Places in the Bible Today:

Massah

Data

Translated NameMassah
Typecampsite
Notespossibly a nearby location
Geo Data KML (for Google Earth)
GeoJSON (for GIS applications)

3 Possible Identifications

  1. another name for Meribah 2 (ancient): 85% confidence. It may be:

    1. satellite view of the region around Wadi Rufaiyilwithin 500 m of Wadi Rufaiyil

    2. trees along Wadi Feiranwithin 500 m of Wadi Feiran

    3. tree along Wadi el Sheikhwithin 500 m of Wadi el Sheikh

    4. satellite view of the region around Wadi Sudrwithin 500 m of Wadi Sudr

    5. satellite view of the region around Jabal Huwaytiwithin 500 m of Jabal Huwayti

  2. another name for Rephidim (ancient): less than 10% confidence. It may be:

    1. satellite view of the region around Wadi Rufaiyilalong Wadi Rufaiyil

    2. trees along Wadi Feiranalong Wadi Feiran

    3. tree along Wadi el Sheikhalong Wadi el Sheikh

    4. satellite view of the region around Wadi Sudralong Wadi Sudr

    5. satellite view of the region around Jabal HuwaytiJabal Huwayti

  3. another name for Kadesh-barnea (ancient): less than 10% confidence. It may be:

    1. pool at Ain el QudeiratAin el Qudeirat

    2. closeup of Ein QedeisEin Qedeis

Verses (5)

Gen-Deut (4)
Exod 17:7
Deut 6:16, 9:22, 33:8
Job-Mal (1)
Ps 95:8

Linked Data Identifiers

SourceIdentifier
Logos FactbookMassah
OpenBible.info (2007)Massah
OpenBible.infoa296e06 (Massah)
TIPNRMassah@Exo.17.7
UBS Names Databaseot ID_1801
WikidataQ6784509

Sources

  1. Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (1992): Massah and Meribah (places)
  2. Baker Illustrated Bible Dictionary (2013): Massah
  3. Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000): Massah, Meribah
  4. Expositor’s Bible Commentary (1984): Exod 17:4-7
  5. HarperCollins Bible Dictionary (2011): Massah and Meribah
  6. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1979): Massah and Meribah
  7. IVP Old Testament Bible Background Commentary (2000): Exod 17:7
  8. Lexham Bible Dictionary (2016): Massah
  9. Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary (2014): Massah
  10. New Bible Dictionary (1996): Massah
  11. New Interpreter’s Bible Dictionary (2009)
  12. New Unger’s Bible Dictionary (1988)
  13. Reader’s Digest Atlas of the Bible (1981): Massah
  14. Rogerson, New Atlas of the Bible (1985): page 115
  15. Tyndale Bible Dictionary (2001): Massah and Meribah
  16. Westminster Historical Atlas to the Bible (1956): Massah
  17. Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia (1975): Massah
  18. Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible (2010)
  19. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary (2009): Deut 6:16

Confidence Trends over Time

This chart indicates how confidence in the identifications is changing over time. Each dot (connected by a dotted line) reflects the confidence of an identification over the preceding ten years (e.g., the 2009 dot reflects scholarship from 2000 to 2009), and the corresponding solid line reflects a best-fit line for the identification. Confidences that cluster near or below 0% indicate low confidence. Because of the small dataset, it's best to use this chart for general trends; if one identification is trending much higher than the others (in this case, another name for Meribah 2), then you can probably have higher confidence in the identification. This chart only reflects the sources I consulted (listed above), not an exhaustive review of the literature.

Thumbnail Image Credits

Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2019, Hatem Moushir, youssef_alam, Matson Collection, Matson Collection

About

This page attempts to identify all the possible locations where this biblical place could be. The confidence levels add up to less than 100%, indicating that the modern location is uncertain. It's best to think about the confidences in relative rather than absolute terms. Often they reflect different schools of thought, each confident in their identifications.