King James Version
Numbers 20
29 verses with commentary
Water from the Rock at Meribah
Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in the first month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there.
View commentary (3 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
This verse marks a major transition: Israel returns to Kadesh (scene of their earlier rebellion, Numbers 13-14) and Miriam dies and is buried there. The terse statement 'Miriam died there, and was buried there' suggests the passing of the Exodus generation. Miriam had been a prophetess who led Israel's women in praise after the Red Sea crossing (Exodus 15:20-21), making her death symbolically sign...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
XX.
(1) **Then came . . . —**It would be better to translate thus: *And *(or, *Now*)* the children of Israel came *(or, *had come*) . . ., inasmuch as the interval of time between the events related in the preceding chapters and in this chapter is unknown.
**In the first month.—**It has been commonly supposed that the reference is to the first month of the fortieth year, when the Israelites are th...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 20
Chapter Outline
The people come to Zin, They murmur for water, Moses directed to smite the rock, The infirmity of Moses and Aaron.(1-13)
The Israelites are refused a passage through Edom.(14-21)
Aaron reigns the priest's office to Eleazar, and dies in mount Hor.(22-29)
**Verses 1-13**
After thirty-eight years' tedious abode in the wilderness, the armies of Israel a...
Read full commentary →And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron.
View commentary (4 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
Israel again faced water shortage at Kadesh, prompting gathering 'against Moses and against Aaron.' This rebellion occurred near the wilderness journey's end (40th year, v.1), showing that prolonged divine provision doesn't necessarily produce grateful hearts. The phrase 'gathered themselves together against' indicates organized opposition, not mere complaint. Unbelief persists across generations.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(2) **And there was no water . . . —**Kadesh may have comprised a considerable portion of the wilderness of Zin, and there may have been a supply of water in some parts of the district and a scarcity in others; or the supply may have proved insufficient for the wants of so great a multitude; or the miraculous supply which was given at Rephidim may have continued, with more or less frequent intermi...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**22. if ye have erred, and not observed all these commandments, &c.--**respecting the performance of divine worship, and the rites and ceremonies that constitute the holy service. The law relates only to any omission and consequently is quite different from that laid down in Le 4:13, which implies a transgression or positive neglect of some observances required. This law relates to private pa...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 20
Chapter Outline
The people come to Zin, They murmur for water, Moses directed to smite the rock, The infirmity of Moses and Aaron.(1-13)
The Israelites are refused a passage through Edom.(14-21)
Aaron reigns the priest's office to Eleazar, and dies in mount Hor.(22-29)
**Verses 1-13**
After thirty-eight years' tedious abode in the wilderness, the armies of Israel a...
Read full commentary →And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the LORD!
View commentary (3 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
The people's accusation—'would God that we had died when our brethren died before the LORD'—expresses desire to have perished in Korah's judgment. This reveals envy of the dead, preferring judgment to trusting God through difficulty. Their complaint conflates God's judgment with random misfortune, showing distorted perspective on divine providence and human mortality.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(3) **Would God that we had died . . . —**The reference seems to be to the plague which broke out after the insurrection of Korah. The language of the murmurers is very similar to that which is recorded in Numbers 16:14, and the word *gava *(die, or expire), which is twice used in this verse, and which occurs in Numbers 16:26; Numbers 16:28, in connection with the history of Korah, Dathan, and Abi...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 20
Chapter Outline
The people come to Zin, They murmur for water, Moses directed to smite the rock, The infirmity of Moses and Aaron.(1-13)
The Israelites are refused a passage through Edom.(14-21)
Aaron reigns the priest's office to Eleazar, and dies in mount Hor.(22-29)
**Verses 1-13**
After thirty-eight years' tedious abode in the wilderness, the armies of Israel a...
Read full commentary →And why have ye brought up the congregation of the LORD into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there?
