Numbers 20
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CHAPTER 20
Water From the Rock (20:1–13)
1 In the first month. . . We are not told here what year this was; but according to Numbers 33:37–38, the year in question was the fortieth year since the Exodus from Egypt, the year that Aaron died on Mount Hor (see verses 22–26). Miriam died several months before her brother Aaron, and Moses died several months after (Deuteronomy Chapter 34).
This chapter, then, marks the end of the older generation of Israelites. They had been in the desert for forty years. Between the end of Chapter 19 and the beginning of Chapter 20, thirty-eight years had passed concerning which nothing is written. These were wasted, empty years during which all of the rebellious generation died off, situations that we don’t; He will always deal leaving only Joshua and Caleb to enter the promised land with the next generation.66
2–5 The older generation of Israelites had begun their time in the desert complaining about water (Exodus 17:1–7); now their children were doing the same thing. Once again the Israelites were opposing Moses and Aaron, just as their fathers had done (see Numbers 11:4–6; 14:1–4).
6–8 So Moses and Aaron did as they always did: they went to the Lord, falling facedown before the Tent of Meeting. And the Lord’s glory appeared, and the Lord said to Moses and Aaron: “Speak to that rock” (verse 8). At Massah forty years earlier, Moses had struck the rock with his staff (Exodus 17:6–7). But this time Moses was told only to speak to the rock.
9–13 However, Moses had clearly lost his patience with this younger generation of Israelites. Disregarding the Lord’s command, he struck the rock. Evidently he didn’t believe that just speaking to the rock would be enough. He wasactingasifthe water was going to pour out by his own power rather than by God’s power: “Must we bring you water?” he angrily asked the people (verse 10).
Whatever was in Moses’ mind, he had disbelieved and disobeyed God. And God punished him by preventing him from entering the promised land—and Aaron along with him (verse 24).
We modern readers are tempted to think that God punished Moses too severely. We say: “Think of what Moses did for God all those years, and now after just one little slip he can’t enjoy the fruit of his labor! It’s unfair.”
Why was Moses punished in this way? First, God knows things about people and with His servants fairly.
Second, the more responsibility and knowledge we are given, the more we shall be accountable to God for our behavior (Luke 12:47–48; James 3:1).
Third, Moses in some way dishonored God by striking the rock. The rock represented God’s bounty, God’s provision of life-giving water. And in the presence of all the people Moses struck the rock in anger—not once but twice (verse 11).
In 1 Corinthians 10:4, Paul writes that that rock was Christ. That rock represented Christ, and the water that flowed out of it represented spiritual water, the living water of the Holy Spirit (John 4:10,14; 7:37–39). Thus, unwittingly, Moses had struck out at the embodiment of God’s grace–the Rock, which was Christ. Some Christians believe that Moses’ first striking of the rock at Massah (Exodus 17:6) symbolized Jesus’ death, and that the second striking at Meribah was akin to crucifying Jesus a second time.67
However we are to understand this sad event, God was displeased with His otherwise faithful servant Moses and gave him a just punishment for his sin (see Numbers 27:12–14 and comment).
Those waters were called Meribah,68 for there the Israelites quarreled with the Lord (verse 13). Ever since then, Massah and Meribah have served as permanent reminders of both God’s grace and His justice—of His life-giving water and His punishment of sin (Psalms 95:8–11; 114:7–8).
Edom Denies Israel Passage (20:14–21)
14–21 The Israelites had decided against entering Canaan from the south. Instead, the Lord directed them to enter Canaan from the eastern side, and to do so they first had to pass through Edom.69 So Moses asked the king of Edom for safe passage.
The king refused Moses’ request. Israel’s army was stronger than Edom’s, but the Lord told Moses not to attack Edom but to go around its southern border. The Lord didn’t want Israel to fight the Edomites or take any of their land, because He had given that land to Esau and his descendants (see Deuteronomy 2:1–6).
The Death of Aaron (20:22–29)
22 Finally, after thirty–eight years, the Israelites were once again moving toward Canaan, the promised land. The exact location of Mount Hor is not known today, but the Israelites passed by it as they proceeded along the border of Edom.
23–29 The Lord had determined that Mount Hor was the place where Aaron was to die; Aaron shared in Moses’ punishment, and thus could not enter the promised land. On Mount Hor he was gathered to his people (verse 26)—an expression meaning, “he died” (Genesis 25:8; 35:29). Of the old generation all had now died except Moses, Joshua and Caleb. In a few more months it would be Moses’ turn; the forty years in the wilderness were almost at an end.