Numbers 20:1-6

The Death of Miriam

1 And the people of Israel, the whole congregation, came ¹into the wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh. And ²Miriam died there and was buried there.

The Waters of Meribah

2 ³Now there was no water for the congregation. ⁴And they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron.

3 And the people ⁵quarreled with Moses and said, "Would that we had perished ⁶when our brothers perished before the LORD!

4 Why have you brought the assembly of the LORD into this wilderness, that we should die here, both we and our cattle?

5 And ⁷why have you made us come up out of Egypt to bring us to this evil place? It is no place for grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, and there is no water to drink."

6 Then Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the entrance of the tent of meeting and ⁸fell on their faces. ⁹And the glory of the LORD appeared to them,

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Numbers 20:1-6 Meaning and Commentary

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.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 9

1. See Numbers 13:21
2. Numbers 12:1; Numbers 26:59; Exodus 15:20
3. [Exodus 17:1]
4. Numbers 16:19, 42
5. Numbers 14:2; [Exodus 17:2]
6. Numbers 11:1, 33; Numbers 14:37; Numbers 16:32, 33, 35, 49
7. [Exodus 17:3]
8. Numbers 14:5; Numbers 16:4, 22, 45
9. See Leviticus 9:23

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.