Travel

4 sources

Dictionary of Christ and the Gospels by James Hastings (1906)

TRAVEL.—Travelling for pleasure was almost, if not altogether, unknown in the ancient world. This is to be accounted for by lack of roads, lack of conveyances, and perils by the way. Travellers had usually some definite object in view; Abraham seeking for a home at the command of Jehovah (Gen 12:1 ff.); Jacob fleeing from his brother (Gen 28:10); the Israelites going up to their sacred places, and later to the Temple at Jerusalem. As the sea had special terrors, travelling was chiefly by land, and not till well on in history did men launch boldly out into the deep. In the days of the Empire, sailing was confined to certain well defined tracks, and to certain seasons. On land, travel was done for the most part on foot; hence the custom of washing the feet (Gen 18:4, Jdg 19:21 etc.) was almost a necessity as a token of hospitality. Horses were used for war, and camels for the desert. Persons of rank rode on mules (2Sa 13:29, 1Ki 1:33), while the ass was more usually kept as a beast of burden. Wheeled waggons were not in general use, and, on the rare occasions on which they were employed, were heavy, cumbersome, and without springs. Joseph sent waggons for his father (Gen 45:19; Gen 45:21); the kings of Israel had their chariots (1Ki 22:35); and the Ethiopian eunuch made his journey to Jerusalem in a chariot (Act 8:28); but wheeled vehicles of any kind were rare. Long journeys were generally undertaken in the summer, when the roads were good and firm. In the winter the roads were soft, and other conditions unfavourable. In Mat 24:20 Jesus says, ‘Pray that your flight be not in the winter time,’ which means the rainy season, when roads are practically impassable, and food difficult to obtain en route. This accounts for St. Paul’s desire to have Timothy with him before the winter set in (2Ti 4:21). In the morning the traveller started on his journey, and continued it till noon-day, when he took refuge for an hour or two under some kindly shade from the scorching rays of the sun, and then resumed his course (Son 1:7). To refuse hospitality to a traveller was a breach of good manners, if not, indeed, an insult to God. This state of affairs continues largely in Palestine to-day, though on the tourist routes the people have fallen in with the spirit of the age.

The ordinary way of reckoning the length of a journey was not by miles, but by time (Gen 30:36 דָּרָךְ י וֹם, Jon 3:4 מַהֲלַךְ יוֹם, Luk 2:44 ἠμέρας ὁδός), and this makes it difficult to determine accurately the distances covered. Moses asked that the children of Israel should be permitted to go into the wilderness a three days’ journey (Exo 5:3), and in Gen 31:23 it is said that Laban pursued after Jacob a seven days’ journey. There would be a great difference between the speed of these two companies, and consequently in the ground traversed. In hilly districts the progress would be less than in the flat country, and a small company or a single individual would go faster than a caravan. An ordinary day’s journey might be put down at about 20 miles, but it would require an extraordinary stretch of imagination to make that fit in with Num 11:31. In Luk 2:44 it probably meant not more than 6 miles, for these festal caravans, with their crowds, moved at a leisurely pace; and tradition has it that the halting-place was Beeroth, which is 6 miles north of Jerusalem.

The longer the journey the slower the pace, for provision for man and beast and equipment for the way had to be carried. ‘Take victuals with you for the journey’ (Jos 9:11) was the rule and not the exception. This led Christ to say to the Twelve, when He sent them out, ‘Provide neither gold nor silver for your journey’ (Mat 10:9-10 ||), so that they might not be hampered by these things, and that they might receive a much-needed lesson in faith.

Reference is made in Act 1:12 to a Sabbath day’s journey (σαββάτου ὁδός). This is the only place where the phrase occurs. Olivet is said to be a Sabbath day’s journey from Jerusalem. The expression is very indefinite. Josephus in one place (Ant. xx. viii. 6) gives the distance from Jerusalem to the Mount of Olives as 5 furlongs, and in another as 6 (BJ v. ii. 3). Schleusner makes it 7½ stadia or furlongs. The difference seems to lie in the varying length of the cubit, which in the older Hebrew measurement was longer than in the later. The result is the same—2000 cubits, which would bring it into conformity with Rabbinical law, ‘Let no man go walking from his place beyond 2000 ells on the seventh day’ (Jerus. [Note: Jerusalem.] Targ. [Note: Targum.] on Exo 16:29). A Sabbath day’s journey was by common consent 2000 cubits or ells, though some Rabbis allowed a kind of sliding scale, and spoke of the greater journey (2800), the medium (2000), and the smaller (1800). This was purely Rabbinical, and deduced from (1) Exo 16:29 ‘Abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day’; (2) from the distance between the Ark and the people on the march (Jos 3:4); and (3) from the conditions laid down as to the cities of refuge (Num 35:5). In Exo 16:29 the ‘place’ by a process of Rabbinical reasoning became the city where a man dwelt; and it was argued that ‘if one who committed murder accidentally was allowed to take this journey of 2000 ells on the Sabbath day without violating the sanctity of the day, innocent people might do the same.’ By a little ingenuity a Sabbath day’s journey could be considerably extended. If a person desired to do so, he had simply to carry to some point within the Sabbatical limit two meals before the Sabbath began, one of which he had to eat and the other to bury; and that place became for him his dwelling-place. It is even alleged that by fixing his eye upon a tree or wall within the prescribed limit, and uttering certain words, he could make that his starting-point.

