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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Numbers 20:1–13. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
After thirty-eight years' tedious marches, or rather tedious rests, in the wilderness, backward towards the Red Sea, the armies of Israel now at length set their faces towards Canaan again, and had come not far off from the place where they were when, by the righteous sentence of divine Justice, they were made to begin their wanderings. Hitherto they had been led about as in a maze or labyrinth, while execution was doing upon the rebels that were sentenced; but they were now brought into the right way again: they abode in Kadesh (Num 20:1), not Kadesh-barnea, which was near the borders of Canaan, but another Kadesh on the confines of Edom, further off from the land of promise, yet in the way to it from the Red Sea, to which they had been hurried back. Now,
I.Here dies Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron, and as it should seem older than either of them.
She must have been so if she was that sister that was set to watch Moses when he was put into the ark of bulrushes, Exo 2:4. Miriam died there, Exo 2:1. She was a prophetess, and had been an instrument of much good to Israel, Mic 6:4. When Moses and Aaron with their rod went before them, to work wonders for them, Miriam with her timbrel went before them in praising God for these wondrous works (Exo 15:20), and therein did them real service; yet she had once been a murmurer (Num 12:1), and must not enter Canaan.
II.Here there is another Meribah.
one place we met with before of that name, in the beginning of their march through the wilderness, which was so called because of the chiding of the children of Israel, Exo 17:7. And now we have another place, at the latter end of their march, which bears the same name for the same reason: This is the water of Meribah, Num 20:13. What was there done was here re-acted.
1.There was no water for the congregation, Num 20:2. The water out of the rock of Rephidim had followed them while there was need of it; but it is probable that for some time they had been in a country where they were supplied in an ordinary way, and when common providence supplied them it was fit that the miracle should cease. But in this place it fell out that there was no water, or not sufficient for the congregation. Note, We live in a wanting world, and, wherever we are, must expect to meet with some inconvenience or other. It is a great mercy to have plenty of water, a mercy which if we found the want of we should own the worth of.
2.Hereupon they murmured, mutinied (Num 20:2), gathered themselves together, and took up arms against Moses and Aaron. They chid with them (Num 20:3), spoke the same absurd and brutish language that their fathers had done before them.
(1.)They wished they had died as malefactors by the hands of divine justice, rather than thus seem for a while neglected by the divine mercy: Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the Lord! Instead of giving God thanks, as they ought to have done, for sparing them, they not only despise the mercy of their reprieve, but quarrel with it, as if God had done them a great deal of wrong in giving them their lives for a prey, and snatching them as brands out of the burning. But they need not wish that they had died with their brethren, they are here taking the ready way to die like their brethren in a little while. Woe unto those that desire the day of the Lord, Amo 5:18.
(2.)They were angry that they were brought out of Egypt, and led through this wilderness, Num 20:4, Num 20:5. They quarrelled with Moses for that which they knew was the Lord's doing; they represented that as an injury which was the greatest favour that ever was done to any people. They prefer slavery before liberty, the house of bondage before the land of promise; and though, the present want was of water only, yet, now that they are disposed to find fault, it shall be looked upon as an insufferable hardship put upon them that they have not vines and figs. It was an aggravation of their crime, [1.] that they had smarted so long for the discontents and distrusts of their fathers. They had borne their whoredoms now almost forty years in the wilderness (Num 14:33); and yet they ventured in the same steps, and, as is charged upon Belshazzar, humbled not their hearts, though they knew all this, Dan 5:22. [2.] That they had had such long and constant experience of God's goodness to them, and of the tenderness and faithfulness of Moses and Aaron. [3.] That Miriam was now lately dead; and, having lost one of their leaders, they ought to have been more respectful to those that were left; but, as if they were resolved to provoke God to leave them as sheep without any shepherd, they grow outrageous against them: instead of condoling with Moses and Aaron for the death of their sister, they add affliction to their grief.
3.Moses and Aaron made them no reply, but retired to the door of the tabernacle to know God's mind in this case, Num 20:6. There they fell on their faces, as formerly on the like occasion, to deprecate the wrath of God and to entreat direction from him. Here is no mention of any thing they said; they knew that God heard the murmurings of the people, and before him they humbly prostrate themselves, making intercessions with groanings that cannot be uttered. There they lay waiting for orders Speak, Lord, for thy servants hear.
