Numbers 20:18-28

18 And Edom answered them: Thou shalt not pass by me: if thou dost I will come out armed against thee.

19 And the children of Israel said: We will go by the beaten way: and if we and our cattle drink of thy waters, we will give thee what is just: there shall be no difficulty in the price, only let us pass speedily.

20 But he answered: Thou shalt not pass. And immediately he came forth to meet them with an infinite multitude, and a strong hand,

21 Neither would he condescend to their desire to grant them passage through his borders. Wherefore Israel turned another way from him.

22 And when they had removed the camp from Cades, they came to mount Hor, which is in the borders of the land of Edom:

23 Where the Lord spoke to Moses:

24 Let Aaron, saith he, go to his people: for he shall not go into the land which I have given the children of Israel, because he was incredulous to my words, at the waters of contradiction.

25 Take Aaron and his son with him, and bring them up into mount Hor:

26 And when thou hast stripped the father of his vesture, thou shalt vest therewith Eleazar his son: Aaron shall be gathered to his people, and die there.

27 Moses did as the Lord had commanded: and they went up into mount Hor before all the multitude.

28 And when he had stripped Aaron of his vestments, he vested Eleazar his son with them. (20-29) And Aaron being dead in the top of the mountain, he came down with Eleazar.

Numbers 20:18-28 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.