TRV
See on the biblical-era map
Study This Verse
Commentary on Numbers 20 verses 1–13
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.
Continue studying Numbers 20:6 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.
Read & Compare
BibleGatewayThis verse in more than 200 translations and 70 languages.
Bible.comThe YouVersion reader — hundreds of translations, reading plans, and highlights.
ESV.orgCrossway's official English Standard Version reader.
NET BibleThe NET translation with 60,000+ translators' notes on every rendering decision.
STEP BibleTyndale House's free study tool — original text, vocabulary, and scholarly resources.
BibliaLogos Bible Software's free web reader.
USCCBThe New American Bible (Revised Edition) with the U.S. bishops' study notes.
Commentaries
BibleHub CommentariesDozens of classic commentaries on this verse, gathered on one page.
StudyLightMore than 100 commentary sets — the largest collection on the web.
BibleRefPlain-English commentary on what this verse means, verse by verse.
Enduring WordDavid Guzik's free commentary on this chapter, widely used by Bible teachers.
Bible Study ToolsVerse commentary alongside Greek and Hebrew study aids.
Original Language & Research
- BibleHub InterlinearThe verse word by word — original language, transliteration, and English.
- BibleHub LexiconEvery word's original-language definition and Strong's entry.
Blue Letter BibleDeep-study tools — Strong's numbers, concordance, and word studies.
SefariaThe Hebrew text with Rashi and centuries of Jewish commentary.
Sermons, Hymns & Audio
TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.
SUMMARY
Numbers 20:6 encapsulates a critical moment in Israel's wilderness journey, occurring immediately after Miriam's death and preceding the contentious episode at Meribah. Confronted by the assembly's bitter complaints regarding a lack of water, Moses and Aaron, as the divinely appointed leaders, did not resort to human strategy. Instead, they sought the Lord's presence at the Tabernacle, demonstrating profound humility and dependence through their prostration. This act of spiritual surrender was met by a powerful, visible manifestation of the Lord's glory, signaling divine attention and impending intervention amidst the people's rebellion and the leaders' distress.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: This verse is strategically placed at the commencement of Numbers chapter 20, marking a significant transition in the wilderness narrative. It immediately follows the concise and somber account of Miriam's death and burial in Numbers 20:1. The narrative then swiftly pivots to the familiar pattern of Israelite grumbling, as the community, facing a severe water shortage in the wilderness of Zin, begins to quarrel bitterly with Moses and Aaron, as detailed in Numbers 20:2-5. Moses and Aaron's response in Numbers 20:6 serves as the direct prelude to the infamous incident at the waters of Meribah, where Moses's act of striking the rock, rather than speaking to it as commanded, incurs severe consequences for his leadership, a narrative recounted in Numbers 20:7-13. This immediate literary sequence vividly portrays the immense pressure on the leaders and the persistent theme of Israel's faithlessness and rebellion.
Historical & Cultural Context: The events of Numbers 20 unfold approximately 38 years after the Exodus from Egypt, situating them in the latter phase of Israel's arduous forty-year wilderness wandering. By this time, the generation condemned to perish in the wilderness following the rebellion at Kadesh-Barnea has largely passed away, and a new generation is on the cusp of entering the Promised Land. The setting, Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin, was a crucial and long-term encampment for the Israelites. Water scarcity was not merely an inconvenience but a constant, life-threatening challenge in the arid wilderness environment, rendering the people's complaints understandable from a purely human perspective, though their faithless murmuring constituted a significant spiritual failure. The Tabernacle, or "tent of meeting," stood as the spiritual and geographical epicenter of Israelite life, serving as the tangible symbol of God's dwelling presence among His people and the primary locus for divine communication, judgment, and provision, as exemplified in Exodus 40:34-38. Approaching its "door" and falling upon their faces was a deeply ingrained cultural and religious act of profound supplication, reverence, and submission before the Almighty.