View commentary (3 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
The question 'And why have ye brought up the congregation of the LORD into this wilderness' blamed Moses and Aaron for bringing Israel to this place. Yet Moses and Aaron merely followed God's command—the pillar of cloud and fire led Israel (Numbers 9:15-23), not human decision. By blaming the leaders, the people implicitly blamed God while maintaining deniability. This indirection characterizes mu...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**24-26. if aught be committed by ignorance--**The Mosaic ritual was complicated, and the ceremonies to be gone through in the various instances of purification which are specified, would expose a worshipper, through ignorance, to the risk of omitting or neglecting some of them. This law includes the stranger in the number of those for whom the sacrifice was offered for the sin of general ignoranc...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 20
Chapter Outline
The people come to Zin, They murmur for water, Moses directed to smite the rock, The infirmity of Moses and Aaron.(1-13)
The Israelites are refused a passage through Edom.(14-21)
Aaron reigns the priest's office to Eleazar, and dies in mount Hor.(22-29)
**Verses 1-13**
After thirty-eight years' tedious abode in the wilderness, the armies of Israel a...
Read full commentary →And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place? it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink.
View commentary (3 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
Israel complains: 'Wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place?' They call the wilderness an 'evil place' lacking seeds, figs, vines, pomegranates, and water. The Hebrew 'ra' (evil/bad) reveals their twisted perspective - God's guided journey becomes 'evil.' They yearn for Egypt's produce, forgetting slavery. This illustrates human tendency to romanticize...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**24-26. if aught be committed by ignorance--**The Mosaic ritual was complicated, and the ceremonies to be gone through in the various instances of purification which are specified, would expose a worshipper, through ignorance, to the risk of omitting or neglecting some of them. This law includes the stranger in the number of those for whom the sacrifice was offered for the sin of general ignoranc...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 20
Chapter Outline
The people come to Zin, They murmur for water, Moses directed to smite the rock, The infirmity of Moses and Aaron.(1-13)
The Israelites are refused a passage through Edom.(14-21)
Aaron reigns the priest's office to Eleazar, and dies in mount Hor.(22-29)
**Verses 1-13**
After thirty-eight years' tedious abode in the wilderness, the armies of Israel a...
Read full commentary →And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell upon their faces: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto them.
View commentary (3 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
The phrase 'And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly' indicates they left the complaining crowd to seek God. Rather than arguing with the people or defending themselves, they brought the crisis to God. This pattern—withdrawing from human conflict to divine presence—characterizes godly leadership. The 'door of the tabernacle of the congregation' was the place of meeting with God (...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**24-26. if aught be committed by ignorance--**The Mosaic ritual was complicated, and the ceremonies to be gone through in the various instances of purification which are specified, would expose a worshipper, through ignorance, to the risk of omitting or neglecting some of them. This law includes the stranger in the number of those for whom the sacrifice was offered for the sin of general ignoranc...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 20
Chapter Outline
The people come to Zin, They murmur for water, Moses directed to smite the rock, The infirmity of Moses and Aaron.(1-13)
The Israelites are refused a passage through Edom.(14-21)
Aaron reigns the priest's office to Eleazar, and dies in mount Hor.(22-29)
**Verses 1-13**
After thirty-eight years' tedious abode in the wilderness, the armies of Israel a...
Read full commentary →And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
View commentary (3 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
God instructs Moses to 'speak ye unto the rock' to bring forth water. The command to speak rather than strike (as at Rephidim, Exodus 17:6) represented a new directive requiring fresh obedience. Moses' subsequent striking of the rock instead of speaking to it (verse 11) violated this command, resulting in his exclusion from Canaan. Second-time obedience must match current instructions, not merely ...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**27-29. if any soul sin through ignorance--**not only in common with the general body of the people, but his personal sins were to be expiated in the same manner.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 20
Chapter Outline
The people come to Zin, They murmur for water, Moses directed to smite the rock, The infirmity of Moses and Aaron.(1-13)
The Israelites are refused a passage through Edom.(14-21)
Aaron reigns the priest's office to Eleazar, and dies in mount Hor.(22-29)
**Verses 1-13**
After thirty-eight years' tedious abode in the wilderness, the armies of Israel a...
Read full commentary →Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink.
