Bible Commentaries

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Numbers 20

Introduction

1  The children of Israel come to Zin, where Miriam dies.
2  They murmur for want of water.
7  Moses smiting the rock, brings forth water at Meribah.
14  Moses at Kadesh desires passage through Edom, which is denied him.
22  At mount Hor Aaron resigns his place to Eleazar, and dies.
Verse 1

Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in the first month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there.
An
Ex. Is. 40. Then. This was the first month of the fortieth year after the departure from Egypt. (Compare ch. 33:38, with ver. 28 of this chap. and De 1:3.) This year was the last of their journeyings, for from the going out of the spies (ch. 13) unto this time, was about thirty-eight years.
Deuteronomy 1:22,23, 2:14
into
13:21, 27:14, 33:36, Deuteronomy 32:51
Kadesh
This Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin, is different from Kadesh-barnea, lying in, or adjoining to the wilderness of Paran, about eight leagues south of Hebron. (See ch. 34:3, 4. Jos 15:1, 3.) Kadesh is called Rekam, by the Targumists, Rekem, in the Syriac, and Rakim, in Arabic. Rekem, says Rabbi Nissin, (in Gittin, ch. 1.) is on the east, meaning of the land of Israel.
16, Psalms 29:8
Miriam
12:1,10,15, 26:59, Exodus 2:4,7, 15:20, Micah 6:4
Verse 2

And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron.
no
Exodus 15:23,24, 17:1-4
gathered
11:1-6, 16:3,19,42, 21:5, Exodus 16:2,7,12, 1 Corinthians 10:10,11
Verse 3

And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the LORD!
God
14:1,2, Exodus 16:2,3, 17:2, Job 3:10,11
when
11:1,33,34, 14:36,37, 16:31-35,49, Lamentations 4:9
Verse 4

And why have ye brought up the congregation of the LORD into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there?
why
11:5, Exodus 5:21, 17:3, Psalms 106:21, Acts 7:35,39,40
that we
16:13,14,41, Exodus 14:11,12, 16:3
Verse 5

And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place? it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink.
this evil
16:14, Deuteronomy 8:15, Nehemiah 9:21, Jeremiah 2:2,6, Ezekiel 20:36
no place of
i.e., "no place for sowing."
Verse 6

And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell upon their faces: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto them.
they fell
14:5, 16:4,22,45, Exodus 17:4, Joshua 7:6, 1 Chronicles 21:16, Psalms 109:3,4, Matthew 26:39
the glory
12:5, 14:10, 16:19,42, Exodus 16:10
Verse 8

Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink.
the rod
21:15,18, Exodus 4:2,17, 7:20, 14:16, 17:5,9
speak
Genesis 18:14, Joshua 6:5,20, Psalms 33:9, Matthew 21:21, Mark 11:22-24, Luke 11:13, John 4:10-14, 16:24, Acts 1:14, 2:1-4, Revelation 22:1,17
bring forth
11, Nehemiah 9:15, Psalms 78:15,16, 105:41, 114:8, Isaiah 41:17,18, 43:20, Isaiah 48:21
Verse 9

And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him.
17:10
Verse 10

And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?
Deuteronomy 9:24, Psalms 106:32,33, Matthew 5:22, Luke 9:54,55, Acts 23:3-5, Ephesians 4:26, James 3:2
we fetch
11:22,23, Genesis 40:8, 41:16, Daniel 2:28-30, Acts 3:12-16, 14:9-15, Romans 15:17-19, 1 Corinthians 3:7
Verse 11

And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.
smote
8, Leviticus 10:1, 1 Samuel 15:13,14,19,24, 1 Kings 13:21-24, 1 Chronicles 13:9,10, 1 Chronicles 15:2,13, Matthew 28:20, James 1:20
the water
Exodus 17:6, Deuteronomy 8:15, Hosea 13:5, 1 Corinthians 10:4
Verse 12

And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.
Because ye believed
11:21,22, 2 Chronicles 20:20, Isaiah 7:9, Matthew 17:17,20, Luke 1:20,45, Romans 4:20
sanctify
27:14, Leviticus 10:3, Deuteronomy 1:37, 32:51, Isaiah 8:13, Ezekiel 20:41, 36:23, 38:10, 1 Peter 3:15
ye shall
24, 11:15, Deuteronomy 3:23-26, 32:49,50, 34:4, Joshua 1:2, John 1:17
Verse 13

This is the water of Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with the LORD, and he was sanctified in them.
the water
Deuteronomy 33:8, Psalms 95:8, 106:32-48
Meribah
i.e., Strife.
Exodus 17:7, Deuteronomy 32:51
Meribah-Kadesh
he was.
Isaiah 5:16, Ezekiel 20:41, 36:23, 38:16
Verse 14

