Numbers20
New King James Version
1Then the children of Israel, the whole congregation, came into the Wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh; and Miriam died there and was buried there.
2Now there was no water for the congregation; so they gathered together against Moses and Aaron.
3And the people contended with Moses and spoke, saying: “If only we had died when our brethren died before the Lord!
4Why have you brought up the assembly of the Lord into this wilderness, that we and our animals should die here?
5And why have you made us come up out of Egypt, to bring us to this evil place? It is not a place of grain or figs or vines or pomegranates; nor is there any water to drink.”
6So Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the door of the tabernacle of meeting, and they fell on their faces. And the glory of the Lord appeared to them.
7Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
8“Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation together. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water; thus you shall bring water for them out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their animals.”
9So Moses took the rod from before the Lord as He commanded him.
10And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock; and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?”
11Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank.
12Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.”
13This was the water of Meribah, because the children of Israel contended with the Lord, and He was hallowed among them.
14Now Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom. “Thus says your brother Israel: ‘You know all the hardship that has befallen us,
15how our fathers went down to Egypt, and we dwelt in Egypt a long time, and the Egyptians afflicted us and our fathers.
16When we cried out to the Lord, He heard our voice and sent the Angel and brought us up out of Egypt; now here we are in Kadesh, a city on the edge of your border.
17Please let us pass through your country. We will not pass through fields or vineyards, nor will we drink water from wells; we will go along the King’s Highway; we will not turn aside to the right hand or to the left until we have passed through your territory.’ ”
18Then Edom said to him, “You shall not pass through my land, lest I come out against you with the sword.”
19So the children of Israel said to him, “We will go by the Highway, and if I or my livestock drink any of your water, then I will pay for it; let me only pass through on foot, nothing more.”
20Then he said, “You shall not pass through.” So Edom came out against them with many men and with a strong hand.
21Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his territory; so Israel turned away from him.
22Now the children of Israel, the whole congregation, journeyed from Kadesh and came to Mount Hor.
23And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron in Mount Hor by the border of the land of Edom, saying:
24“Aaron shall be gathered to his people, for he shall not enter the land which I have given to the children of Israel, because you rebelled against My word at the water of Meribah.
25Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up to Mount Hor;
26and strip Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son; for Aaron shall be gathered to his people and die there.”
27So Moses did just as the Lord commanded, and they went up to Mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation.
28Moses stripped Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son; and Aaron died there on the top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain.
29Now when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, all the house of Israel mourned for Aaron thirty days.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Numbers 20.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The people come to Zin, They murmur for water, Moses directed to smite the rock, The infirmity of Moses and Aaron. (1–13). The Israelites are refused a passage through Edom. (14–21). Aaron reigns the priest's office to Eleazar, and dies in mount Hor. (22–29).
vv1-13
After thirty-eight years' tedious abode in the wilderness, the armies of Israel advanced towards Canaan again. There was no water for the congregation. We live in a wanting world, and wherever we are, must expect to meet with something to put us out. It is a great mercy to have plenty of water, a mercy which, if we found the want of, we should more own the worth of. Hereupon they murmured against Moses and Aaron. They spake the same absurd and brutish language their fathers had done. It made their crime the worse, that they had smarted so long for the discontent and distrusts of their fathers, yet they venture in the same steps. Moses must again, in God's name, command water out of a rock for them; God is as able as ever to supply his people with what is needful for them. But Moses and Aaron acted wrong. They took much of the glory of this work of wonder to themselves; “Must we fetch water?” As if it were done by some power or worthiness of their own. They were to speak to the rock, but they smote it. Therefore it is charged upon them, that they did not sanctify God, that is, they did not give to him alone that glory of this miracle which was due unto his name. And being provoked by the people, Moses spake unadvisedly with his lips. The same pride of man would still usurp the office of the appointed Mediator; and become to ourselves wisdom, righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption. Such a state of sinful independence, such a rebellion of the soul against its Saviour, the voice of God condemns in every page of the gospel.
vv14-21
The nearest way to Canaan from the place where Israel encamped, was through the country of Edom. The ambassadors who were sent returned with a denial. The Edomites feared to receive damage by the Israelites. And had this numerous army been under any other discipline than that of the righteous God himself, there might have been cause for this jealousy. But Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing; and now the hatred revived, when the blessing was about to be inherited. We must not think it strange, if reasonable requests be denied by unreasonable men, and if those whom God favours be affronted by men.
vv22-29
God bids Aaron prepare to die. There is something of displeasure in these orders. Aaron must not enter Canaan, because he had failed in his duty at the waters of strife. There is much of mercy in them. Aaron, though he dies for his transgression, dies with ease, and in honour. He is gathered to his people, as one who dies in the arms of Divine grace. There is much significancy in these orders. Aaron must not enter Canaan, to show that the Levitical priesthood could make nothing perfect; that must be done by bringing in a better hope. Aaron submits, and dies in the method and manner appointed; and, for aught that appears, with as much cheerfulness as if he had been going to bed. It was a great satisfaction to Aaron to see his son, who was dear to him, preferred; and his office preserved and secured: especially, to see in this a figure of Christ's everlasting priesthood. A good man would desire, if it were the will of God, not to outlive his usefulness. Why should we covet to continue any longer in this world, than while we may do some service in it for God and our generation?
Key Words
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
יִשְׂרָאֵל: Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
כֹּל: properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
עֵדָה: a stated assemblage (specifically, a concourse, or generally, a family or crowd)
בּוֹא: to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
מִדְבָּר: a pasture (i.e. open field, whither cattle are driven); by implication, a desert; also speech (including its organs)
צִן: Tsin, a part of the Desert
רִאשׁוֹן: first, in place, time or rank (as adjective or noun)
חֹדֶשׁ: the new moon; by implication, a month
עַם: a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock
Cross References
Numbers 20The rock was a spiritual type of Christ, providing sacramental refreshment to the believers.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
Exposes the specific sin of Moses: speaking unadvisedly with his lips under bitter provocation.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Confirms the divine verdict that Moses and Aaron failed to sanctify God at Meribah-Kadesh.
Supported by JFB
Identifies the rod taken by Moses as the budded rod kept before the testimony.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Contrasts this second striking at Kadesh with the first commanded striking at Rephidim.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Parallels the thirty-day mourning period of Israel for Aaron with that subsequently observed for Moses.
God's instructions regarding transit through fraternal territories, describing Israel's interaction with Esau's descendants.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Historical summary of Israel's messengers to Edom requesting passage and being refused.
Supported by JFB
The Angel sent to bring Israel out of Egypt refers back to Yahweh's presence.
Contrasts the mortal, passing Aaronic priesthood with Christ's unchangeable, eternal Melchizedekian priesthood.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Reminds Israel of God's provision of water from the flinty rock in the wilderness.
Warning to not harden hearts as in the day of trial and provocation at Meribah.
Prophetic indictment of Edom for pursuing his brother with the sword, remembering this ancient refusal.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Law of succession requiring the holy garments of Aaron to descend to his sons.
Traces Edom's hostile stance to the ancient, inherited hatred of Esau against Jacob.
Supported by Matthew Henry