Mínshùjì 20

1 Zhēngyuè jiàn , Yǐsèliè quánhuì zhòng dào le xún de kuàngyĕ , jiù zhù zaì Jiādīsī . Mǐlìàn sǐ zaì nàli , jiù zàng zaì nàli .

2 Huì zhòng méiyǒu shuǐ hē , jiù jùjí gōngjī Móxī , Yàlún .

3 Bǎixìng xiàng Móxī zhēng nào shuō , wǒmen de dìxiōng céng sǐ zaì Yēhéhuá miànqián , wǒmen hènbude yǔ tāmen tóng sǐ .

4 Nǐmen wèihé bǎ Yēhéhuá de huì zhòng lǐng dào zhè kuàngyĕ , shǐ wǒmen hé shēngchù dōu sǐ zaì zhèlǐ ne ,

5 Nǐmen wèihé bī zhe wǒmen chū Āijí , lǐng wǒmen dào zhè huaì dìfang ne , zhè dìfang bú hǎo sǎzhǒng , yĕ méiyǒu wúhuāguǒ shù , pútàoshù , shíliu shù , yòu méiyǒu shuǐ hē .

6 Móxī , Yàlún líkāi huì zhòng , dào huì mù ménkǒu , fǔfú zaì dì . Yēhéhuá de róngguāng xiàng tāmen xiǎnxiàn .

7 Yēhéhuá xiǎoyù Móxī shuō ,

8 Nǐ ná zhe zhàng qù , hé nǐde gēge Yàlún zhāo jùhuì zhòng , zaì tāmen yǎnqián fēnfu pánshí fāchū shuǐ lái , shuǐ jiù cóng pánshí liú chū , gĕi huì zhòng hé tāmende shēngchù hē .

9 Yúshì Móxī zhào Yēhéhuá suǒ fēnfu de , cóng Yēhéhuá miànqián qǔ le zhàng qù .

10 Móxī , Yàlún jiù zhāo jùhuì zhòng dào pánshí qián . Móxī shuō , nǐmen zhèxie beìpàn de rén tīng wǒ shuō , wǒ wéi nǐmen shǐ shuǐ cóng zhè pánshí zhōng liú chūlai ma ,

11 Móxī jǔ shǒu , yòng zhàng jī dá pánshí liǎng xià , jiù yǒu xǔduō shuǐ liú chūlai , huì zhòng hé tāmende shēngchù dōu hē le .

12 Yēhéhuá duì Móxī , Yàlún shuō , yīnwei nǐmen bú xìn wǒ , bú zaì Yǐsèliè rén yǎnqián zūn wǒ wéi shèng , suǒyǐ nǐmen bì bùdé lǐng zhè huì zhòng jìn wǒ suǒ cìgĕi tāmende dì qù .

13 Zhè shuǐ míng jiào Mǐlìbā shuǐ ( Mǐlìbā jiù shì zhēng nào de yìsi ) , shì yīn Yǐsèliè rén xiàng Yēhéhuá zhēng nào , Yēhéhuá jiù zaì tāmen miànqián xiǎn wéi shèng .

14 Móxī cóng Jiādīsī chāiqiǎn shǐzhĕ qù jiàn Yǐdōng wáng , shuō , nǐde dìxiōng Yǐsèliè rén zhèyàng shuō , wǒmen suǒ zāoyù de yīqiè jiān nán ,

15 Jiù shì wǒmen de lièzǔ xià dào Āijí , wǒmen zaì Āijí jiǔ zhù . Āijí rén è daì wǒmen de lièzǔ hé wǒmen ,

16 Wǒmen āi qiú Yēhéhuá de shíhou , tā tīng le wǒmen de shēngyīn , chāiqiǎn shǐzhĕ bǎ wǒmen cóng Āijí lǐng chūlai . zhè shì nǐ dōu zhīdào . rújīn , wǒmen zaì nǐ biānjiè shàng de chéng Jiādīsī .

17 Qiú nǐ róng wǒmen cóng nǐde dì jīngguò . wǒmen bú zǒu tiánjiān hé pútaóyuán , yĕ bú hē jǐng lǐ de shuǐ , zhǐ zǒu dà dào ( yuánwén zuò wáng dào ) , bú piān zuǒyòu , zhídào guō le nǐde jìngjiè .

18 Yǐdōng wáng shuō , nǐ bùkĕ cóng wǒde dì jīngguò , miǎndé wǒ daì dāo chū qù gōngjī nǐ .

19 Yǐsèliè rén shuō , wǒmen yào zǒu dà dào shàng qù . wǒmen hé shēngchù ruò hē nǐde shuǐ , bì gĕi nǐ jiàzhí . bú qiú biéde , zhǐ qiú nǐ róng wǒmen bùxíng guō qù .

20 Yǐdōng wáng shuō , nǐmen bùkĕ jīngguò . jiù shuaìlǐng xǔduō rén chūlai , yào yòng qiǎng yìng de shǒu gōngjī Yǐsèliè rén .

