Arabah in Fausset's Bible Dictionary
(Joshua 18:18) ("the plain", is akin to "Arabia".) The
article in Hebrew marks it as some definite spot, namely,
the deep sunken gorge extending from mount Hermon to the
Elanitic gulf of the Red Sea; the most extraordinary
depression on the earth. The Jordan rushes for 150 miles
through its northern part (el Ghor) by lakes Huleh and
Gennesareth, to the deep abyss of the Dead Sea. The Ghor
extends to precipitous cliffs, 10 miles S. of the Dead Sea.
Thence to the gulf of Akaba it resumes its old name, wady el
Arabah. In Joshua 11:16; Joshua 12:8, the Arabah takes its
place among the natural divisions of the country, and in
Deuteronomy 3:17 in connection with the sea of Chinnereth
(Gennesareth) and the Dead Sea.
In the plural it is connected with either Jericho or
Moab; the Arabah being in Jericho's case W. of Jordan, in
Moab's case E. of Jordan, bore and parched as contrasted
with the rich fields of the upper level. The S. Arabah was
the scene of Israel's wanderings in the wilderness, N. of
which stood Hormah and Kadesh. They went down the Arabah
southwards (after Edom's refusal to let them pass), from
mount Hor, toward the head of the gulf, then up one of the
left wadies, by the back of mount Seir to Moab. Remains of a
Roman road are traceable along this route. From the absence
of the Jordan in S. Arabah circles of verdure are scarce,
such as are met in the Ghor. Its length is 100 miles, its
breadth narrowing from 14 at its broadest to about three
miles at its entrance into the gulf. The limestone ranges of
The in long white lines stand on the W. crowned with the
table land of "the wilderness of the wanderings" (et Tih),
and rise 1500 feet above the Arabah.
The pass En Nukb is that of the Mecca pilgrims,
between the Akabah and Suez mounts. The other pass, Es
Sufah, is probably...
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