In NT times it was customary, as indeed it is to-day, to accompany a departing guest on a part of his way (Rom 15:24, Act 15:3, 1Co 16:6) as a token of goodwill and affection.

Literature.—Thomson, LB [Note: The Land and the Book.] ; G. A. Smith, HGHL [Note: GHL Historical Geog. of Holy Land.] ; W. M. Ramsay, The Letters to the Seven Churches; Conder, Palestine; PEFSt [Note: EFSt Quarterly Statement of the same.] ; RP [Note: P Records of the Past.] ; artt. in Hasting’s Dictionary of the Bible , Extra Vol. pp. 368–402.

R. Leggat.

Dictionary of the Apostolic Church by James Hastings (1916) ↑

See Roads and Travel.

Aquifer Open Bible Dictionary by Mission Mutual, adapted from the Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary (2023)

Travel in biblical times refers to the movement of people within and between regions during the periods described in the Old and New Testaments. Travel was typically done for religious, commercial, or military purposes.

In biblical times, roads were difficult and sometimes impassable for travel. Sea voyages were made in small ships, usually by military and commercial personnel. Ships were rarely used for simple tourist traffic. With little reason to travel, ordinary citizens tended to remain in limited areas. From time to time, there were group migrations. Sometimes people traveled for religious festivals or fled from war or famine.

Travel in Old Testament Times

Several stories show the people of Israel moving over restricted areas to graze their flocks. Joseph’s brothers took flocks from the south of the land up to Shechem and then to Dothan (Genesis 37:12–17). This was a 96.5-kilometer journey (60 miles). David traveled around Palestine and even went to Moab (1 Samuel 22:3). The Danites moved from their home southwest of Jerusalem to the north, just south of the Lebanon Mountains (Judges 18).

Examples of travel for better pasturelands, migration, and protection are common. Travelers would normally walk, though people sometimes rode asses or used them as pack animals. Oxen could haul heavy loads and sometimes people (Genesis 46:5). Later the camel came into general use for travel (1 Kings 10:2; 2 Kings 8:9). Little is known of resting places for travelers in Old Testament times. There are only a few references to a "lodging place" (malon in Hebrew) in Old Testament narratives (Genesis 42:27; 43:21; Exodus 4:24).

Travel in New Testament Times

People in the Roman world traveled often:

to fulfill religious obligations at festival time,
for trade,
for government administration, and
for military purposes.

Early Christian missionaries also traveled extensively.

Roman peace and authority combined with well-made Roman stone roads made travel relatively safe and quick. The modes of travel improved over that known in Old Testament times. People could travel long distances within the Roman Empire over good roads and in comparative safety. Sea travel was still risky, with wind, storms, and pirates (Acts 15:39; 18:18–22; Romans 15:24–25; 2 Corinthians 11:25–26). Paul’s sea journey to Rome, for example, was dangerous (Acts 27:1–28:14).

The New Testament mentions several journeys on foot:

Mary traveled from Galilee to Judea to visit Elizabeth (Luke 1:39–40, 56).
The baby Jesus was born in Bethlehem during the census (Luke 2:1–7).
Jesus was brought to Jerusalem to comply with the Jewish purification law (Luke 2:22).
The annual Passover visit was made by Joseph and Mary (Luke 2:41–51).
Other journeys are mentioned (John 2:13; 5:1; 7:1–10; 12:1).
Jesus himself walked to Jericho from Galilee (Mark 1:1–11) and also to the region of Tyre and Sidon (7:24).
Jesus was in Samaria more than once (Luke 17:11; John 4:4).
Jesus's last journey to Jerusalem was via Jericho and up through the hills to Jerusalem (Mark 10:1, 46; 11:1).
Jesus's last journey after the resurrection was to Emmaus (Luke 24:1335).

Paul traveled by sea on each of his missionary journeys (Acts 13:1–14; 15:41–18:22; 18:23–21:17). He was often accompanied by friends. He also made many journeys on foot in Palestine, Asia Minor, and the Greek peninsula.

