Numbers 27:14

14 for thou offendedest me in the desert of Zin, in the against-saying of the multitude, neither thou wouldest hallow me before the people, upon the waters. These be the waters of against-saying in Kadesh, in the desert of Zin. (for thou offendedest me in the wilderness of Zin, when the people spoke against me, and thou didest not uphold my holiness before the people, there at the waters. These be the waters of Meribah at Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin.)

Numbers 27:14 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 27:14

For ye rebelled against my commandment the desert of Zin
Both Moses and Aaron, which was the reason why they were not suffered to go into the land of Canaan, but died a little before the children of Israel came into it: what their sin was, called here a rebelling against the commandment of the Lord; (See Gill on Numbers 20:12), and is next suggested:

in the strife of the congregation, to sanctify me before their eyes;
when the congregation of Israel strove against the Lord for want of water, they did not sanctify the Lord by believing in him; but expressed some degree of diffidence before the congregation about fetching water out of the rock, or questioning whether the Lord would give it to such a rebellious people, though they had his order for it:

that is the water of Meribah in Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin;
so called to distinguish it from another Meribah, or water of strife, at Rephidim, ( Exodus 17:7 ) ( Deuteronomy 32:51 ) .

Numbers 27:14 In-Context

12 Also the Lord said to Moses, Go (thou) up into this hill of Abarim, and behold thou from thence the land, which I shall give to the sons of Israel. (And then the Lord said to Moses, Go thou up onto this Mount Abarim, and from there behold thou the land, which I have given to the Israelites.)

13 And when thou hast seen it, also thou shalt go to thy people, as thy brother Aaron went; (And when thou hast seen it, then thou also shalt go to thy people, that is, thou shalt die, like thy brother Aaron did;)

14 for thou offendedest me in the desert of Zin, in the against-saying of the multitude, neither thou wouldest hallow me before the people, upon the waters. These be the waters of against-saying in Kadesh, in the desert of Zin. (for thou offendedest me in the wilderness of Zin, when the people spoke against me, and thou didest not uphold my holiness before the people, there at the waters. These be the waters of Meribah at Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin.)

15 To whom Moses answered,

16 The Lord God of the spirits of all flesh, purvey a man, that he be on this multitude, (May the Lord God of the spirits of all people purvey a man who shall be over these people,)