New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Numbers 20
1
In the first month the whole community of Israel arrived at the Desert of Zin. They stayed at Kadesh. Miriam died there. Her body was also buried there.
Reference
3
They argued with Moses. They said, "We wish we had died when our people fell dead in front of the Lord.
Reference
4
"Why did you bring the Lord's people into this desert? We and our livestock will die here.
Reference
Parallel theme
Exodus 17:3
5
Why did you bring us up out of Egypt? Why did you bring us to this terrible place? It doesn't have any grain or figs. It doesn't have any grapes or pomegranates. There isn't even any water for us to drink!"
Reference
Parallel theme
Numbers 16:14
6
Moses and Aaron left the people. They went to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. There they fell with their faces to the ground. Then the glory of the Lord appeared to them.
Reference
Glory
Numbers 16:19
Parallel theme
Numbers 16:22
Numbers 16:45
References Moses
Numbers 14:5
Numbers 16:4
7
The Lord spoke to Moses. He said,
8
"Get your wooden staff. You and your brother Aaron gather the people together. Then speak to that rock while everyone is watching. It will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community. Then they and their livestock can drink it."
Reference
9
So Moses took the wooden staff from the tent. He did just as the Lord had commanded him.
Reference
References Lord
Numbers 17:10
10
He and Aaron gathered the people together in front of the rock. Moses said to them, "Listen, you who refuse to obey! Do we have to bring water out of this rock for you?"
Reference
Parallel theme
James 3:2
11
Then Moses raised his arm. He hit the rock twice with his staff. Water poured out. And the people and their livestock drank it.
Reference
Parallel theme
1 Corinthians 10:4
Deuteronomy 8:15
Numbers 20:8
Psalm 78:16
1 Chronicles 15:13
Matthew 28:20
James 1:20
Hosea 13:5
1 Samuel 15:24
References Moses
Exodus 17:6
12
But the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron. He said, "You did not trust in me enough to honor me. You did not honor me as the holy God in front of the people of Israel. So you will not bring this community into the land I am giving them."
Reference
Parallel theme
Numbers 27:14
References Israel
Numbers 20:24
References Lord
Deuteronomy 1:37
Ezekiel 36:23
13
Those were the waters of Meribah. That's where the people of Israel argued with the Lord. And that's where he showed them he is holy.
Reference
📍 Meribah 1
14
Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom. The messengers said, "The nation of Israel is your brother. They say, 'You know about all of the hard times we've had.
Reference
People
Parallel theme
Deuteronomy 23:7
15
Long ago our people went down into Egypt. We lived there for many years. The Egyptians treated us and our people badly.
Reference
16
But we cried out to the Lord. He heard our cry. He sent an angel and brought us out of Egypt. " 'Now here we are at the town of Kadesh. It's on the edge of your territory.
Reference
17
Please let us pass through your country. We won't go through any field or vineyard. We won't drink water from any well. We'll travel along the king's highway. We won't turn to the right or the left. We'll just go straight through your territory.' "
Reference
📍 King s Highway
Parallel theme
Deuteronomy 2:27
18
But the people of Edom answered, "You can't pass through here. If you try to, we'll march out against you. We'll attack you with our swords."
19
The people of Israel replied, "We'll go along the main road. We and our livestock won't drink any of your water. If we do, we'll pay for it. We only want to walk through your country. That's all we ask."
Reference
20
Again the people of Edom answered, "You can't pass through here." Then the people of Edom came out against them. They came with a large and powerful army.
Reference
21
Edom refused to let Israel go through their territory. So Israel turned away from them.
Reference
22
The whole community of Israel started out from Kadesh. They arrived at Mount Hor.
Reference
📍 Mount Hor 1
23
It was near the border of Edom. There the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron. He said,
📍 Mount Hor 1
24
"Aaron will join the members of his family who have already died. He will not enter the land I am giving to the people of Israel. Both of you refused to obey my command. You did it at the waters of Meribah.
Reference
📍 Meribah 1
25
"So get Aaron and his son Eleazar. Take them up Mount Hor.
📍 Mount Hor 1
26
Take Aaron's official robes off him. Put them on his son Eleazar. Aaron will die on Mount Hor. He will join the members of his family who have already died."
Reference
Parallel theme
Numbers 20:24
27
Moses did just as the Lord had commanded. The three men went up Mount Hor while the whole community was watching.
📍 Mount Hor 1
28
Moses took Aaron's official robes off him. He put them on Aaron's son Eleazar. And Aaron died there on top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain.
Reference
Parallel theme
Deuteronomy 10:6
29
The whole community found out that Aaron had died. So the entire nation of Israel sobbed over him for 30 days.