But not all travel was on foot in New Testament times. People often traveled by riding on donkeys. Jesus once rode from Bethphage to Jerusalem, a short but highly symbolic journey (Matthew 21:2–7; Mark 11:1–11; John 12:12–15). When Joseph traveled with his pregnant wife, Mary, to Bethlehem for the census at the time of Jesus’ birth, Mary probably rode on an ass. The Ethiopian eunuch was riding in a chariot after worshiping at Jerusalem and was joined by Philip traveling on foot (Acts 8:26–38). Roman soldiers both marched and used horses for traveling. When Paul was brought to Caesarea from Jerusalem, mounts were prepared for him (23:23–24).

Roads and Sea Lanes

Roads were important in the development, land formation, and history of Palestine. Palestine formed a bridge between Egypt and centers of civilization and trade in the Middle East. Many roads were strategically important for commercial and military use. Some roads became important as pilgrim routes to ease travel to religious centers like Jerusalem. Roads in biblical times were of three main types:

long-distance international roads
medium-distance intraregional roads
roads inside each region or state

Great International Roads

Great international roads linked the Mediterranean coast to the northern Tigris Valley and southern Mesopotamia. Some linked Mesopotamia to Asia Minor. Others led south to Egypt, either along the coast or east of the Jordan River and the Dead Sea and across the Sinai Peninsula.

Trade routes ran between Anatolia and Assyria early in the second millennium BC. A major trade route ran from northern Mesopotamia to Egypt, called the King's Highway. Genesis 14 refers to a military campaign launched to make the King’s Highway safer and more secure for travelers.

Military invaders and travelers from Babylonia, Assyria, and Persia traveled across Syria, then turned south into Palestine and Egypt. As Greece and Rome increased in power and influence, the Middle East opened up another network of roads for the peoples of the East.

Until Roman times, roads were not surfaced with stone but were cleared pathways. They were very rough and sometimes steep. In wet weather, roads became impassable in many places. But they were well marked by "waymarks" and "guideposts" (Jeremiah 31:21).

The Romans built important roads with deep foundations and large blocks of flat stone at the surface. Roman roads can still be seen in many places in the Middle East and in Europe. Distance markers or milestones were placed along the roads.

International North-South Roads in Palestine

The roads that linked countries to the north with Egypt passed through Palestine, a natural land bridge. There were three major roads:

The coastal road began in Damascus. It passed through Hazor across the plain of Esdraelon, through the Megiddo Pass. Then the road went down the coast past Gaza and into Egypt. This was probably "the way of the sea" (Isaiah 9:1).
The Sinai road led from Egypt into the southern Negev. It then took travelers to Kadesh-barnea, Beersheba, Hebron, Jerusalem, Shechem, Acco, Tyre, and Sidon.
The Red Sea road entered the Palestine area from the Gulf of Aqaba. The ancient port of Elath and Solomon’s port of Ezion-geber was here (Numbers 33:35; 2 Chronicles 8:17). From there it led through the mountainous areas of Transjordan. It crossed deep valleys and then traveled north through the Hauran region to Damascus. This was the road taken by caravans from southern Arabia to Damascus, the ancient King’s Highway (Numbers 20:17; 21:22).

There were other north-south roads of lesser importance. One coastal road led from Joppa through Caesarea and Dor to Acco, where it linked with the Sinai road. This road was not very significant until Roman times, when the port of Caesarea was built.

The marshes in the plain of Sharon posed many problems. The plain of Esdraelon was also marshy and interrupted the roads north in bad seasons. Building a raised road across the swampy sections made roads more passable in all seasons. Another road led north from Hazor, branching off the main road to Damascus. The Jordan Valley road went around the southwestern part of Galilee and led down the Jordan Valley to Jericho.

East-West Roads

Several important roads ran east-west, intersecting the larger roads leading north.

One such road led from Gaza to Beersheba and then down the Arabah, with an offshoot to Petra.
Another led from Ashkelon, via Gath, to Hebron and on to En-gedi on the Dead Sea.
Another road led from Joppa east up the valley of Aijalon (Joshua 10:6–14) to Bethel and on to Jericho.
One well-used road led from Joppa to Shechem, across the Jordan at Adam (Joshua 3:16) and into Gilead in Transjordan.
Other roads led from Acco eastward to Galilee and also up the coast to Tyre and Sidon. There were many east-west roads that connected various parts of Palestine. In Roman times, when the speedy movement of armies was essential, some of the old roads were improved and new ones built.

