Arad and the Bible

True, the Bible has relatively little to say about Arad.  But this strategically located city once controlled a key trade route.  Not surprisingly, then, historical records and archaeological discoveries indicate that this ancient site was repeatedly conquered, destroyed, and rebuilt during it checkered history.  The constant rebuilding created an imposing tell, or city mound. 

The Bible first refers to Arad when recounting the final part of the Israelits' 40-year wilderness trek. Soon after the death of Moses's brother Aaron, God's people  passed close to the southern border of the Promised Land. The Canaanite king of Arad evidently found these wilderness wanderers a target too tempting to resist.  He launched an attack. With the support of Jehovah God, the Israelites valiantly  fought back, achieved a complete victory, and razed Arad to the ground, though some of the people evidently survived. -Numbers 21:1-3. 

The Canaanites were quick to rebuild their strategic city; when Joshua reached the area a few years later, invading from the north and systematically clearing the Canaanites from "the mountainous region and the Negeb,"  one of the opposers  facing him was "the king of Arad."  (Joshua 10:40; 12:14)  Later, descendants of Hobab the Kenite, who had supportively joined the Israelite camp during  the wilderness sojourn, settled in this area of the Negeb. -Judges 1:16.

Next time: Archaeological Finds

From the Watchtower magazine, 2008