Deuteronomy 32:51

51 For both of you betrayed me with the Israelites at the waters of Meribah at Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin. You failed to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel there.

Deuteronomy 32:51 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 32:51

Because ye trespassed against me among the children of
Israel
By their unbelief, doubting whether God would give water or no to such a rebellious people, and by giving way to passion and wrathful expressions: and this was done

at the waters of Meribahkadesh;
so called, to distinguish it from another Meribah, where also there was a contention on account of water, ( Numbers 20:13 ) ( 27:14 ) :

in the wilderness of Zin;
where Kadesh was, and further describes and distinguishes this place; of the one we read in ( Exodus 17:7 ) ; and of the other, which is here referred to, in ( Numbers 20:1 Numbers 20:13 ) ;

because ye sanctified me not in, the midst of the children of Israel;
through their unbelief and disagreeable behaviour, they sanctified him not themselves, and gave no honour to him, nor were the cause of his being sanctified by the Israelites; and this was the reason why Moses and Aaron might not enter into the land of Canaan, ( Numbers 20:12 ) ( 27:12-14 ) .

Deuteronomy 32:51 In-Context

49 “Go to Moab, to the mountains east of the river, and climb Mount Nebo, which is across from Jericho. Look out across the land of Canaan, the land I am giving to the people of Israel as their own special possession.

50 Then you will die there on the mountain. You will join your ancestors, just as Aaron, your brother, died on Mount Hor and joined his ancestors.

51 For both of you betrayed me with the Israelites at the waters of Meribah at Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin. You failed to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel there.

52 So you will see the land from a distance, but you may not enter the land I am giving to the people of Israel.”

Footnotes

• [a]. Hebrew waters of Meribath-kadesh.