4.God appeared, to determine the matter; not on his tribunal of justice, to sentence the rebels according to their deserts; no, he will not return to destroy Ephraim (Hos 11:9), will not always chide; see Gen 8:21. But he appeared,
(1.)On his throne of glory, to silence their unjust murmuring (Num 20:6): The glory of the Lord appeared, to still the tumult of the people, by striking an awe upon them. Note, A believing sight of the glory of the Lord would be an effectual check to our lusts and passions, and would keep our mouths as with a bridle.
(2.)On his throne of grace, to satisfy their just desires. It was requisite that they should have water, and therefore, thought the manner of their petitioning for it was irregular and disorderly, yet God did not take that advantage against them to deny it to them, but gave immediate orders for their supply, Num 20:8. Moses must a second time in God's name command water out of a rock for them, to show that God is as able as ever to supply his people with good things, even in their greatest straits an in the utmost failure of second causes. Almighty power can bring water out of a rock, has done it, and can again, for his arm is not shortened. Lest it should be thought that there was something peculiar in the former rock itself, some secret spring which nature hid before in it, God here bids him broach another, and does not, as then, direct him which he must apply to, but lets him make use of which he pleased, or the first he came to; all alike to Omnipotence.
[1.]God bids him take the rod, that famous rod with which he summoned the plagues of Egypt, and divided the sea, that, having that in his hand, both he and the people might be reminded of the great things God had formerly done for them, and might be encouraged to trust in him now. This rod, it seems, was kept in the tabernacle (Num 20:9), for it was the rod of God, the rod of his strength, as the gospel is called (Psa 110:2), perhaps in allusion to it.
[2.]God bids him gather the assembly, not the elders only, but the people, to be witnesses of what was done, that by their own eyes they might be convinced and made ashamed of their unbelief. There is no fallacy in God's works of wonder, and therefore they shun not the light, nor the inspection and enquiry of many witnesses.
[3.]He bids him speak to the rock, which would do as it was bidden, to shame the people who had been so often spoken to, and would not hear nor obey. Their hearts were harder than this rock, not so tender, not so yielding, not so obedient.
[4.]He promises that the rock should give forth water (Num 20:8), and it did so (Num 20:11): The water came out abundantly. This is an instance, not only of the power of God, that he could thus fetch honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock, but of his mercy and grace, that he would do it for such a provoking people. This was a new generation (most of the old stock were by this time worn off), yet they were as bad as those that went before them; murmuring ran in the blood, yet the entail of the divine favour was not cut off, but in this instance of it the divine patience shines as brightly as the divine power. He is God and not man, in sparing and pardoning; nay, he not only here gave them the drink which they drank of in common with their beasts (Num 20:8, Num 20:11), but in it he made them to drink spiritual drink, which typified spiritual blessings, for that rock was Christ.
5.Moses and Aaron acted improperly in the management of this matter, so much so that God in displeasure told them immediately that they should not have the honour of bringing Israel into Canaan, Num 20:10-12.
(1.)This is a strange passage of story, yet very instructive.
[1.]It is certain that God was greatly offended, and justly, for he is never angry without cause. Though they were his servants, and had obtained mercy to be faithful, though they were his favourites, and such as he had highly honoured, yet for something they thought, or said, or did, upon this occasion, he put them under the disgrace and mortification of dying, as other unbelieving Israelites did, short of Canaan. And no doubt the crime deserved the punishment.