View commentary (4 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
God instructs Moses to speak to the rock to produce water, demonstrating divine power to supply Israel's needs through means requiring only faith-filled obedience. The command 'Take the rod' refers to Aaron's budded rod that confirmed God's choice of Aaron's priesthood (Numbers 17:10). This rod symbolized divine authority and miraculous provision. The phrase 'gather thou the assembly together' emp...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(8) **Take the rod.**—It has been supposed by some, from the fact that the rod is represented as being taken “from before the Lord” (Numbers 20:9), that the reference is to the rod of Aaron which was kept “before the testimony” (Numbers 17:10). On the other hand, the natural presumption that the rod was the same as that with which some of the previous miracles in Egypt and those at the Red Sea and...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**27-29. if any soul sin through ignorance--**not only in common with the general body of the people, but his personal sins were to be expiated in the same manner.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 20
Chapter Outline
The people come to Zin, They murmur for water, Moses directed to smite the rock, The infirmity of Moses and Aaron.(1-13)
The Israelites are refused a passage through Edom.(14-21)
Aaron reigns the priest's office to Eleazar, and dies in mount Hor.(22-29)
**Verses 1-13**
After thirty-eight years' tedious abode in the wilderness, the armies of Israel a...
Read full commentary →And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him.
View commentary (3 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
Moses took the rod 'from before the LORD, as he commanded him'—beginning with proper obedience. Yet subsequent actions violated God's specific instruction to speak to the rock. Partial obedience ending in disobedience nullifies initial correctness. God measures complete faithfulness, not merely good beginnings.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**27-29. if any soul sin through ignorance--**not only in common with the general body of the people, but his personal sins were to be expiated in the same manner.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 20
Chapter Outline
The people come to Zin, They murmur for water, Moses directed to smite the rock, The infirmity of Moses and Aaron.(1-13)
The Israelites are refused a passage through Edom.(14-21)
Aaron reigns the priest's office to Eleazar, and dies in mount Hor.(22-29)
**Verses 1-13**
After thirty-eight years' tedious abode in the wilderness, the armies of Israel a...
Read full commentary →And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?
View commentary (4 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
Moses and Aaron gather the assembly before the rock, and Moses addresses them: 'Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?' Moses' frustration erupts in harsh words and the plural 'we' (instead of crediting God alone). This momentary lapse—taking credit for God's miracle—cost Moses entry into Canaan, showing how even great leaders must guard against pride in ministry.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(10) **Must we fetch you water out of this rock?—**In the case of the former miracle at Rephidim the rock is spoken of only under the Hebrew word *zur *(Exodus 17:6). Throughout the present narration the rock is invariably spoken of under the word *sela. *In Psalm 78:15-16, where reference appears to be made to both miracles, both words are used.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**30. the soul that doeth aught presumptuously--**Hebrew, "with an high" or "uplifted hand"--that is, knowingly, wilfully, obstinately. In this sense the phraseology occurs (Ex 14:8; Le 26:21; Psa 19:13).
**the same reproacheth the Lord--**sets Him at open defiance and dishonors His majesty.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 20
Chapter Outline
The people come to Zin, They murmur for water, Moses directed to smite the rock, The infirmity of Moses and Aaron.(1-13)
The Israelites are refused a passage through Edom.(14-21)
Aaron reigns the priest's office to Eleazar, and dies in mount Hor.(22-29)
**Verses 1-13**
After thirty-eight years' tedious abode in the wilderness, the armies of Israel a...
Read full commentary →And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.
View commentary (3 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
Moses 'smote the rock twice' with his rod, and 'water came out abundantly.' God graciously provided despite Moses' disobedience—He struck instead of speaking as commanded (v.8). The double striking suggests either frustrated emphasis or lack of faith in God's method. Yet abundance of water demonstrated God's mercy to undeserving people through imperfect leaders.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**31. his iniquity shall be upon him--**The punishment of his sins shall fall on himself individually; no guilt shall be incurred by the nation, unless there be a criminal carelessness in overlooking the offense.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 20
Chapter Outline
The people come to Zin, They murmur for water, Moses directed to smite the rock, The infirmity of Moses and Aaron.(1-13)
The Israelites are refused a passage through Edom.(14-21)
Aaron reigns the priest's office to Eleazar, and dies in mount Hor.(22-29)
**Verses 1-13**
After thirty-eight years' tedious abode in the wilderness, the armies of Israel a...