Sea Lanes

While other local populations like the Phoenicians relied on sea travel, the people of Israel seldom used the sea lanes. When Solomon planned to send ships down the Red Sea to Ophir (1 Kings 9:26–28), he used Phoenician sailors. Jehoshaphat planned a similar expedition, but his ships were wrecked (22:48–49). Coastal traffic in Old Testament times was in the hands of Philistines and Phoenicians. There were several ports along the Mediterranean Sea coast, such as Gaza, Joppa, Dor, and Acco, but none were considered good harbors. There were also sea lanes linking the Mediterranean coast with Egypt and distant Tarshish (probably Spain). The other coastal water was the Gulf of Aqaba with its two ports:

Ezion-geber for Transjordan
Elath for west of the Jordan.

Solomon’s fleet used Ezion-geber as its home port.

Trade changed in New Testament times. The Middle East made many trade items used by peoples farther west, especially the Romans. Alexandria in Egypt and Antioch in Syria handled both cargo and travelers. Smaller ports like those in Palestine and many others around the coast of Asia Minor provided a haven for ships. A land crossing was engineered across the 8-kilometer- (five-mile-) wide peninsula at Corinth. Smaller boats were hauled overland to avoid a 321.8-kilometer (200-mile) journey around the Greek peninsula.

Even large ships in New Testament times were in danger from wind and storm at sea (Acts 27). Sea travel was limited to when the risk of storms was smaller, roughly from November to March. Trade-based sea traffic in the Mediterranean Sea was high at appropriate seasons. Grain ships crossed regularly from Rome to Egypt and to the east.

Ships were driven by sail power. When needed, oars operated by slaves provided extra power. Ancient wrecks and descriptions in Latin and Greek literature show the size of these ships. An old dry dock 39.6 meters (130 feet) long found near Athens was once used for Greek war vessels, which were smaller than the cargo vessels. The Roman writer Lucian refers to an Alexandrian grain ship 54.9 meters (180 feet) long. A ship that large would have a capacity of about 1,088.6 metric tons (1,200 tons). Paul’s ship carried 276 persons (Acts 27:37). Modern underwater archaeology continues to give more information about ancient ships.

Reasons for Travel

The most important reason for travel in New Testament times was for trade and commerce. This kind of travel involved far more than transferring goods. People worked as agents, supervisors, insurers of cargo, bankers, and more. Many jobs were involved in buying, moving, and delivering cargo.

Many people also traveled for military reasons. Military tasks involving travel included:

observation and investigation
securing supplies
arranging for housing troops,
transporting troops and equipment

Some travelers were tradespeople changing their place of employment, like Aquila and Priscilla (Acts 18:2–3). Aquila had traveled from Pontus on the Black Sea to Rome. Then, in a time of persecution, Aquila and his wife fled to Corinth. Other reasons people might have traveled include:

People on religious pilgrimage traveled by land or sea. Jews from many lands journeyed to Jerusalem for the annual Passover festivities (compare Acts 2:5–11). Non-Jews went to religious centers at Ephesus, Athens, and Eleusis, where there were important temples. Many minor temples also attracted pilgrims.
Craftsmen and builders traveled to meet the demand for new constructions. Building materials had to be moved to building sites.
Some people made trips for health reasons. They went to temples famed for healing miracles or to enjoy the benefits of hot springs like those at Capernaum or Tiberias.
Athletes traveled to major centers for important contests like the Olympic games. Crowds of people traveled to attend contest events.
Some travelers were students or teachers going to great centers of learning.
Official emissaries traveled bearing important government and commercial documents.

Despite all this activity, vast numbers of ordinary citizens hardly ever traveled more than a few miles from their homes.

Dictionary of Bible Themes by Martin H. Manser (1999)

Whole communities travelled

Officials travelled

GEN 41:46 See also 2KI 5:1–5:5 Naaman; NEH 2:5 Nehemiah; ACT 8:27 the Ethiopian eunuch

Refugees travelled

2KI 25:26; ; MAT 2:13–2:14

Business travel

JAS 4:13 See also LUK 10:33

Travelling on pilgrimage

LUK 2:41–2:44

Missionary travels

The Jews

MAT 23:15

Jesus Christ and his disciples

MRK 1:39, MRK 8:27; ; LUK 8:1, LUK 14:25

The apostles

ACT 8:40, ACT 11:19, ACT 13:6, ACT 15:3, ACT 18:23

Modes of travel

GEN 37:25 in caravans; ; LUK 24:13–24:15 on foot; ; ACT 8:28–8:29 by chariot; ; ACT 23:23 on horseback; ; REV 18:17 by ship

The dangers of travel

2CO 11:26 See also 2CH 15:5; EZR 8:21–8:23; JOB 6:15–6:20; LUK 10:30; ACT 27:14–27:44

Guidance while travelling

GEN 24:26–24:27; ; EXO 13:21; ; ACT 16:6–16:7