Key Themes: Numbers 20:6 powerfully illustrates several foundational themes woven throughout the Pentateuch. Firstly, it highlights the perpetual tension between divine faithfulness and human rebellion. Despite God's consistent provision and unwavering presence, the Israelites repeatedly demonstrate a profound lack of trust and a persistent propensity for complaining, echoing earlier episodes such as their murmuring for water at Rephidim, as recorded in Exodus 17:1-7. Secondly, the verse underscores the vital role of intercessory leadership. Moses and Aaron consistently function as crucial mediators between a holy God and a rebellious people, diligently seeking divine counsel and intervention on behalf of the community. This pattern of faithful intercession is a hallmark of their ministry, evident in numerous instances, such as Moses's plea for Israel after the golden calf incident in Exodus 32:11-14. Finally, the manifestation of God's glory (Hebrew: kâbôwd) serves as a potent reminder of His immanence, sovereignty, and readiness to act. Such divine appearances often precede significant divine instruction, judgment, or miraculous provision, as seen before the giving of the manna in Exodus 16:10.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The passage employs several significant literary devices to convey its profound message. Symbolism is highly prominent, with the "Tabernacle of the congregation" serving as the central symbol of God's immanent presence among His people and the designated place for divine encounter and communication. Moses and Aaron's act of "falling upon their faces" is deeply symbolic of profound humility, desperate supplication, and complete submission to divine authority in the face of human inadequacy. The "glory of the LORD" itself is a powerful visual symbol of God's majesty, transcendent power, and active involvement in the affairs of His people. The narrative also utilizes contrast effectively, starkly juxtaposing the chaotic grumbling and rebellion of the Israelite assembly with the quiet, reverent submission and dependence of Moses and Aaron. Furthermore, the human crisis of water scarcity is contrasted with the divine manifestation of glory, highlighting God's ability to transcend human limitations. The recurring theme of Israel's complaining throughout the book of Numbers, including in the verses immediately preceding Numbers 20:6, functions as a form of repetition, underscoring the persistent faithlessness of the people and, by extension, the long-suffering patience and enduring faithfulness of God.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Numbers 20:6 is a potent reminder of the essential nature of true leadership and the indispensable necessity of divine encounter in times of profound crisis. Moses and Aaron, despite their immense authority and experience, did not rely on their own strength, wisdom, or political acumen when confronted with the overwhelming discontent and rebellion of the assembly. Instead, their immediate and instinctive response was to seek the very presence of God at the Tabernacle, demonstrating that effective leadership in God's kingdom is fundamentally characterized by radical dependence on Him. Their humble posture of falling on their faces underscores the profound theological truth that genuine supplication involves complete surrender, reverence, and an acknowledgment of God's absolute sovereignty before a holy God. The subsequent appearance of the Lord's glory powerfully affirms God's attentiveness to His people's cries and His readiness to manifest His power and provide divine direction, even amidst pervasive human failure and rebellion. This pivotal moment serves as a testament to God's enduring covenant faithfulness, even when His chosen people are faithless.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Numbers 20:6 offers profound and timeless lessons for contemporary believers navigating a world often characterized by overwhelming challenges, personal crises, or collective anxieties. The natural human inclination, when faced with such pressures, is frequently to seek immediate, self-reliant solutions, to engage in frantic activity, or to succumb to despair. However, Moses and Aaron's response provides a powerful counter-narrative: the first, most effective, and truly spiritual action in the face of human limitation and widespread discontent is to retreat to the intimate presence of God. Their profound humility, expressed by falling on their faces, models the posture of utter dependence that God desires from His people. It serves as a stark reminder that our true strength, ultimate wisdom, and sufficient provision come from Him alone. For leaders in any sphere, this verse underscores the imperative to consistently seek divine counsel and to lead from a place of deep prayer and intimate communion with God, rather than relying solely on strategic planning, charismatic influence, or human ingenuity. For every believer, it is a compelling invitation to cultivate a life of humble, persistent prayer, trusting that when we draw near to God with a submissive heart, He will unfailingly draw near to us, revealing His glory and providing His guidance, even when the path ahead seems uncertain or the circumstances are dire.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why did Moses and Aaron go to the Tabernacle instead of immediately addressing the people's complaints?
Answer: Moses and Aaron went to the Tabernacle because it was the divinely appointed place where God met with His people and communicated His will. Faced with the people's intense complaining and their desperate need for water, they understood that this was not merely a logistical problem to be solved by human means, but fundamentally a spiritual crisis reflecting Israel's ongoing rebellion against God. Their immediate response was to seek divine counsel and intervention, recognizing that only God possessed the ultimate solution and could address the underlying spiritual issues of faithlessness and murmuring. This act of seeking God's presence at the "tent of meeting," where God had promised to speak from above the mercy seat (Exodus 25:22), demonstrated their profound reliance on God's sovereignty and their faithful role as mediators, rather than attempting to solve the problem in their own limited strength or wisdom.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Numbers 20:6, with its vivid depiction of the "glory of the LORD" appearing in response to human desperation and humble supplication, finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person of Jesus Christ. The very "glory of the LORD" that appeared to Moses and Aaron in a veiled, often terrifying manifestation of cloud or fire, is fully and perfectly embodied in Jesus. He is described as the "radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being" (Hebrews 1:3), meaning that in Christ, we see God's glory unveiled. Where the Tabernacle served as the temporary, portable dwelling place for God's glory among His people, Christ is the true "Tabernacle" among us, for "the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before a visible manifestation of God's presence, but in Christ, humanity encounters God's glory in a person, in a way that is both approachable and transformative. Furthermore, as the ultimate and perfect intercessor, Jesus perfectly fulfills and surpasses the mediatorial role of Moses and Aaron, not merely seeking God's will for His people, but actively interceding for them and offering Himself as the perfect, once-for-all sacrifice to address the deepest human need—sin—thereby opening the way for all believers to approach God's glorious throne of grace with confidence (Hebrews 4:16).