Original Word: גֻּדְגֹּ דָה
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location
Transliteration: Gudgodah
Pronunciation: good-go-DAH
Phonetic Spelling: (gud-go'-daw)
KJV: Gudgodah
NASB: Gudgodah
Word Origin: [by reduplication from H1413 (גָּדַד - cut) (in the sense of cutting) cleft]

1. Gudgodah, a place in the Desert

Gudgodah

By reduplication from gadad (in the sense of cutting) cleft; Gudgodah, a place in the Desert -- Gudgodah.

see HEBREW gadad

Word Origin
perhaps from gadad
Definition
a place in the desert
NASB Translation
Gudgodah (2).

גֻּדְגֹּ֫דָה with article הַגֻּדְגֹּ֫דָה proper name, of a location (meaning dubious) station of Israel in wilderness Deuteronomy 10:7 (twice in verse) (in "" Numbers 33:32 חֹר הַגִּדְגָּ֑ד see below חֹר).

Name and location

Gudgodah is remembered as one of the wilderness encampments of the Israelites after the exodus from Egypt. Located between Moserah and Jotbathah in the Arabah, its precise site is uncertain, though most scholars place it in the southern Negev or northern Arabah valley, possibly near one of the branching wadis that descend toward the Gulf of Aqaba. The topography suggested by its parallel name “Hor-haggidgad” (“the cave/cliff of clefts,” Numbers 33:32) evokes a ravine or gorge marked by deeply cut rock formations and intermittent watercourses.

Occurrences in Scripture

Deuteronomy 10:7 records the only canonical use of the name:

“Then they traveled from Moserah to Gudgodah, and from Gudgodah to Jotbathah, a land with streams of water.”

The itinerary list in Numbers 33:32–33 uses the variant Hor-haggidgad for the same stop. Together these texts preserve the memory of a short but meaningful stage in Israel’s journey from Sinai toward the plains of Moab.

Historical backdrop

1. Transition of priestly leadership. The context in Deuteronomy ties the move to Gudgodah to the death of Aaron at Moserah and the installation of Eleazar as high priest. Israel’s stay at Gudgodah therefore falls within a moment of generational handoff and renewed priestly service.
2. Approaching “streams of water.” Immediately after Gudgodah the people reach Jotbathah, celebrated for its “streams of water.” The sequence highlights God’s care in leading the nation from a rocky landscape into a place of refreshment, underscoring His covenant faithfulness even after the loss of a beloved leader.

Related sites and textual parallels

• Moserah—place of Aaron’s death (Deuteronomy 10:6).
• Hor-haggidgad—alternate name in Numbers 33:32, likely the same station, reflecting either a local descriptive term or textual dialect variation.
• Jotbathah—next encampment, noted for flowing water (Numbers 33:33; Deuteronomy 10:7).

Together these three sites chart the south-to-north progress along the western edge of Edom, foreshadowing the eventual entrance into Canaan.

Theological and spiritual themes

Providence in transition. The move from Moserah through Gudgodah to Jotbathah shows that God’s guidance does not falter when leadership changes. Though Aaron dies, the priesthood continues under Eleazar, and the cloud of the LORD still directs the camp (Numbers 9:15-23; cf. Psalm 121:8).

Water in the wilderness. Gudgodah’s proximity to Jotbathah’s “streams” reminds readers that divine provision comes at exactly the right stage of the journey. The rocky gorge gives way to life-sustaining water, paralleling later promises such as Isaiah 35:6–7.

Memorial of obedience. Unlike earlier stops marred by rebellion (e.g., Rephidim, Kibroth-hattaavah), Gudgodah carries no recorded complaint. Its quiet mention suggests a period of sober obedience following major discipline, illustrating that spiritual growth often unfolds in uncelebrated stages.

Lessons for ministry

• Leadership succession must be handled within the wider narrative of God’s faithful guidance.
• Congregations may pass through “rocky gorges” before reaching places of refreshment; endurance is part of discipleship.
• Remembering God’s past provision at each step equips believers to trust Him for the next.

Key references

Deuteronomy 10:6-7; Numbers 33:32-33

הַגֻּדְגֹּ֑דָה הַגֻּדְגֹּ֣דָה הגדגדה hag·guḏ·gō·ḏāh haggudGodah hagguḏgōḏāhInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts