Numbers 20:24

24 Aaron (shall) go to his people; for he shall not enter into the land which I gave to the sons of Israel, for he was unbelieveful to my word, at the waters of against-saying. (Aaron shall now go to his people, that is, he shall die; for he shall not enter into the land which I gave to the Israelites, for he did not believe my word at the waters of Meribah.)

Numbers 20:24 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 20:24

Aaron shall be gathered unto his people
That is, shall die, for this phrase is a periphrasis of death, and is used in common both of good and bad men, and designs death in general, without regard to persons and places men go to at death:

for he shall not enter into the land which I have given unto the
children of Israel;
the land of Canaan; and Aaron the priest, and so Moses the lawgiver, not being suffered to enter into that land, show the weakness and imperfection of the law, and of the Levitical priesthood, and the insufficiency of them, and of obedience to them to bring men to, and give them an entrance into the heavenly glory; that is done by another person, the antitype of Joshua, even Jesus:

because ye rebelled against my word at the water of Meribah;
that is, you Moses and Aaron; their unbelief is called a rebelling against the word of the Lord, for which it was threatened them, that they should not bring the people of Israel into the land of Canaan, and now the threatening begins to take place, see ( Numbers 20:12 ) .

Numbers 20:24 In-Context

22 Wherefore Israel turned away from him. And when Israel had moved their tents from Kadesh, they came into the hill of Hor, (And so Israel turned, and went by another way. And when they had moved on from Kadesh, they came to Mount Hor,)
23 which is in the ends of the land of Edom (which is near Edom's border); where the Lord spake to Moses, and said,
24 Aaron (shall) go to his people; for he shall not enter into the land which I gave to the sons of Israel, for he was unbelieveful to my word, at the waters of against-saying. (Aaron shall now go to his people, that is, he shall die; for he shall not enter into the land which I gave to the Israelites, for he did not believe my word at the waters of Meribah.)
25 Take thou Aaron, and his son with him, and thou shalt lead them into the hill of Hor; (Take thou Aaron, and his son with him, and lead thou them up onto Mount Hor;)
26 and when thou hast made naked the father of his cloth (and when thou hast made stripped the father of his priestly cloak, or robe), thou shalt clothe therewith Eleazar, his son, and Aaron shall be gathered (to his people), and shall die there.
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.