Beer Lahai Roi: Tracing Ancient Origins In Modern Times

Beer-lahai-roi is a biblical site that is uncertain in its modern location. It is known to be in the Negev, but archaeologists and historical geographers have looked for it all over the Negev, but in vain.

Modern-day Beer-lahai-roi is uncertain

The location of Beer-lahai-roi, Isaac’s main camp, is unknown. Archaeologists and historical geographers have looked for it all over the Negev, but in vain. The Torah describes three main sites where Isaac spends his days prior to the account of the blessing of his sons. The two last are known to be in the Negev. Beer-lahai-roi is not in the Negev, according to Genesis.

The confidence levels in the identifications of Beer-lahai-roi 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.

Beer-lahai-roi was located on the way to Shur, between Bered (Bared) and Kadesh (Gen. 16:14). Some have identified it with Ain el-Qoseimeh, and others with Ain Muweileh, or Ain Moilahhi, southwest of Beersheba, and about 12 miles west from Kadesh-barnea, assuming that is the same “Kadesh,” or Ma’ Martaba near Tell Breig.

Along Wadi Umm Rajil, there is less than 10% confidence in the identifications. The ESV Bible Atlas (2010), International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1979), Wenham, Genesis (1987, 1994), and Zondervan Atlas of the Bible (2010) Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible (2010) all support this.

About 5 Km north of Petra, situated in a short Canyon is one of Petra’s business quarters. Tourists call it “Little Petra”, on maps it appears as Beida, but the locals name the place Siq el-Bared. On a dirt-road about halfway between Ein Musa (that is Ein Kadesh) and Siq el-Bared, are the ruins of a small Turkish village. The name of the village is Chai, and its spring is Ein el-Chai. This site matches all the requirements of Beer-lahai-roi: it is situated between Kadesh and Bared, on the road running east-west leading to Egypt and there is a spring at the site.

Archaeologists and geographers have failed to find it

Archaeologists and geographers have looked for Beer-lahai-roi in the Negev, but they have not found it. The Torah describes three main sites where Isaac spends his days before the account of the blessing of his sons, and Beer-lahai-roi is Isaac's main camp. The location of Beer-lahai-roi is unknown and the modern location is uncertain.

The confidence levels add up to less than 100%, indicating that the modern location is uncertain. Often they reflect different schools of thought, each confident in their identifications. The Torah describes Beer-lahai-roi as being on the way to Shur, between Bered (Bared) and Kadesh (Gen. 16:14). Some have identified it with Ain el-Qoseimeh, and others with Ain Muweileh, or Ain Moilahhi, southwest of Beersheba, and about 12 miles west from Kadesh-barnea, assuming that is the same “Kadesh,” or Ma’ Martaba near Tell Breig.

The site matches all the requirements of Beer-lahai-roi: it is situated between Kadesh and Bared, on the road running east-west leading to Egypt and there is a spring at the site. The name of the village is Chai, and its spring is Ein el-Chai.

Archaeologists and historical geographers have looked for it all over the Negev, but in vain. This is for good reason: I suggest that Beer-lahai-roi is not in the Negev. The text suggests that Beer-lahai-roi is not in the Negev: בְּאֵר לַחַי רֹאִי וְה֥וּא יוֹשֵׁב בְּאֶרֶץ הַנֶּגֶב. Gen 24:62 Isaac had just come back from the vicinity of Beer-lahai-roi, for he was settled in the region of the Negeb.

It is situated between Kadesh and Bared

The location of Beer-lahai-roi, Isaac’s main camp, is unknown. Archaeologists and historical geographers have looked for it all over the Negev, but in vain. Beer-lahai-roi is situated between Kadesh and Bared (Bared). The Torah describes three main sites where Isaac spends his days prior to the account of the blessing of his sons. Some have identified it with Ain el-Qoseimeh, and other with Ain Muweileh, or Ain Moilahhi, southwest of Beersheba, and about 12 miles west from Kadesh-barnea, assuming that is the same “Kadesh”, or Ma’ Martaba near Tell Breig.

It is on the way to Shur

The location of Beer-lahai-roi, Isaac's main camp, is unknown. Archaeologists and historical geographers have looked for it all over the Negev, but in vain.

The Torah describes three main sites where Isaac spends his days prior to the account of the blessing of his sons: Beer-lahai-roi, Bered (Bared), and Kadesh (Gen. 16:14). Some have identified it with Ain el-Qoseimeh, and other with Ain Muweileh, or Ain Moilahhi, southwest of Beersheba, and about 12 miles west from Kadesh-barnea, assuming that is the same “Kadesh,” or Ma’ Martaba near Tell Breig.

Beer-lahai-roi was located on the way to Shur, between Bered (Bared) and Kadesh. This site matches all the requirements of Beer-lahai-roi: it is situated between Kadesh and Bared, on the road running east-west leading to Egypt and there is a spring at the site.

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.

It is near the spring Ein el-Chai

The location of Beer-lahai-roi, Isaac’s main camp, is unknown. Archaeologists and historical geographers have looked for it all over the Negev, but in vain. The Torah describes three main sites where Isaac spends his days prior to the account of the blessing of his sons. The two last are known to be in the Negev.

Beer-lahai-roi was located on the way to Shur, between Bered (Bared) and Kadesh (Gen. 16:14). Some have identified it with Ain el-Qoseimeh, and others with Ain Muweileh, or Ain Moilahhi, southwest of Beersheba, and about 12 miles west from Kadesh-barnea, assuming that is the same “Kadesh,” or Ma’ Martaba near Tell Breig.

About 5 Km north of Petra, situated in a short Canyon is one of Petra’s business quarters. Tourists call it “Little Petra”, on maps it appears as Beida, but the locals name the place Siq el-Bared. On a dirt-road about halfway between Ein Musa (that is Ein Kadesh) and Siq el-Bared, are the ruins of a small Turkish village. The name of the village is Chai, and its spring is Ein el-Chai. This site matches all the requirements of Beer-lahai-roi: it is situated between Kadesh and Bared, on the road running east-west leading to Egypt and there is a spring at the site.

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.

Along Wadi Umm Rajil (modern): less than 10% confidence · along Wadi Umm Rajil · Gen 16:14, 24:62, 25:11 · ESV Bible Atlas (2010) International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1979) Beer-Lahai-Roi · Wenham, Genesis (1987, 1994): 16:14 · Zondervan Atlas of the Bible (2010) Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible (2010) This chart indicates how confidence in the identifications is changing over time.

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