Numbers 20

In this chapter, we see the Israelites nearing the end of their wilderness journey. However, they face significant challenges, including the death of Miriam, the lack of water, and the disobedience of Moses and Aaron, which leads to severe consequences. The chapter also details the interactions with the Edomites and the death of Aaron, marking crucial moments in the final stages of Israel’s journey to the Promised Land.

Numbers 20:1 (NKJV)
Then the children of Israel, the whole congregation, came into the Wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh; and Miriam died there and was buried there.

Miriam’s death marks a solemn moment for the Israelites as they return to the Wilderness of Zin. Kadesh is a significant place, as it was here the Israelites had earlier rebelled against God, leading to their 40-year journey. Miriam, a key leader alongside Moses and Aaron, passes away, which foreshadows the eventual deaths of the older generation of Israelites who came out of Egypt. Her passing also signifies the nearing end of the wilderness wanderings.

Numbers 20:2-3 (NKJV)
2 Now there was no water for the congregation; so they gathered together against Moses and Aaron.
3 And the people contended with Moses and spoke, saying: “If only we had died when our brethren died before the Lord!”

The lack of water brings another test of faith for the Israelites. Instead of trusting God’s provision, they revert to complaining against Moses and Aaron, reflecting their lack of spiritual growth during their years in the wilderness. Their exclamation that they wish they had died earlier, during previous judgments, reveals a deep despair and lack of hope in God’s promises. This pattern of murmuring demonstrates their ongoing struggle with doubt and unbelief.

Numbers 20:4-5 (NKJV)
4 “Why have you brought up the assembly of the Lord into this wilderness, that we and our animals should die here?
5 And why have you made us come up out of Egypt, to bring us to this evil place? It is not a place of grain or figs or vines or pomegranates; nor is there any water to drink.”

The people accuse Moses of bringing them to a place devoid of resources, painting a bleak picture of the land. They idealize Egypt, forgetting the oppression they faced there, and focus only on their present discomfort. This dissatisfaction reflects their inability to appreciate the journey toward the Promised Land. Their complaint about the lack of water shows their failure to rely on God’s past faithfulness to provide for their needs.

Numbers 20:6-8 (NKJV)
6 So Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the door of the tabernacle of meeting, and they fell on their faces. And the glory of the Lord appeared to them.
7 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
8 “Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation together. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water; thus you shall bring water for them out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their animals.”

Moses and Aaron sought God's guidance after the Israelites complained about a lack of water. God instructed Moses to take the rod but to speak to the rock, rather than strike it, to bring forth water. The rock symbolizes Christ, and this incident follows a previous one in Exodus 17 where Moses had already struck the rock, symbolizing Christ's sacrifice. The command to speak to the rock this time emphasized that Christ’s sacrifice was once and for all, and future blessings come through faith and prayer rather than repeated acts. Striking the rock again would misrepresent the sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice. By speaking to the rock, Moses was meant to show that God’s blessings are accessed through trust and obedience. However, when Moses later struck the rock in frustration, it symbolized a failure to fully trust in God’s provision and misrepresented Christ’s completed work.

Numbers 20:9-11 (NKJV)
9 So Moses took the rod from before the Lord as He commanded him.
10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock; and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?”
11 Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank.

Although Moses followed God’s command to take the rod, his anger and frustration led him to strike the rock instead of speaking to it. His words “must we bring water” reflect a moment of pride, where he and Aaron take credit for God’s miracle. Despite Moses’ disobedience, God still provides water for the people, demonstrating His mercy. However, this disobedience will have serious consequences for Moses and Aaron.

Numbers 20:12-13 (NKJV)
12 Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.”
13 This was the water of Meribah, because the children of Israel contended with the Lord, and He was hallowed among them.

God’s response to Moses and Aaron’s actions is swift. Their failure to follow His specific instructions demonstrated a lack of trust and reverence. As leaders, their disobedience carried greater consequences, resulting in them being forbidden from leading the people into the Promised Land. The severity of God's punishment was meant to emphasize the spiritual lesson that, after Christ’s sacrifice, blessings are received through prayer and faith, not through repeated actions. The place is named Meribah, meaning “contention,” reflecting the ongoing struggle between the Israelites and God.

