Numbers 20 - ESV - Bible Reading / Study Notes

Numbers 20

The Death of Miriam

20:1 And the people 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.

The Waters of Meribah

2 Now there was no water for the congregation. And they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. 3 And the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Would that we had perished when our brothers perished before the LORD! 4 Why have you brought the assembly of the LORD into this wilderness, that we should die here, both we and our cattle? 5 And why have you made us come up out of Egypt to bring us to this evil place? It is no place for grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, and there is no water to drink.” 6 Then Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the entrance of the tent of meeting and fell on their faces. And the glory of the LORD appeared to them, 7 and the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 8 “Take the staff, and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and tell the rock before their eyes to yield its water. So you shall bring water out of the rock for them and give drink to the congregation and their cattle.” 9 And Moses took the staff from before the LORD, as he commanded him.

Moses Strikes the Rock

10 Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels: shall we bring water for you out of this rock?” 11 And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice, and water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their livestock. 12 And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.” 13 These are the waters of Meribah,¹ where the people of Israel quarreled with the LORD, and through them he showed himself holy.

Edom Refuses Passage

14 Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom: “Thus says your brother Israel: You know all the hardship that we have met: 15 how our fathers went down to Egypt, and we lived in Egypt a long time. And the Egyptians dealt harshly with us and our fathers. 16 And when we cried to the LORD, he heard our voice and sent an angel and brought us out of Egypt. And here we are in Kadesh, a city on the edge of your territory. 17 Please let us pass through your land. We will not pass through field or vineyard, or drink water from a well. 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.” 18 But Edom said to him, “You shall not pass through, lest I come out with the sword against you.” 19 And the people of Israel said to him, “We will go up by the highway, and if we drink of your water, I and my livestock, then I will pay for it. Let me only pass through on foot, nothing more.” 20 But he said, “You shall not pass through.” And Edom came out against them with a large army and with a strong force. 21 Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his territory, so Israel turned away from him.

The Death of Aaron

22 And they journeyed from Kadesh, and the people of Israel, the whole congregation, came to Mount Hor. 23 And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron at Mount Hor, on the border of the land of Edom, 24 “Let Aaron be gathered to his people, for he shall not enter the land that I have given to the people of Israel, because you rebelled against my command at the waters of Meribah. 25 Take Aaron and Eleazar his son and bring them up to Mount Hor. 26 And strip Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son. And Aaron shall be gathered to his people and shall die there.” 27 Moses did as the LORD commanded. And they went up Mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation. 28 And Moses 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. 29 And when all the congregation saw that Aaron had perished, all the house of Israel wept for Aaron thirty days.

Footnotes

[1] 20:13 Meribah means quarreling

Commentary

v1: Miriam's death is not dated exactly; it may be that the forty years were now almost finished.

v2-5: Another rebellion against Moses and Aaron. Again they attributed blame to Moses and Aaron for bringing them out of Egypt. "This terrible place" is a description of Egypt, but again they had forgotten that.

v6: Again Moses and Aaron fell on their faces. God had brought the people out, and God would bring them into the land promised.

v7-8: The command was specific, that Moses speak to the rock.

The picture is of Christ, who was once smitten for us. Henceforth, we need only speak to Him, and there is cleansing and forgiveness (1 John 1.9).

God's promise was true here, even though Moses disobeyed (v11).

v9-11: "Must we bring you water out of this rock?"; Moses' anger and even pride, as if he could bring water from the rock. He disobeyed and disbelieved, and dishonoured God. We may understand Moses' frustration with the people, but disobedience is still disobedience.

v12: The Lord's words to Moses and Aaron were clear; they had failed to honour God, and they would miss out on entering the promised land.

The leadership of Israel will now be changed, as Eleazar takes Aaron's place (v22-29), and later Joshua takes Moses' place (Deut 31).

v13: The name Meribah is again used, see Ex 17.7, the place of quarrelling.

The text now records Israel's journey towards Canaan, with battles against Canaanites and Amorites, and the temptations through the Moabites.

v14-18: The Israelites sent a sensible message to Edom, his " brother". But Edom rejected. This attitude is indicative of the enmity shown believers by unbelievers.

Moses referred to the Lord's deliverance of His people from Egypt, giving testimony to God's power and grace.

v19-21: Edom came against Israel with an army; but Israel had no command to attack them, for they were not Canaanites. They had to find another way.

v22: The journey from Kadesh begins, after 38 years of wandering. It was from here that the spies were sent out, see 13.26. In 33.38, we read that this was the fortieth year after leaving Egypt. The intervening period (ch 14-19) described the wanderings in the wilderness.

v25-26: Eleazar was the next priest, chosen by God.

v27-29: Death with dignity, unlike the various rebels in previous chapters. See also Moses' death in Deut 34.5-6.