Abarim

From the Catholic Encyclopedia

(Hebrew har ha'abharim, hare ha'abharim; Septuagint to oros to Abarim, en to peran tou Iordanou, mountain Abarim, mountains of Abarim).

A mountain range across Jordan, extending from Mount Nebo in the north, perhaps to the Arabian desert in the south. The Vulgate (Deuteronomy 32:49) gives its etymological meaning as "passages." Its northern part was called Phasga, (or Pisgah) and the highest peak of Phasga was Mount Nebo (Deuteronomy 3:27; 34:1; 32:49; Numbers 23:14; 27:12; 21:20; 32:47). Balaam blessed Israel the second time from the top of Mount Phasga (Numbers 23:14); from here Moses saw the Land of Promise, and here Jeremias hid the ark (II Machabees 2:4-5).

A.J. MAAS