In Honor of Sharona and Josh Halickman’s 31st Wedding Anniversary
In the United States, when one hears the words “Kings Highway”, they think of Brooklyn, NY or the Colonial American Road built by King Charles II between Charleston and Boston. But the original Kings Highway goes back to Biblical days and is located in today’s Jordan. It is believed to be one of the world’s oldest continuously used roads.
In Parshat Chukat, we learn about the Kings Highway when Moshe sends emissaries to the King of Edom saying (Bamidbar 20:17-21):
“Please let us pass through your land, we will not pass through any field or vineyard, and we will not drink well water; we will travel by the king’s road (Derech HaMelech), we will not turn aside to the right or left, until we have passed through your territory.”
Edom responded:
“You will not pass through my land, lest I go out against you with the sword!”
B’nai Yisrael said:
“We will go up by the highway (Mesilla), and if we or our cattle drink your water we will pay for it, it is just nothing, we only want to pass through on foot.”
Edom responded:
“Do not pass through!”
Edom came to confront B’nai Yisrael with a massive number of people and a strong hand. Edom refused to allow Yisrael to pass through its territory, and Yisrael turned aside from him.
According to Ibn Ezra, Derech HaMelech is the major highway upon which the king travels or the road that the King of Edom will command us to travel in.
Rashbam points out that it was a public highway, a road which may be travelled by everybody without restriction.
It makes it even more upsetting that B’nai Yisrael were not granted permission by Esav’s descendants to travel on a road that was technically open to all.
Derech HaMelech was the path from Aqaba, through Wadi Yotam, a scenic arid canyon in the Elat mountains crossing through the hills of Edom northward.
The section that B’nai Yisrael wanted to cross was probably from the Arava to Petra, later named Via Nova Traiana by the Roman Emperor Trajan, which was known as the incense and spice route.
Today, Kings Highway is called Highway 35. It runs south from Syria along the Jordan River. Since Biblical days, kings, warriors, pilgrims and merchants have travelled north to south through Jordan’s central highlands which connected ancient kingdoms and empires. Archeological evidence of the Edomites has been found in the area.
In Israel, we have our own ancient highway, Derech HaAvot (Path of the Patriarchs) which descends from Shechem to Shilo, to Beit El and to Hevron.
May we have the opportunity to visit these Biblical sites and see the Torah come alive.
