Tophel

Tophel is mentioned only once in the Bible, in Deu.1.1, as one of the places near where Moses delivered his final address to the Israelites before they entered the Promised Land. The exact location of Tophel is uncertain, but it is described as being in the wilderness, in the Arabah, opposite Suph, between Paran, Laban, Hazeroth, and Di-zahab. Some scholars suggest that Tophel may be identified with modern-day et-Tafeleh, a village located about 15 miles southeast of the Dead Sea, on the caravan route between Petra and Kerak. However, this identification is not conclusive. The mention of Tophel in the context of Moses' speech serves to provide a geographical reference point for the location of the Israelite camp at the time of the address.