Reference
References Israel
Deuteronomy 34:8
Chapter Summary
The book of Numbers chapter 20 contains several significant events that occur towards the end of Israel’s wilderness sojourn. The death of Miriam, a complaint by the people of Israel concerning the lack of water, Moses striking the rock instead of speaking to it as the Lord had commanded, and Edom’s refusal to give Israel passage through their land occur. The death of Aaron and the investiture of his priestly garments and office to his son Eleazar conclude the chapter.
The chapter opens with the Israelites camping in the wilderness of Zin. Here, Miriam dies and is buried. Miriam was the sister of Moses and Aaron and had played a significant role in Israel’s history from the time they were in Egypt. This is the second loss of a leader for Israel since leaving Egypt as Aaron would also soon pass away.
Shortly after Miriam’s death, there is no water for the congregation. The people grumble against Moses and Aaron. The people ask why Moses and Aaron have brought them up from Egypt to die in the wilderness with their children and animals. The people’s murmuring is the same as it was when they first left Egypt. They did not have faith that Moses and Aaron could get them out of Egypt or that God would provide for them in the wilderness.
Moses and Aaron are summoned before the congregation to the door of the tabernacle. They lay prostrate before the Lord, and the glory of the Lord appears to them. God commands Moses to take his rod and assemble the congregation with Aaron before the rock. God tells Moses to speak to the rock before them, and water shall come out of it for the congregation and their beasts to drink.
Moses takes the rod as God had commanded, and he and Aaron assemble the congregation before the rock. However, instead of speaking to the rock as God had commanded, Moses admonishes the people and says, “Hear now, ye rebels; we will bring you water out of this rock.” Moses then smites the rocks with his rod twice, and water comes out of them.
The congregation and their beasts drink, and the people’s thirst is slaked. However, God tells Moses and Aaron that they have not had faith in him and have not sanctified him before the congregation. Moses and Aaron will not bring the congregation into the promised land because of their disbelief. Moses and Aaron will die in the wilderness.
This is one of the most significant incidents in Moses’ later life. He has had to deal with many rebellions and unfaithfulness of the people, yet he still cannot bring himself to do what God has asked. Moses strikes the rocks with his rod, and although the water comes out, Moses and Aaron are still held accountable for their actions.
This place is called the waters of Meribah because the children of Israel strove with the Lord. God commanded that this be a memorial to the children of Israel concerning the importance of obeying him.
The children of Israel sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom demanding passage through their land. The messengers said that they had come through the wilderness from Egypt. They said that God had heard their prayers and brought them to this place. They promised to keep off the main roads and not take from the fields or the vineyards or the wells and that if they did take any of these things, they would pay for them.
Edom refused to grant them passage. They sent messengers back saying that Israel was too numerous and that they could not pass through their land. However, the children of Israel sent messengers saying they would keep to the King’s Highway and not take anything from the land. Again, Edom refused their request and came out against them with a great army. Israel turns away from Edom and takes another route because they cannot pass through their land.
Edom is closely related to Israel because Esau is the brother of Jacob, and Edom is the son of Esau. The people of Edom are the descendants of Esau, and the people of Israel are the descendants of Jacob. However, Edom will not let Israel pass through their land despite being related to them.
The last part of the chapter deals with the death of Aaron. God told Moses, Aaron, and Aaron’s son Eleazar to go up Mount Hor. God said to Aaron that he would die there and that Moses and Aaron would not bring the congregation into the promised land because of the rebellion of the people at the waters of Meribah.
Moses takes Aaron and Eleazar up the mountain, and there Moses removes Aaron’s priestly garments and puts them on his son Eleazar. Aaron dies on the mountain, and Eleazar takes over his father’s duties as high priest. The children of Israel mourn for Aaron for thirty days when they learn of his death.
Aaron was the first high priest, and he had been with Moses from the time Israel left Egypt. His death is a great loss to the people because they had not known another priest. Eleazar must now take over Aaron’s duties as high priest, and the burden of leading the people into the promised land falls upon him.
Numbers chapter 20 is a chapter of losses, frustrations, failures, and the march towards Canaan. Miriam dies, Moses and Aaron are told they will not be allowed into the promised land, Edom refuses to let Israel pass through their land, and Aaron dies before the nation reaches its destination. However, the march towards Canaan continues.
The chapter also reveals God’s faithfulness to his people despite their failures. The people lacked faith, but God still provided for them. When the people complained about having no water, God provided it for them, yet Moses and Aaron were still held accountable for their unfaithfulness. Their position as leaders of the people did not excuse them from their sins.
