Numbers 20:1-8

Death of Miriam

1 Then the sons of Israel, the whole congregation, came to the ¹wilderness of Zin in the first month; and the people stayed at Kadesh. Now Miriam died there and was buried there.

2 ²There was no water for the congregation, ³and they assembled themselves against Moses and Aaron.

3 ⁴The people thus contended with Moses and spoke, saying, "⁵If only we had perished ⁶when our brothers perished before the LORD!

4 "⁷Why then have you brought the LORD'S assembly into this wilderness, for us and our beasts to die here?

5 "Why have you made us come up from Egypt, to bring us in to this wretched place? ⁸It is not a place of grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, nor is there water to drink."

6 Then Moses and Aaron came in from the presence of the assembly to the doorway of the tent of meeting and ⁹fell on their faces. Then the glory of the LORD appeared to them;

7 and the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

The Water of Meribah

8 "Take ¹⁰the rod; and you and your brother Aaron assemble the congregation and speak to the rock before their eyes, that it may yield its water. You shall thus bring forth water for them out of the rock and let the congregation and their beasts drink."

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Numbers 20:1-8 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 10

1. Numbers 13:21; Numbers 27:14; Numbers 33:36
2. Exodus 17:1
3. Numbers 16:19, 42
4. Exodus 17:2
5. Numbers 14:2, 3
6. Numbers 16:31-35
7. Exodus 17:3
8. Numbers 16:14
9. Numbers 14:5
10. Exodus 4:17, 20; Exodus 17:5, 6

Footnotes 2

[a]. Lit "there"
[b]. Lit "seed"