Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)
Holy, or Kadesh-Barnea, sacred desert of wandering, a place on the south-eastern border of Palestine, about 165 miles from Horeb. It lay in the “wilderness” or “desert of Zin” (Gen. 14:7; Num. 13:3-26; 14:29-33; 20:1; 27:14), on the border of Edom (20:16). From this place, in compliance with the desire of the people, Moses sent forth “twelve spies” to spy the land. After examining it in all its districts, the spies brought back an evil report, Joshua and Caleb alone giving a good report of the land (13:18-31).
Influenced by the discouraging report, the people abandoned all hope of entering into the Promised Land. They remained a considerable time at Kadesh. ) Because of their unbelief, they were condemned by God to wander for thirty-eight years in the wilderness. They took their journey from Kadesh into the deserts of Paran, “by way of the Red Sea” (Deut. 2:1). ) At the end of these years of wanderings, the tribes were a second time gathered together at Kadesh. During their stay here at this time Miriam died and was buried.
Here the people murmured for want of water, as their forefathers had done formerly at Rephidim; and Moses, irritated by their chidings, “with his rod smote the rock twice,” instead of “speaking to the rock before their eyes,” as the Lord had commanded him (comp. Num. 27:14; Deut. 9:23; Ps. 106:32, 33). Because of this act of his, in which Aaron too was involved, neither of them was to be permitted to set foot within the Promised Land (Num. 20:12, 24).
The king of Edom would not permit them to pass on through his territory, and therefore they commenced an eastward march, and “came unto Mount Hor” (20:22). This place has been identified with ‘Ain el-Kadeis, about 12 miles east-south-east of Beersheba.
Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)
The sacred city of the Hittites, on the left bank of the Orontes, about 4 miles south of the Lake of Homs. It is identified with the great mound Tell Neby Mendeh, some 50 to 100 feet high, and 400 yards long. On the ruins of the temple of Karnak, in Egypt, has been found an inscription recording the capture of this city by Rameses II.
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible (1898) & Schaff's Bible Dictionary
KA'DESH (sacred), or KA'DESH-BAR'NEA, a place on the southern frontier of Caanan. It was "11 days," or about 165 miles, distant from Horeb, Deut 1:2; on the border of Edora, Num 20:1, Num 20:6; not far from Gerar, Gen 20:1; to the east of Bered, Gen 16:14; in the desert of Zin. Num 20:1; Eze 27:14; Num 33:36; Deut 32:51; and the point to which Chedorlaomer returned, having driven the Horites over the Arabah into the Et Tih region, and then going northward, Gen 14:7.
In Scripture it is sometimes called Kadesh alone, and sometimes Kadesh-barnea, and is identical with Meribah-kadesh, Eze 47:19: Josh 15:3, Acts 15:23: with "En-Mishpat" - the fountain of judgment, Gen 14:7; and with "Rithmah" - the broom, Num 33:18, thus called from a shrub growing in the desert. At Rithmah the Israelites encamped in the second summer after the exodus from Egypt, Num 33:18, and they stayed there for months. Spies were sent into the land of Canaan.
The people rebelled, and were condemned to 40 years' sojourn in the wilderness, Num 13-14, during which time Kadesh seems to have been their chief centre. At the end of 40 years they encamped again at Kadesh for a march to Canaan, Num 20:1. Here Miriam died and was buried, and the rock was smitten for water. Num 20:1-21. Robinson, Porter, and many others located Kadesh at 'Ain el-Weibeh, which was long accepted by English scholars. Rowlands, 1842, identified it with Ain Gadis or Qadts, 40 to 50 miles directly south of Beersheba.
This was stoutly disputed by Robinson, but accepted by Wilton, Palmer, Ritter, and others, and confirmed by H. Clay Trumbull, who re-discovered the springs of 'Ain Qadts in 1881. It is described as an extensive hill-encircled region, large enough for the camping-ground of a host; land arable, and having springs of rare sweetness and abundance.
Hitchcock's Bible Names (1869)
holiness