By the end of the chapter, Israel has lost three of its leaders from the older generation: Miriam had died, and Aaron had died, and Moses knew he too would soon die before Israel reached the promised land. The burden of leadership was now being transferred to the younger generation as Israel drew near to the promised land.
The chapter opens with the Israelites camping in the wilderness of Zin. Here, Miriam dies and is buried. Miriam was the sister of Moses and Aaron and had played a significant role in Israel’s history from the time they were in Egypt. This is the second loss of a leader for Israel since leaving Egypt as Aaron would also soon pass away.
Shortly after Miriam’s death, there is no water for the congregation. The people grumble against Moses and Aaron. The people ask why Moses and Aaron have brought them up from Egypt to die in the wilderness with their children and animals. The people’s murmuring is the same as it was when they first left Egypt. They did not have faith that Moses and Aaron could get them out of Egypt or that God would provide for them in the wilderness.
Moses and Aaron are summoned before the congregation to the door of the tabernacle. They lay prostrate before the Lord, and the glory of the Lord appears to them. God commands Moses to take his rod and assemble the congregation with Aaron before the rock. God tells Moses to speak to the rock before them, and water shall come out of it for the congregation and their beasts to drink.
Moses takes the rod as God had commanded, and he and Aaron assemble the congregation before the rock. However, instead of speaking to the rock as God had commanded, Moses admonishes the people and says, “Hear now, ye rebels; we will bring you water out of this rock.” Moses then smites the rocks with his rod twice, and water comes out of them.
The congregation and their beasts drink, and the people’s thirst is slaked. However, God tells Moses and Aaron that they have not had faith in him and have not sanctified him before the congregation. Moses and Aaron will not bring the congregation into the promised land because of their disbelief. Moses and Aaron will die in the wilderness.
This is one of the most significant incidents in Moses’ later life. He has had to deal with many rebellions and unfaithfulness of the people, yet he still cannot bring himself to do what God has asked. Moses strikes the rocks with his rod, and although the water comes out, Moses and Aaron are still held accountable for their actions.
This place is called the waters of Meribah because the children of Israel strove with the Lord. God commanded that this be a memorial to the children of Israel concerning the importance of obeying him.
The children of Israel sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom demanding passage through their land. The messengers said that they had come through the wilderness from Egypt. They said that God had heard their prayers and brought them to this place. They promised to keep off the main roads and not take from the fields or the vineyards or the wells and that if they did take any of these things, they would pay for them.
Edom refused to grant them passage. They sent messengers back saying that Israel was too numerous and that they could not pass through their land. However, the children of Israel sent messengers saying they would keep to the King’s Highway and not take anything from the land. Again, Edom refused their request and came out against them with a great army. Israel turns away from Edom and takes another route because they cannot pass through their land.
Edom is closely related to Israel because Esau is the brother of Jacob, and Edom is the son of Esau. The people of Edom are the descendants of Esau, and the people of Israel are the descendants of Jacob. However, Edom will not let Israel pass through their land despite being related to them.
The last part of the chapter deals with the death of Aaron. God told Moses, Aaron, and Aaron’s son Eleazar to go up Mount Hor. God said to Aaron that he would die there and that Moses and Aaron would not bring the congregation into the promised land because of the rebellion of the people at the waters of Meribah.
Moses takes Aaron and Eleazar up the mountain, and there Moses removes Aaron’s priestly garments and puts them on his son Eleazar. Aaron dies on the mountain, and Eleazar takes over his father’s duties as high priest. The children of Israel mourn for Aaron for thirty days when they learn of his death.
Aaron was the first high priest, and he had been with Moses from the time Israel left Egypt. His death is a great loss to the people because they had not known another priest. Eleazar must now take over Aaron’s duties as high priest, and the burden of leading the people into the promised land falls upon him.
Numbers chapter 20 is a chapter of losses, frustrations, failures, and the march towards Canaan. Miriam dies, Moses and Aaron are told they will not be allowed into the promised land, Edom refuses to let Israel pass through their land, and Aaron dies before the nation reaches its destination. However, the march towards Canaan continues.
The chapter also reveals God’s faithfulness to his people despite their failures. The people lacked faith, but God still provided for them. When the people complained about having no water, God provided it for them, yet Moses and Aaron were still held accountable for their unfaithfulness. Their position as leaders of the people did not excuse them from their sins.
By the end of the chapter, Israel has lost three of its leaders from the older generation: Miriam had died, and Aaron had died, and Moses knew he too would soon die before Israel reached the promised land. The burden of leadership was now being transferred to the younger generation as Israel drew near to the promised land.