Numbers 20:14-16 (NKJV)
14 Now Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom. “Thus says your brother Israel: ‘You know all the hardship that has befallen us,
15 how our fathers went down to Egypt, and we dwelt in Egypt a long time, and the Egyptians afflicted us and our fathers.
16 When we cried out to the Lord, He heard our voice and sent the Angel and brought us up out of Egypt; now here we are in Kadesh, a city on the edge of your border.’”

Moses sends a diplomatic message to the king of Edom, asking for safe passage through their land. He appeals to their shared ancestry, calling Edom “your brother Israel.” Moses recounts Israel’s history of suffering in Egypt and their miraculous deliverance by God, presenting a respectful request for passage. This appeal highlights the historical ties between Israel and Edom, descendants of Jacob and Esau, but also the tensions that still exist between the two nations.

Numbers 20:17-18 (NKJV)
17 “Please let us pass through your country. We will not pass through fields or vineyards, nor will we drink water from wells; we will go along the King’s Highway; we will not turn aside to the right hand or to the left until we have passed through your territory.”
18 Then Edom said to him, “You shall not pass through my land, lest I come out against you with the sword.”

Moses offers assurances that the Israelites will not take any resources from Edom’s land and will stay on the main road. However, Edom refuses the request, threatening violence if Israel attempts to pass through. This rejection emphasizes the strained relations between the two nations and the difficulties Israel faces even from neighboring relatives. It also foreshadows future conflicts between Israel and Edom.

Numbers 20:19-21 (NKJV)
19 So the children of Israel said to him, “We will go by the Highway, and if I or my livestock drink any of your water, then I will pay for it. Let me only pass through on foot, nothing more.”
20 Then he said, “You shall not pass through.” So Edom came out against them with many men and with a strong hand.
21 Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his territory; so Israel turned away from him.

Israel tries once more to negotiate a peaceful passage, offering to pay for any water used, but Edom remains firm in its refusal. The Edomites even mobilize their army to ensure Israel does not enter their territory. This forced Israel to take a longer and more difficult route, highlighting the ongoing obstacles they face as they journey toward the Promised Land. Edom’s actions reveal deep-seated hostility, despite their shared ancestry.

Numbers 20:22-24 (NKJV)
22 Now the children of Israel, the whole congregation, journeyed from Kadesh and came to Mount Hor.
23 And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron in Mount Hor by the border of the land of Edom, saying:
24 “Aaron shall be gathered to his people, for he shall not enter the land which I have given to the children of Israel, because you rebelled against My word at the water of Meribah.”

God informs Moses and Aaron that Aaron’s time has come to die because of his involvement in the disobedience at Meribah. "Gathered to his people" refers to his passing and joining the patriarchs in death. The location of this event at Mount Hor, near the border of Edom, highlights the nearness of the Promised Land, but Aaron, like Moses, will not enter it. This emphasizes the consequences of disobedience, even for the highest leaders of Israel.

Numbers 20:25-26 (NKJV)
25 “Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up to Mount Hor;
26 and strip Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son; for Aaron shall be gathered to his people and die there.”

God instructs Moses to bring Aaron and his son Eleazar to Mount Hor, where Aaron’s priestly garments will be passed on to his son. This transfer of garments signifies the passing of the priestly authority from one generation to the next. Eleazar’s assumption of the high priest role ensures the continuity of the priesthood, even as Aaron’s death approaches. The formal process also underlines the importance of the priestly office in Israel’s relationship with God.

Numbers 20:27-29 (NKJV)
27 So Moses did just as the Lord commanded, and they went up to Mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation.
28 Moses stripped Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son; and Aaron died there on the top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain.
29 Now when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, all the house of Israel mourned for Aaron thirty days.

The chapter concludes with Aaron’s death on Mount Hor, in full view of the congregation. The public nature of this event ensures that all Israel witnesses the transition of priestly leadership to Eleazar. Aaron’s death marks the end of an era, as he was one of the key figures in Israel’s deliverance from Egypt. The people mourn for thirty days, a sign of deep respect and grief for their long-serving high priest.