Numbers 20:7-17

7 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying,

8 "Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink."

9 And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as He commanded him.

10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them: "Hear now, ye rebels! Must we fetch you water out of this rock?"

11 And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice; and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.

12 And the LORD spoke unto Moses and Aaron: "Because ye believed Me not, to sanctify Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them."

13 This is the water of Meribah [that is, Strife], because the children of Israel strove with the LORD, and He was sanctified in them.

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

15 how our fathers went down into Egypt, and we have dwelt in Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians vexed us and our fathers.

16 And when we cried unto the LORD, He heard our voice and sent an angel, and hath brought us forth out of Egypt. And behold, we are in Kadesh, a city in the uttermost 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 highway; we will not turn to the right hand nor to the left until we have passed thy borders.'"

Numbers 20:7-17 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.