Numbers 20:14-24

14 And Moses sent ambassadors from Kadesh unto the king of Edom, Thus saith thy brother Israel, Thou knowest all the travail that has befallen us:

15 how our fathers went down into Egypt, and we were in Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians mistreated us and our fathers;

16 and we cried unto the LORD, who heard our voice, and sent an angel and has brought us forth out of Egypt; and, behold, we are in Kadesh, a city on the edge of thy border.

17 Let us pass, I pray thee, through thy country; we will not pass through the fields or through the vineyards, neither will we drink of the water of the wells; we will go by the king’s high way, we will not turn to the right hand nor to the left until we have passed thy borders.

18 And Edom replied unto him, Thou shalt not pass by me lest I come out against thee with the sword.

19 And the sons of Israel said unto him, We will go by the high way; and if I and my cattle drink of thy water, then I will pay for it; I will only, without doing anything else, go through on my feet.

20 And he said, Thou shalt not go through. And Edom came out against him with many people and with a strong hand.

21 Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border; and thus Israel turned away from him.

22 And the sons of Israel, even the whole congregation, journeyed from Kadesh, and came unto Mount Hor.

23 And the LORD spoke unto Moses and Aaron in Mount Hor, on the borders of the land of Edom, saying,

24 Aaron shall be gathered unto his peoples; for he shall not enter into the land which I have given unto the sons of Israel because ye were rebels to my word at the water of Meribah.

Numbers 20:14-24 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.