Traveling through the Wilderness of Zin

Yesterday we traveled from Eilat to Jerusalem with stops at Mitzpe Ramon, Avedat, and Ein Avedat.

The ancient Israelites wandered in the wilderness of Zin (Numbers 33:36), an area that included Kadesh Barnea and was the southern boundary for the tribe of Judah.

The land allotted to the tribe of Judah by its clans reached to the border of Edom, to the Wilderness of Zin in the Negev far to the south. (Joshua 15:1 NET)

We enjoyed a burger at the McDonald’s at Avedat, an important town along the Nabatean spice route between Petra and Gaza. Having been at Petra a few days earlier made this stop especially interesting.

We walked to the cold water pool at Ein Avedat. As we drove to that area we stopped to make some photos of the wadi. Most wadis have less greenery, but this one receives some water from the spring. During the rainy season water would be rushing through it in abundance.

This photo shows a wadi in the wilderness of Zin at Ein Avedat. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

Scenes such as this must have been especially refreshing to the ancient Israelites.