Read full commentary →And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.
View commentary (4 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
God's judgment on Moses and Aaron stands as one of Scripture's most sobering passages. The charge—'Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel'—identifies their sin as unbelief expressed through failure to honor God publicly. The Hebrew 'lo-he'emantem bi' (לֹא־הֶאֱמַנְתֶּם בִּי) means 'you did not believe in me,' suggesting that disobedience flows from faith fa...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(12) **And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron.—**We read in Psalm 106:33 that the Israelites “provoked (literally, *made to rebel*) his spirit, so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips.” Whatever was the nature of the sin thus committed, it is clear that Aaron was a participator in it with Moses. Some have thought that the sin of Moses consisted in addressing the people as rebels (or as rebelli...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**32-34. a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day--**This incident is evidently narrated as an instance of presumptuous sin. The mere gathering of sticks was not a sinful act and might be necessary for fuel to warm him or to make ready his food. But its being done on the Sabbath altered the entire character of the action. The law of the Sabbath being a plain and positive commandment, this t...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 20
Chapter Outline
The people come to Zin, They murmur for water, Moses directed to smite the rock, The infirmity of Moses and Aaron.(1-13)
The Israelites are refused a passage through Edom.(14-21)
Aaron reigns the priest's office to Eleazar, and dies in mount Hor.(22-29)
**Verses 1-13**
After thirty-eight years' tedious abode in the wilderness, the armies of Israel a...
Read full commentary →This is the water of Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with the LORD, and he was sanctified in them. Meribah: that is, Strife
View commentary (4 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
This water was called 'Meribah' (strife/quarreling) because 'the children of Israel strove with the LORD, and he was sanctified in them.' The Hebrew 'rib' (strove/contended) indicates legal disputation - Israel litigiously challenged God. Yet God was 'sanctified' (qadash - shown holy) through judgment on Moses and Aaron's sin (v.12). Even when His people sin, God maintains His holiness through jus...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(13) **This is the water** **of Meribah.—***i.e., *of strife. (See Exodus 17:7, and Note; also Numbers 27:14, where the words “in Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin,” are added to distinguish the latter from the earlier miracle.) In Deuteronomy 32:51 the waters are spoken of as those of “Meribah of Kadesh.”
**And he was sanctified in them.—**The reference in the words *in them *seems to be either to...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**32-34. a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day--**This incident is evidently narrated as an instance of presumptuous sin. The mere gathering of sticks was not a sinful act and might be necessary for fuel to warm him or to make ready his food. But its being done on the Sabbath altered the entire character of the action. The law of the Sabbath being a plain and positive commandment, this t...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 20
Chapter Outline
The people come to Zin, They murmur for water, Moses directed to smite the rock, The infirmity of Moses and Aaron.(1-13)
The Israelites are refused a passage through Edom.(14-21)
Aaron reigns the priest's office to Eleazar, and dies in mount Hor.(22-29)
**Verses 1-13**
After thirty-eight years' tedious abode in the wilderness, the armies of Israel a...
Read full commentary →Edom Refuses Passage
And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh unto the king of Edom, Thus saith thy brother Israel, Thou knowest all the travail that hath befallen us: befallen: Heb. found us
View commentary (4 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
Moses sent messengers to Edom's king calling Israel 'thy brother'—referencing Esau's descent from Esau, Jacob's twin. This appeal to kinship sought peaceful passage, demonstrating that God's people should pursue peace with neighbors when possible. Yet Edom's refusal (verse 18) shows that familial connection doesn't guarantee cooperation, especially when old animosities persist.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(14) **And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh . . . —**The date of the occurrence related in this and the following verses is not stated. It might be inferred frem Judges 11:16-17 that the message to the Kings of Edom and Moab was sent soon after the exodus, and that it was in consequence of their refusal that the sojourn in Kadesh was prolonged: “And (or, So) Israel abode in Kadesh” (Judges 11:17)...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**32-34. a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day--**This incident is evidently narrated as an instance of presumptuous sin. The mere gathering of sticks was not a sinful act and might be necessary for fuel to warm him or to make ready his food. But its being done on the Sabbath altered the entire character of the action. The law of the Sabbath being a plain and positive commandment, this t...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 14-21**
The nearest way to Canaan from the place where Israel encamped, was through the country of Edom. The ambassadors who were sent returned with a denial. The Edomites feared to receive damage by the Israelites. And had this numerous army been under any other discipline than that of the righteous God himself, there might have been cause for this jealousy. But Esau hated Jacob beca...