21 Zhèyàng , Yǐdōng wáng bú kĕn róng Yǐsèliè rén cóng tāde jìngjiè guō qù . yúshì tāmen zhuǎn qù , líkāi tā .

22 Yǐsèliè quánhuì zhòng cóng Jiādīsī qǐ xíng , dào le hé Ěr shān .

23 Yēhéhuá zaì fù jìn Yǐdōng biānjiè de hé Ěr shān shàng xiǎoyù Móxī , Yàlún shuō ,

24 Yàlún yào guī dào tā lièzǔ ( yuánwén zuò bĕn mín ) nàli . tā bì bùdé rù wǒ suǒ cìgĕi Yǐsèliè rén de dì . yīnwei zaì Mǐlìbā shuǐ , nǐmen wéibeì le wǒde méng .

25 Nǐ daì Yàlún hé tāde érzi YǐlìYàsā shàng hé Ěr shān ,

26 Bǎ Yàlún de shèng yì tuō xià lái , gĕi tāde érzi YǐlìYàsā chuān shàng . Yàlún bì sǐ zaì nàli , guī tā lièzǔ .

27 Móxī jiù zhào Yēhéhuá suǒ fēnfu de xíng . sān rén dàng zhe huì zhòng de yǎnqián shàng le hé Ěr shān .

28 Móxī bǎ Yàlún de shèng yì tuō xià lái , gĕi tāde érzi YǐlìYàsā chuān shàng , Yàlún jiù sǐ zaì shāndǐng nàli . yúshì Móxī hé YǐlìYàsā xià le shān .

29 Quánhuì zhòng , jiù shì Yǐsèliè quán jia , jiàn Yàlún yǐjing sǐ le , biàn dōu wéi Yàlún āikū le sān shí tiān .

Mínshùjì 20 Commentary

Chapter 20

The people come to Zin, They murmur for water, Moses directed to smite the rock, The infirmity of Moses and Aaron. (1-13) The Israelites are refused a passage through Edom. (14-21) Aaron reigns the priest's office to Eleazar, and dies in mount Hor. (22-29)

Verses 1-13 After thirty-eight years' tedious abode in the wilderness, the armies of Israel advanced towards Canaan again. There was no water for the congregation. We live in a wanting world, and wherever we are, must expect to meet with something to put us out. It is a great mercy to have plenty of water, a mercy which, if we found the want of, we should more own the worth of. Hereupon they murmured against Moses and Aaron. They spake the same absurd and brutish language their fathers had done. It made their crime the worse, that they had smarted so long for the discontent and distrusts of their fathers, yet they venture in the same steps. Moses must again, in God's name, command water out of a rock for them; God is as able as ever to supply his people with what is needful for them. But Moses and Aaron acted wrong. They took much of the glory of this work of wonder to themselves; "Must we fetch water?" As if it were done by some power or worthiness of their own. They were to speak to the rock, but they smote it. Therefore it is charged upon them, that they did not sanctify God, that is, they did not give to him alone that glory of this miracle which was due unto his name. And being provoked by the people, Moses spake unadvisedly with his lips. The same pride of man would still usurp the office of the appointed Mediator; and become to ourselves wisdom, righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption. Such a state of sinful independence, such a rebellion of the soul against its Saviour, the voice of God condemns in every page of the gospel.

Verses 14-21 The nearest way to Canaan from the place where Israel encamped, was through the country of Edom. The ambassadors who were sent returned with a denial. The Edomites feared to receive damage by the Israelites. And had this numerous army been under any other discipline than that of the righteous God himself, there might have been cause for this jealousy. But Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing; and now the hatred revived, when the blessing was about to be inherited. We must not think it strange, if reasonable requests be denied by unreasonable men, and if those whom God favours be affronted by men.

Verses 22-29 God bids Aaron prepare to die. There is something of displeasure in these orders. Aaron must not enter Canaan, because he had failed in his duty at the waters of strife. There is much of mercy in them. Aaron, though he dies for his transgression, dies with ease, and in honour. He is gathered to his people, as one who dies in the arms of Divine grace. There is much significancy in these orders. Aaron must not enter Canaan, to show that the Levitical priesthood could make nothing perfect; that must be done by bringing in a better hope. Aaron submits, and dies in the method and manner appointed; and, for aught that appears, with as much cheerfulness as if he had been going to bed. It was a great satisfaction to Aaron to see his son, who was dear to him, preferred; and his office preserved and secured: especially, to see in this a figure of Christ's everlasting priesthood. A good man would desire, if it were the will of God, not to outlive his usefulness. Why should we covet to continue any longer in this world, than while we may do some service in it for God and our generation?

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 20

In this chapter is an account of the children of Israel coming to the wilderness of Zin, where Miriam died, and where wanting water they murmured, Nu 20:1-5, upon which Moses and Aaron applied to the Lord, who ordered Moses to speak to a rock, which should give forth water, and which being smitten by him, accordingly did, Nu 20:6-11, but Moses and Aaron, in their conduct of this affair, displeased the Lord, Nu 20:12,13, after this, Moses sent to the king of Edom to desire a passage through his country, which request was refused, Nu 20:14-21, upon Israel's coming to Mount Hor, Aaron, by order, went up to the mount, and, when stripped of his clothes, which were put on his son Eleazar, he died, lamented by all the people, Nu 20:22-29.