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KING’S HIGHWAY*
The road running north-south across the Transjordanian plateau. It appears in the OT only twice in requests by the Israelites to use this road when passing through Edom (Nm 20:17) and the Amorite kingdom of Heshbon (21:22). The route may also be called simply “the highway” (20:19). The northern segment is called “the way of Bashan” (Nm 21:33; Dt 3:1).
This highway connected Damascus with the caravan route running through the Hijaz down to southern Arabia and the rich sources of spices, perfumes, and other exotic products (1 Kgs 10:2; Ez 27:22). Control over it was a key factor in the geopolitics of Israel and its rivals.
The local topography limits the possible lines of march to two parallel routes. A double watershed exists the full length of the Transjordanian plateau. One is created by the shorter streams that bisect the mountains from east to west; they leave a watershed about 13 to 16 miles (21 to 26 kilometers) east of the Jordan Valley. The larger streams, the Yarmuk, Jabbok, Arnon, and Zered, begin some 25 to 30 miles (40 to 48 kilometers) to the east, usually running north before curving westward. The route bypassing them on the east must follow the fringes of the north Arabian Desert. Though the latter has an easier course to follow, it passes fewer good water sources and settlements where supplies could be obtained. The former, on the western watershed, had ample water and was lined with major towns; however, the caravans had to negotiate the steep canyons of the four large wadis.
The earliest record of movement along this route is in Genesis 14. The four kings went from Ashtaroth, the capital of Bashan, to Ham in northern Gilead, then to Shaveh-kiriathaim on the Moabite plateau, and finally to Mt Seir as far as El-paran. The patriarchs probably always came this way when traveling to Canaan; Jacob came through Gilead (Gn 31:21) and established a base at Succoth before crossing the Jordan to Canaan (33:17).