Read full commentary →How our fathers went down into Egypt, and we have dwelt in Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians vexed us, and our fathers:
View commentary (4 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
Moses recounts Israel's history: 'our fathers went down into Egypt, and we have dwelt in Egypt a long time.' This historical summary provided context for the request, showing Israel as fellow-travelers, not invaders. Sharing one's story can build bridges and explain present circumstances. Yet even accurate history doesn't always persuade hardened hearts.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(15) **Vexed us.—**Better, *dealt ill with.*
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**35-36. The Lord said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death--**The Lord was King, as well as God of Israel, and the offense being a violation of the law of the realm, the Sovereign Judge gave orders that this man should be put to death; and, moreover, He required the whole congregation unite in executing the fatal sentence.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 14-21**
The nearest way to Canaan from the place where Israel encamped, was through the country of Edom. The ambassadors who were sent returned with a denial. The Edomites feared to receive damage by the Israelites. And had this numerous army been under any other discipline than that of the righteous God himself, there might have been cause for this jealousy. But Esau hated Jacob beca...
Read full commentary →And when we cried unto the LORD, he heard our voice, and sent an angel, and hath brought us forth out of Egypt: and, behold, we are in Kadesh, a city in the uttermost of thy border:
View commentary (4 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
Moses described God's deliverance: 'when we cried unto the LORD, he heard our voice, and sent an angel, and hath brought us forth out of Egypt.' This testimony to God's intervention explained Israel's journey and implied divine authority for their request. Acknowledging God's past faithfulness in our requests demonstrates that we seek His continued guidance.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(16) **And sent an angel.—**See Exodus 3:2; Exodus 14:19.
**And hath brought us forth.—**Better, *And brought us forth.*
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**35-36. The Lord said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death--**The Lord was King, as well as God of Israel, and the offense being a violation of the law of the realm, the Sovereign Judge gave orders that this man should be put to death; and, moreover, He required the whole congregation unite in executing the fatal sentence.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 14-21**
The nearest way to Canaan from the place where Israel encamped, was through the country of Edom. The ambassadors who were sent returned with a denial. The Edomites feared to receive damage by the Israelites. And had this numerous army been under any other discipline than that of the righteous God himself, there might have been cause for this jealousy. But Esau hated Jacob beca...
Read full commentary →Let us pass, I pray thee, through thy country: we will not pass through the fields, or through the vineyards, neither will we drink of the water of the wells: we will go by the king's high way, we will not turn to the right hand nor to the left, until we have passed thy borders.
View commentary (3 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
Moses promised, 'we will go by the king's high way, we will not turn to the right hand nor to the left.' This specific, limited request minimized inconvenience to Edom while meeting Israel's need. Reasonable, modest requests demonstrate respect for others' concerns. Yet even such careful restraint doesn't guarantee acceptance when hearts are unwilling.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(17) **We will go by the king’s highway.—**It is supposed that this military road led through the broad Wady *el Ghuweir, *which is celebrated for its excellent pasture and its numerous springs. (See Keil *in loc.*)
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 14-21**
The nearest way to Canaan from the place where Israel encamped, was through the country of Edom. The ambassadors who were sent returned with a denial. The Edomites feared to receive damage by the Israelites. And had this numerous army been under any other discipline than that of the righteous God himself, there might have been cause for this jealousy. But Esau hated Jacob beca...