[2.]Yet it is uncertain what it was in this management that was so provoking to God. The fault was complicated. First, They did not punctually observe their orders, but in some things varied from their commission; God bade them speak to the rock, and they spoke to the people, and smote the rock, which at this time they were not ordered to do, but they thought speaking would not do. When, in distrust of the power of the word, we have recourse to the secular power in matters of pure conscience, we do, as Moses here, smite the rock to which we should only speak, Secondly, They assumed too 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 theirs. Therefore it is charged upon them (Num 20:12) that they did not sanctify God, that is, they did not give him that glory of this miracle which was due unto his name. Thirdly, Unbelief was the great transgression (Num 20:12): You believed me not; nay, it is called rebelling against God's commandment, Num 27:14. The command was to bring water out of the rock, but they rebelled against this command, by distrusting it, and doubting whether it would take effect or no. They speak doubtfully: Must we fetch water? And probably they did in some other ways discover an uncertainty in their own minds whether water would come or no for such a rebellious generation as this was. And perhaps they the rather questioned it, though God had promised it, because the glory of the Lord did not appear before them upon this rock, as it had done upon the rock in Rephidim, Exo 17:6. They would not take God's word without a sign. Dr. Lightfoot's notion of their unbelief is that they doubted whether now at last, when the forty years had expired, they should enter Canaan, and whether they must not for the murmurings of the people be condemned to another period of toil, because a new rock was now opened for their supply, which they took for an indication of their longer stay. And, if so, justly were they kept out of Canaan themselves, while the people entered at the time appointed. Fourthly, They said and did all in heat and passion; this is the account given of the sin (Psa 106:33): They provoked his spirit, so that he spoke unadvisedly with his lips. It was in his passion that he called them rebels. It is true they were so; God had called them so; and Moses afterwards, in the way of a just reproof (Deu 9:24), calls them so without offence; but now it came from a provoked spirit, and was spoken unadvisedly: it was too much like Raca, and Thou fool. His smiting the rock twice (it should seem, not waiting at all for the eruption of the water upon the first stroke) shows that he was in a heat. The same thing said and done with meekness may be justifiable which when said and done in anger may be highly culpable; see Jam 1:20. Fifthly, That which aggravated all the rest, and made it the more provoking, was that it was public, before the eyes of the children of Israel, to whom they should have been examples of faith, and hope, and meekness. We find Moses guilty of sinful distrust, Num 11:22, Num 11:23. That was private between God and him, and therefore was only checked. But his was public; it dishonoured God before Israel, as if he grudged them his favours, and discouraged the people's hope in God, and therefore this was severely punished, and the more because of the dignity and eminency of those that offended.
(2.)From the whole we may learn,
[1.]That the best of men have their failings, even in those graces that they are most eminent for. The man Moses was very meek, and yet here he sinned in passion; wherefore let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.
[2.]That God judges not as man judges concerning sins; we might think that there was not much amiss in what Moses said and did, yet God saw cause to animadvert severely upon it. He knows the frame of men's spirits, what temper they are of, and what temper they are in upon particular occasions, and from what thoughts and intents words and actions do proceed; and we are sure that therefore his judgment is according to truth, when it agrees not with ours. [3.] that God not only takes notice of, and is displeased with, the sins of his people, but that the nearer any are to him the more offensive are their sins, Amo 3:2. It should seem, the Psalmist refers to this sin of Moses and Aaron (Psa 99:8): Thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou tookest vengeance on their inventions. As many are spared in this life and punished in the other, so many are punished in this life and saved in the other. [4.] That, when our heart is hot within us, we are concerned to take heed that we offend not with our tongue. Yet, [5.] It is an evidence of the sincerity of Moses, and his impartiality in writing, that he himself left this upon record concerning himself, and drew not a veil over his own infirmity, by which it appeared that in what he wrote, as well as what he did, he sought God's glory more than his own.
Lastly, The place is hereupon called Meribah, Num 20:13. It is called Meribah-Kadesh (Deu 32:51), to distinguish it from the other Meribah. It is the water of strife; to perpetuate the remembrance of the people's sin, and Moses's, and yet of God's mercy, who supplied them with water, and owned and honoured Moses notwithstanding. Thus he was sanctified in the, as the Holy One of Israel, so he is called when his mercy rejoices against judgment, Hos 11:9. Moses and Aaron did not sanctify God as they ought in the eyes of Israel (Num 20:12), but God was sanctified in them; for he will not be a loser in his honour by any man. If he be not glorified by us, he will be glorified upon us.
