(The Lord speaking is red text)
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
ADONAI said to Moshe,
And the LORD said to Moses,
And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
And the LORD{H3068} spake{H1696} unto Moses{H4872}, saying{H559},
Numbers 20:7 is a verse set within the larger narrative of the Israelites' journey through the wilderness following their exodus from Egypt. The historical context places the Israelites in the Sinai Peninsula, where they have been wandering for nearly 40 years due to their disobedience and lack of faith. The verse itself is part of an episode where the people are grumbling about a lack of water, a recurring theme in their wilderness wanderings.
In this particular instance, the Israelites have arrived at Kadesh, where Miriam, Moses' sister, has recently died. The people quarrel with Moses and Aaron, blaming them for their current predicament and longing for the comforts of Egypt. It is in this setting that the verse states, "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying." This divine communication is significant because it marks the beginning of God's instructions to Moses regarding how to address the crisis.
The themes present in this verse include God's response to the complaints of His people, the leadership challenges faced by Moses, and the ongoing testing of the Israelites' faith. Despite their continual grumbling, God provides a solution to their lack of water by instructing Moses to speak to a rock, which would then yield water for the community and their livestock. This moment is also a prelude to Moses' own disobedience, as in the following verses, he strikes the rock instead of speaking to it, an act that leads to consequences for both him and Aaron.
Overall, Numbers 20:7 captures a snapshot of the complex relationship between God, Moses, and the Israelites, highlighting themes of faith, obedience, and divine provision against the backdrop of the harsh realities of wilderness life.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)