Numbers 20

King James Version

Full text for Numbers Chapter 20

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.

2And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron.

3And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the LORD!

4And why have ye brought up the congregation of the LORD into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there?

5And 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.

6And 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.

7And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

8Take 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.

9And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him.

10And 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?

11And 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].

12And 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.

13This [is] the water of Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with the LORD, and he was sanctified in them.

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:

15How our fathers went down into Egypt, and we have dwelt in Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians vexed us, and our fathers:

16And 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:

17Let 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.

18And Edom said unto him, Thou shalt not pass by me, lest I come out against thee with the sword.

19And 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.

20And he said, Thou shalt not go through. And Edom came out against him with much people, and with a strong hand.

21Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border: wherefore Israel turned away from him.

22¶ And the children of Israel, [even] the whole congregation, journeyed from Kadesh, and came unto mount Hor.

23And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in mount Hor, by the coast of the land of Edom, saying,

24Aaron 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.

25Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up unto mount Hor:

26And strip Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son: and Aaron shall be gathered [unto his people], and shall die there.

27And Moses did as the LORD commanded: and they went up into mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation.

28And 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.

29And when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, they mourned for Aaron thirty days, [even] all the house of Israel.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

The Israelites arrived in Kadesh, where Miriam died. Facing a severe water shortage, the people rebelled against Moses and Aaron, leading Moses to strike a rock twice for water, contrary to God's command to speak to it. For this act of unbelief, God declared that Moses and Aaron would not enter the promised land. Subsequently, Edom refused Israel passage through their territory, and Aaron died on Mount Hor, his priestly office passing to Eleazar.

Medium Summary

Numbers 20 opens with the Israelites' arrival at Kadesh, where Miriam, Moses' sister, died. A severe water shortage prompted the congregation to vehemently complain against Moses and Aaron, lamenting their departure from Egypt. Moses and Aaron sought the Lord, who instructed Moses to take his rod and speak to a rock to bring forth water. However, Moses, addressing the people as "rebels," struck the rock twice, causing water to flow abundantly. The Lord then rebuked Moses and Aaron for their lack of faith in sanctifying Him before the people, declaring they would not lead the congregation into the promised land. Following this, Moses requested passage through Edom, but the king refused, forcing Israel to detour. The chapter concludes with the journey to Mount Hor, where Aaron, as commanded by the Lord due to his part in the Meribah incident, died, and his priestly garments were transferred to his son, Eleazar.

Long Summary

Numbers chapter 20 begins with the arrival of the entire congregation of Israel in the desert of Zin, specifically Kadesh, where Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron, died and was buried. A critical lack of water quickly led the people to gather against Moses and Aaron, expressing deep discontent and wishing they had perished earlier, even questioning why they were brought out of Egypt to such a barren place devoid of sustenance and water. In response, Moses and Aaron prostrated themselves before the tabernacle, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them. The Lord commanded Moses to take his rod, gather the assembly, and speak to a specific rock, assuring that it would yield water for the congregation and their livestock. Moses obeyed by taking the rod, but when he gathered the people, he addressed them as "rebels" and, rather than speaking, struck the rock twice with his rod, causing water to gush forth abundantly. Immediately, the Lord rebuked Moses and Aaron, stating that because they did not believe Him sufficiently to sanctify Him in the eyes of the Israelites, they would not be the ones to bring the congregation into the promised land. This event became known as the waters of Meribah, signifying the Israelites' contention with the Lord. Following this, Moses dispatched messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, recounting Israel's history and requesting peaceful passage through Edomite territory via the king's highway, promising not to trespass on fields or vineyards, and to pay for any water consumed. Edom, however, adamantly refused passage, even threatening military confrontation, compelling Israel to turn away from their border. The narrative then shifts to the journey from Kadesh to Mount Hor. There, the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, reiterating that Aaron would not enter the promised land due to their rebellion at Meribah. Moses was instructed to bring Aaron and his son Eleazar up Mount Hor, strip Aaron of his priestly garments, and place them upon Eleazar. Moses faithfully executed this command in the sight of the congregation; Aaron died atop Mount Hor, and Eleazar assumed the high priestly office. The chapter concludes with the entire house of Israel mourning Aaron for thirty days.

Core Concepts

  • Water of MeribahThis refers to the location where the Israelites contended with Moses and Aaron over lack of water, leading to Moses striking the rock rather than speaking to it as commanded by God. It signifies a place of strife and the testing of faith.
  • Moses and Aaron's DisobedienceDespite God's clear instruction to speak to the rock, Moses struck it twice in anger, an act of unbelief that failed to properly sanctify God in the eyes of the people. This disobedience resulted in both Moses and Aaron being barred from entering the promised land.
  • Divine JudgmentGod's judgment on Moses and Aaron for their actions at Meribah demonstrates the seriousness of obedience and faith, even for His chosen leaders. Their failure to fully trust and honor God's command had significant consequences.
  • Edom's Refusal of PassageMoses' diplomatic request for Israel to pass through Edom's territory was met with a harsh refusal and a show of force. This forced Israel to take a longer, more arduous route, highlighting the strained relations between kin nations.
  • Aaron's Death and SuccessionOn Mount Hor, Aaron died as prophesied by the Lord, a direct consequence of his involvement in the Meribah incident. His priestly garments and office were ceremonially transferred to his son, Eleazar, ensuring the continuity of the high priesthood.
  • Miriam's DeathThe chapter opens with the death of Miriam in Kadesh, marking the passing of one of the key figures who led Israel out of Egypt. Her death precedes the major events of contention and leadership transition.