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Summary
Numbers 20:2 starkly portrays the persistent pattern of discontent and rebellion among the Israelites during their arduous wilderness journey. This verse sets the stage for a critical juncture in their forty-year trek, revealing the congregation's immediate and hostile reaction to a severe lack of water by gathering themselves in opposition to Moses and Aaron. It profoundly underscores the immense challenges of leadership in the face of widespread human impatience and highlights the recurring tension between divine provision and human faithlessness, even after decades of miraculous sustenance.
Context
Literary Context
Numbers 20:2 is situated at a pivotal juncture in the book of Numbers, marking the beginning of the final leg of Israel's wilderness wanderings. Chapters 1-19 detail the laws, census, and various rebellions of the first generation. Chapter 20 opens with the arrival of the Israelites at Kadesh, where Miriam, Moses's sister, dies. Immediately following this, the narrative shifts to the critical issue of water scarcity, leading directly into the infamous incident at Meribah where Moses disobeys God by striking the rock instead of speaking to it, resulting in his exclusion from the Promised Land (Numbers 20:12). This episode serves as a thematic bookend to earlier water crises, such as those at Marah (Exodus 15:22-25) and Rephidim (Exodus 17:1-7), reinforcing the cyclical nature of Israel's faithlessness and God's enduring provision.
Historical & Cultural Context
The setting is the wilderness of Zin, a desolate and arid region, emphasizing the absolute dependence of the vast Israelite congregation (estimated at over two million people) on miraculous divine provision for survival. Water was not merely a convenience but an existential necessity for life in such an environment, making its absence a profound crisis. The phrase "gathered themselves together against" Moses and Aaron reflects a common ancient Near Eastern pattern of popular revolt against leadership when basic needs were not met, often seen as a challenge to the legitimacy of the leaders and, by extension, the deity they represented. This was not a mere grumble but an organized confrontation, carrying significant social and political implications for the stability of the nascent nation, akin to a formal complaint or even an attempted coup against the divinely appointed authority.
Key Themes
This verse powerfully illustrates the enduring theme of human impatience and complaint, a recurring motif throughout the wilderness narrative. Despite witnessing countless miracles and experiencing God's faithful provision for nearly forty years, the congregation's immediate response to hardship was not trust or prayer, but murmuring and rebellion, echoing their ancestors' reactions at places like Massah and Meribah (Exodus 17:7). It also highlights the immense burden of leadership under pressure, as Moses and Aaron consistently bore the brunt of the people's frustration and lack of faith. Their role as intercessors and administrators for a demanding and often rebellious people is vividly portrayed here. Finally, the absence of water underscores the absolute and constant need for divine provision, reminding the reader that Israel's very existence in the wilderness was a testament to God's miraculous sustenance, a theme powerfully echoed in Deuteronomy 8:15.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This term, referring to the essential element for life, highlights the severity of the crisis. Its absence signifies not merely discomfort but an immediate existential threat to the vast Israelite community in the arid wilderness, serving as the direct catalyst for the people's desperate and rebellious reaction.
This word denotes the entire community of Israel, emphasizing that the lack of water affected everyone and that the subsequent rebellion was a collective, corporate act. It underscores the unified nature of their journey and, tragically, their shared pattern of sin and faithlessness.
Derived from the primitive root meaning "to convoke" or "to assemble," when used with the preposition "against" (as it is here), it signifies a hostile assembly, a deliberate and organized act of confrontation or insurrection against authority. This was not a spontaneous outburst but a concerted effort to challenge Moses and Aaron, indicative of a deeper, underlying spirit of rebellion.
Verse Breakdown
"And there was no water for the congregation:"
This opening clause establishes the immediate and dire physical crisis that precipitates the ensuing human drama. The complete absence of water in the desolate wilderness was a life-threatening situation for such a massive multitude, generating intense fear, desperation, and pressure. It sets the stage for God's subsequent miraculous provision, but also for the congregation's immediate and profound failure of faith and patience.
"and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron."
This second clause describes the congregation's collective and hostile response to the crisis. Instead of turning to God in prayer, recalling His past provisions, or patiently waiting for His intervention, they collectively assembled in a confrontational manner. Their anger and complaints were directed specifically towards their divinely appointed leaders, Moses and Aaron. This act was a direct challenge to the authority and legitimacy of Moses and Aaron, and by extension, to God Himself, who had placed them in leadership, revealing a deep-seated pattern of rebellion and lack of trust within the community.