And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh unto the king of Edom, Thus saith thy brother Israel, Thou knowest all the travail that hath befallen us:
Moses
Judges 11:16,17
thy brother
Genesis 32:3,4, Deuteronomy 2:4-25, 23:7, Obadiah 1:10-12, Malachi 1:2
befallen us
Heb. found us.
Exodus 18:8
Verse 15

How our fathers went down into Egypt, and we have dwelt in Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians vexed us, and our fathers:
our fathers
Genesis 46:6, Acts 7:15
dwelt
Genesis 15:13, Exodus 12:40
vexed us
11:5, 16:13, Exodus 1:11-14,16,22, 5:14, Deuteronomy 26:6, Acts 7:19
Verse 16

And when we cried unto the LORD, he heard our voice, and sent an angel, and hath brought us forth out of Egypt: and, behold, we are in Kadesh, a city in the uttermost of thy border:
we cried
Exodus 2:23,24, 3:7-9, 6:5, 14:10
sent an
Exodus 3:2-6, 14:19, 23:20, 33:2
Verse 17

Let us pass, I pray thee, through thy country: we will not pass through the fields, or through the vineyards, neither will we drink of the water of the wells: we will go by the king's high way, we will not turn to the right hand nor to the left, until we have passed thy borders.
21:1,22-24, Deuteronomy 2:1-4,27,29
Verse 19

And the children of Israel said unto him, We will go by the high way: and if I and my cattle drink of thy water, then I will pay for it: I will only, without doing any thing else, go through on my feet.
Deuteronomy 2:6,28
Verse 20

And he said, Thou shalt not go through. And Edom came out against him with much people, and with a strong hand.
Thou shalt
18, Genesis 27:41, 32:6, Judges 11:17,20, Psalms 120:7, Ezekiel 35:5-11, Amos 1:11
And Edom
Obadiah 1:10-15
Verse 21

Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border: wherefore Israel turned away from him.
refused
Deuteronomy 2:27,29
wherefore
Deuteronomy 2:4-8, 23:7, Judges 11:18,24
Verse 22

And the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, journeyed from Kadesh, and came unto mount Hor.
Kadesh
1,14,16, 13:26, 33:36,37, Ezekiel 47:19, 48:28
mount Hor
Mount Hor was situated in Arabia Petræa, on the confines of Edom. It is described by Burckhardt, as being situated on the western side of a valley called Wady Mousa; in which are found the ruins of the ancient Petra, and which is two long days' journey north-east of Accaba (on the northern point of the Elanitic gulf of the Red sea,) in the Djebel Shera, or mount Seir, and on the east side of the Araba, the valley which forms the continuation of that of the Jordan. On the summit of the mountain is the tomb of Haroun, or Aaron, which is held in great veneration by the Arabs; which agrees with the testimonies of Josephus, Eusebius, and Jerome, all persons well acquainted with these countries, who agree in proving that the sepulchre of Aaron, in mount Hor, was near Petra. When visited by Mr. Legh, it was attended by a crippled Arab hermit, about 80 years of age, who conducted them into a small white building, crowned by a cupola, that contains the tomb of Aaron. The monument is of stone, about three feet high; and round the chamber where it stood were suspended beads, etc., the votive offerings of the devotees.
21:4, 33:37,38, 34:7
Verse 24

Aaron shall be gathered unto his people: for he shall not enter into the land which I have given unto the children of Israel, because ye rebelled against my word at the water of Meribah.
gathered
27:13, 31:2, Genesis 15:15, 25:8,17, 35:29, 49:29,33, Deuteronomy 32:50, Judges 2:10, 2 Chronicles 34:28
because ye
11,12
word
Heb. mouth.
4:27; *marg:; Deuteronomy 32:50
Verse 25

Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up unto mount Hor:
33:38,39
Verse 26

And strip Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son: and Aaron shall be gathered unto his people, and shall die there.
Exodus 29:29,30, Isaiah 22:21,22, Hebrews 7:11,23,24
Verse 28

And Moses stripped Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son; and Aaron died there in the top of the mount: and Moses and Eleazar came down from the mount.
Moses
26, 33:38-49, Exodus 29:29,30
put them
27:16-23, Deuteronomy 31:7,8, 34:9, 1 Chronicles 22:11,12,17, 28:5-9, Acts 20:25-29, 2 Peter 1:15
died there
33:38,39, Deuteronomy 10:6, 32:49,50, 34:5, Hebrews 7:24,25
Verse 29

And when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, they mourned for Aaron thirty days, even all the house of Israel.
Genesis 1:10, Deuteronomy 34:8, 2 Chronicles 35:24,25, Acts 8:2

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