Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, in the most sensitive part of the cliff facing Jericho, and Hashem (G-d) showed him the total land. . . And Hashem (G-d) said to him, “This is the land that Abraham swore to Isaac and Jacob, saying, “To your seed I will give it. “I let you see it with your own eyes, but you will pass through it (Deutoronomy 31:1-4).
As we saw last week, Jordan’s most productive biblical sites can be found WITHOUT leaving Israel (for more information on the Gilead Mountains and the Jabbok River, click here). Today we will explore a site so vital that the Torah (five ebooks of Moses) ends with it and Joshua’s ebook begins in this area. Of course, I’m talking about Mount Nebo!
For the view, we will head to Mitzpe Yericho, an Israeli Jewish town in Judea and Samaria that has an amazing viewpoint.
On a transparent day, many sites are visible from here, adding Jerusalem (Israel’s eternal capital), Amman (Jordan’s capital), Jericho (the first city conquered by Israel’s youth upon entering Israel), the Dead Sea (which is the lowest point on Earth), biblical Mount Nebo, and more.
The story of Moses climbing Mount Nebo on his last day on earth began 40 years earlier with the exodus from Egypt, where the youth of Israel spent 40 years wandering in the wilderness. The direction they traveled in included Egypt, Jordan, Eilat (known as Ezion-Geber in the Bible, not part of biblical Israel) and in all likelihood Saudi Arabia.
After 40 years, the Jews, led by Moses, crossed the Arnon River and conquered the territory of Sehon, who controlled the Ammonite mountains. Then they found themselves just east of the Jordan River, unlike Jericho, on the plains of Moab.
The tribe of Reuben asked Moses to be allowed to be on the east side of the Jordan. Moses reluctantly agreed and gave them Sehon’s newly conquered territory, which included Mount Nebo, as part of his tribe.
On the last day of His life (His 120th birthday), G-d told Moses that He was about to die and that He had to climb to the highest of Mount Nebo (Deutoronomy 32:49) to see the land of Israel before He died. Before ascending, he blessed the twelve tribes that camped on the plains of Moab, and then went up the mountain.
According to Jewish sources, at the time of Moses’ soul’s departure, G-d did not allow the angel of death to take his soul (as is the case with most people), but told him to lie down, close his eyes, and then take his soul. soul with a divine kiss, and he himself buried him in an unknown place on Mount Nebo. In Jordan, across Mount Nebo, there is a tourist site called “Tomb of Moses”. There is little validity to this claim, in fact, the Bible says, “No one knows the place of his burial to this day” (Deuteronomy 34:6).
After Moses’ death, the youth of Israel wept thirty days for their beloved leader. After the thirty days, G-d ordered Joshua (Moses’ successor) to prepare his troops, because in 3 days they would cross the Jordan River.
Three days later, the Children of Israel were about to replace the history of the global forever.
-Continue. . .
(All photographs used are for free use or proper license of the author)
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