Etham
“Possibly 'boundary of the sea' (from Coptic) or 'house of Tum'”
Summary
The second encampment of the Israelites after leaving Egypt, located on the edge of the wilderness before they turned to cross the Red Sea.
☩Location
Etham was the third station of the Israelites after leaving Egypt (Rameses, Succoth, Etham), described as being 'on the edge of the wilderness.' The name is thought to derive from the Coptic or Egyptian meaning 'boundary of the sea.' At this point, instead of continuing directly into the desert, God commanded them to turn back and camp before Pi-hahiroth, leading to the crossing of the Red Sea.
☩Wilderness of Etham
After crossing the Red Sea, the Israelites entered the wilderness of Etham, the same region also called the wilderness of Shur. This desert tract stretched along the eastern shore of the sea. The precise location of Etham has been debated, but it was likely somewhere near the Bitter Lakes region, where the cultivable land of Egypt ended and the desert began.
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Etham," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. III (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.F. N. Peloubet & M. A. Peloubet (ed.), "Etham," in Smith's Bible Dictionary (Porter & Coates, 1884).