And the children of Israel took their journey from Beeroth of
the children of Jaakan
Not when or soon after they removed from Sinai; for if this place is the same with Benejaakan, as is generally supposed, they had a great many journeys, mansions, and stations before they came to it; see ( Numbers 33:31 ) and besides, since Aaron, according to this account, died at their next station from hence, that was thirty eight years after their departure from Mount Sinai; and it is hard to say what should be the reason of making mention of these two or three journeys here; and whereas they are here said to journey front the place here mentioned
to Mosera;
on the contrary in ( Numbers 33:31 ) they are said to depart from Mosera, and pitch in Benejaakan; which is accounted for by their going backwards and forwards, and so both may be true. Aben Ezra is of opinion, that Beeroth Benejaakan, or the wells of the children of Jaakan, is not the same with Bene Jaakan, nor Mosera the same with Moseroth; but Beeroth is Kadesh, and Mosera is the name of the desert of Mount Hor; and it is certain that Moseroth was the twenty seventh station, and Mosera, or the desert of Mount Hor, where Aaron died, was the thirty fourth, and therefore must be distant; see ( Numbers 33:30-37 ) , which seems to agree with what follows:
there Aaron died, and there he was buried;
it is certain that Aaron died on Mount Hor, ( Numbers 20:23 Numbers 20:28 ) ( Numbers 33:38 Numbers 33:39 ) , or there died and was buried when in the desert of Mosera:
and Eleazar his son ministered in the priest's office in his stead;
so that though the high priest died, the office continued, and the law of it remained in force, and the tribe of Levi was separated for the service of the sanctuary, as afterwards expressed.