Numbers 20:24
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.
Aaron {H175} shall be gathered {H622} unto his people {H5971}: for he shall not enter {H935} into the land {H776} which I have given {H5414} unto the children {H1121} of Israel {H3478}, because ye rebelled against {H4784} my word {H6310} at the water {H4325} of Meribah {H4809}.
"Aharon is about to be gathered to his people, because he is not to enter the land I have given to the people of Isra'el, inasmuch as you rebelled against what I said at the M'rivah Spring.
โAaron will be gathered to his people; he will not enter the land that I have given the Israelites, because both of you rebelled against My command at the waters of Meribah.
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 waters of Meribah.
Cross-References
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Genesis 25:8
Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full [of years]; and was gathered to his people. -
Deuteronomy 32:50
And die in the mount whither thou goest up, and be gathered unto thy people; as Aaron thy brother died in mount Hor, and was gathered unto his people: -
2 Chronicles 34:28
Behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace, neither shall thine eyes see all the evil that I will bring upon this place, and upon the inhabitants of the same. So they brought the king word again. -
Numbers 31:2
Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people. -
Numbers 27:13
And when thou hast seen it, thou also shalt be gathered unto thy people, as Aaron thy brother was gathered. -
Judges 2:10
And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel. -
Genesis 15:15
And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.
Commentary
Numbers 20:24 delivers a solemn divine decree concerning Aaron, the high priest and brother of Moses. It announces his impending death and, more significantly, his exclusion from entering the Promised Land. The reason for this severe judgment is explicitly stated: their rebellion against God's word at the waters of Meribah.
Context
This verse is situated late in the forty-year wilderness wanderings of the Israelites, shortly before their entry into Canaan. The immediate backdrop is the second incident at Meribah, detailed in Numbers 20:1-13. Here, the people again complained bitterly about a lack of water. God commanded Moses to speak to the rock to bring forth water. However, out of frustration and perhaps a desire to demonstrate power, Moses struck the rock twice, proclaiming, "Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?" (Numbers 20:10). Aaron, as Moses' close associate and high priest, was complicit in this act of disobedience, failing to uphold God's holiness before the people. This act, though seemingly minor, represented a failure of faith and a direct contravention of God's explicit instruction.
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
The phrase "gathered unto his people" is a common biblical idiom for death, implying a peaceful passing and joining ancestors in the realm of the departed. It suggests a natural death rather than a violent one, and for a righteous person like Aaron, it carries the connotation of spiritual rest and being reunited with the faithful who have gone before. The name "Meribah" (ืึฐืจึดืืึธื) itself means "strife" or "contention," aptly describing the nature of the Israelites' complaints and Moses and Aaron's contentious response to God's command.
Practical Application
Numbers 20:24 serves as a powerful reminder for believers today, particularly those in positions of spiritual leadership. It teaches us:
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