Literary Devices
The verse employs several significant literary devices to amplify its message. The Repetition of the phrase "against Moses and against Aaron" powerfully underscores the direct, unified, and personal nature of the people's opposition, emphasizing the immense burden placed upon the leaders. The narrative's stark presentation of "no water" followed immediately by the people's hostile "gathering" creates a dramatic Juxtaposition, highlighting the stark contrast between the dire physical need and the profound spiritual failure of the congregation. This immediate cause-and-effect relationship also functions as a form of Foreshadowing, hinting at the subsequent, more severe consequences of Moses's own failure to obey God's specific instructions in the following verses, which ultimately prevents him from entering the Promised Land. The scene itself is an example of Irony, as the very people who had witnessed countless miracles of divine provision throughout their journey still resorted to rebellion at the first sign of hardship, demonstrating a remarkable spiritual amnesia.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Numbers 20:2 serves as a stark reminder of humanity's persistent propensity for complaint and rebellion, even in the face of consistent divine faithfulness. It highlights the recurring tension between God's unwavering commitment to His covenant people and their persistent lack of trust and obedience. This incident is not isolated but fits into a broader biblical theme of God's people testing His patience and provision, yet God, in His steadfast love, continues to provide and guide. It underscores the immense responsibility and often thankless nature of spiritual leadership, as leaders often bear the brunt of congregational discontent and the spiritual immaturity of those they lead.
Reflection and Application
Numbers 20:2 offers profound lessons for contemporary believers, challenging us to examine our own responses to hardship and perceived lack. In moments of scarcity, difficulty, or when our immediate needs are not met, our natural inclination might be to complain, blame, or even rebel against those in authority or, implicitly, against God Himself. This verse calls us to a higher standard: to cultivate a spirit of trust, patience, and prayer, remembering God's past faithfulness and His unfailing promise to provide for His children. It also serves as a powerful reminder to extend grace, empathy, and support to those in spiritual leadership, recognizing the immense pressure, criticism, and often thankless burdens they face. Instead of adding to their challenges, we are called to intercede for them and to follow their godly example, understanding that true provision, whether material or spiritual, flows ultimately from God's sovereign hand.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why did the Israelites keep complaining about water, even after God provided for them so many times?
The repeated complaints, especially regarding water, highlight a deep-seated spiritual issue within the Israelite community: a profound lack of consistent faith and a short memory of God's past miraculous provisions. Despite witnessing the spectacular parting of the Red Sea (Exodus 14), receiving daily manna from heaven (Exodus 16), and experiencing water from the rock at Rephidim (Exodus 17:1-7), each new crisis brought renewed doubt and grumbling. This pattern reveals the human tendency to focus on immediate lack and perceived hardship rather than on God's enduring faithfulness and omnipotent power. It is a spiritual amnesia that often plagues believers when faced with trials, underscoring the ongoing need for a renewed heart of trust and absolute dependence on God's sovereign care and provision.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Numbers 20:2, with its vivid depiction of a rebellious people in desperate need of water, finds its ultimate fulfillment and profound resolution in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The "water" that the Israelites so desperately craved, and which God miraculously provided, foreshadows the living water that only Christ can offer. Jesus Himself declared, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink" (John 7:37), and promised the Samaritan woman that whoever drinks of the water He gives "will never be thirsty again" (John 4:14). The spiritual rock from which water miraculously flowed for Israel in the wilderness is explicitly identified by the Apostle Paul as Christ Himself (1 Corinthians 10:4), signifying that all true spiritual sustenance, satisfaction, and life come solely from Him. The Israelites' persistent rebellion against Moses and Aaron, God's appointed leaders, mirrors humanity's universal rebellion against God Himself, a rebellion that Christ, the ultimate Prophet, Priest, and King, came to reconcile. He is the faithful leader who, unlike Moses, perfectly obeyed the Father, even to the point of death on the cross, providing not just physical water but eternal life and spiritual satisfaction for all who believe (John 6:35). In Christ, the desert of human need is transformed into a wellspring of everlasting life.