.]) with solid walls (ca. 4 m. [13 ft.] thick) and eight projecting towers along its walls. An earth glacis and moat protected the fortification walls. Uzziah may have directed the construction of this fortress (2 Chr. 26:10). It was probably destroyed at the end of Manasseh’s reign in the middle of the 7th century.

The latest fortress was built with casemate walls and followed basically the same rectangular plan as the middle fortress. The glacis and moat continued in use. In the northwestern corner of the fortress was a large circular mudbrick structure (ca. 1.9 m.[6.3 ft.] in diameter). This structure was filled with a thick layer of ashes and next to it were ceramic vessels, a small incense burner, and animal bones. This area may have been a shrine for the personnel of the site or for the region. Cohen suggests that this fortress was built during the time of Josiah and destroyed during Nebuchadnezzar’s campaign when he also destroyed Jerusalem.

The excavations have produced no evidence to indicate the presence of a large number of people at the site during any period when the Exodus is thought to have occurred. Scholars have interpreted this problem differently. Conservatives may assert that the identification is an error and that Kadesh-barnea should be identified with another, yet undiscovered site. Others suggest that the biblical story is an etiological account. A growing number of scholars suggest that there was no body of people who came out of Egypt to camp at Kadesh-barnea and hence no remains should be expected.

Bibliography. R. Cohen, “Excavations at Kadesh-Barnea, 1976–1978,” BA 44 (1981): 93–107; “The Iron Age Fortresses in the Central Negev,” BASOR 236 (1979): 61–79; Kadesh-barnea (Jerusalem, 1983); M. Dothan, “The Fortress at Kadesh-Barnea,” IEJ 15 (1965): 134–51.

2. Kadesh on the Orontes, modern Tell Nebɩ̂ Mind (291444) in Syria. Although Egyptian annals mention earlier battles at the site (e.g., Thutmose III, Seti I), the more notable conflict occurred ca. 1285 when Rameses II and the Hittites under Muwatallis fought near Kadesh for control of Syria. Both sides suffered badly in the conflict and ended it with a treaty which has been preserved from both parties (ANET, 199–203); the Hittite version probably preserves the terms more accurately. Rameses portrayed the battle on several temple carvings in Egypt.

Bibliography. J. H. Breasted, ed., Ancient Records of Egypt, 5 vols. (Chicago, 1906–7).

Dale W. Manor

Freedman, D. N., Myers, A. C., & Beck, A. B. (2000). Eerdmans dictionary of the Bible (759). Grand Rapids, Mich.: W.B. Eerdmans.