Read full commentary →And Edom said unto him, Thou shalt not pass by me, lest I come out against thee with the sword.
View commentary (3 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
Edom answered, 'Thou shalt not pass by me, lest I come out against thee with the sword.' This hostile refusal, despite kinship and reasonable request, demonstrates that ancient resentments can override both family ties and fairness. Israel's response was not to force passage but to seek alternate route (verse 21), showing restraint even when wronged.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**38. bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments--**These were narrow strips, in a wing-like form, wrapped over the shoulders and on various parts of the attire. "Fringe," however, is the English rendering of two distinct Hebrew words--the one meaning a narrow lappet or edging, called the "hem" or "border" (Mt 23:5; Lu 8:44), which, in order to make it more attractive to...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 14-21**
The nearest way to Canaan from the place where Israel encamped, was through the country of Edom. The ambassadors who were sent returned with a denial. The Edomites feared to receive damage by the Israelites. And had this numerous army been under any other discipline than that of the righteous God himself, there might have been cause for this jealousy. But Esau hated Jacob beca...
Read full commentary →And the children of Israel said unto him, We will go by the high way: and if I and my cattle drink of thy water, then I will pay for it: I will only, without doing any thing else, go through on my feet.
View commentary (3 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
Israel's second appeal offered to pay for any water consumed and pledged to stay on the highway. This even more accommodating request addressed any economic concern Edom might have. Increasing concession in face of opposition demonstrates good-faith effort at reconciliation. Yet some refusals are absolute regardless of concessions offered.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(*19*) **I will only, without doing anything else . . . —**Literally, *Only*—*it is nothing*—*let me pass through on my feet.*
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 14-21**
The nearest way to Canaan from the place where Israel encamped, was through the country of Edom. The ambassadors who were sent returned with a denial. The Edomites feared to receive damage by the Israelites. And had this numerous army been under any other discipline than that of the righteous God himself, there might have been cause for this jealousy. But Esau hated Jacob beca...
Read full commentary →And he said, Thou shalt not go through. And Edom came out against him with much people, and with a strong hand.
View commentary (2 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
Edom refused again and 'came out against him with much people, and with a strong hand.' Meeting peaceful request with military threat reveals hardness of heart. Israel 'turned away from him'—accepting rejection rather than fighting, despite probable military superiority. This restraint demonstrates that God's people must sometimes absorb injustice rather than assert rights through force.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 14-21**
The nearest way to Canaan from the place where Israel encamped, was through the country of Edom. The ambassadors who were sent returned with a denial. The Edomites feared to receive damage by the Israelites. And had this numerous army been under any other discipline than that of the righteous God himself, there might have been cause for this jealousy. But Esau hated Jacob beca...
Read full commentary →Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border: wherefore Israel turned away from him.
View commentary (3 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
Edom 'refused to give Israel passage through his border: wherefore Israel turned away from him.' Despite kinship (Edom was Esau's descendants), Edom denied passage. Israel respected this refusal rather than fighting relatives, demonstrating restraint and honoring blood ties. The Hebrew 'natah' (turned away) shows peaceful withdrawal despite having military power after defeating Egypt. This teaches...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**41. I am the Lord your God--**The import of this solemn conclusion is, that though He was displeased with them for their frequent rebellions, for which they would be doomed to forty years' wanderings, He would not abandon them but continue His divine protection and care of them till they were brought into the land of promise.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 14-21**
The nearest way to Canaan from the place where Israel encamped, was through the country of Edom. The ambassadors who were sent returned with a denial. The Edomites feared to receive damage by the Israelites. And had this numerous army been under any other discipline than that of the righteous God himself, there might have been cause for this jealousy. But Esau hated Jacob beca...
Read full commentary →The Death of Aaron
And the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, journeyed from Kadesh, and came unto mount Hor.
View commentary (3 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
After Edom's refusal, Israel 'came unto mount Hor'—the place where Aaron would die (verses 23-29). Geographic movement marked spiritual transitions. Arriving at this significant location reminded Israel that leadership transitions were near and that obedience to God's directions mattered more than any single leader's presence.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(22) **And the children of Israel . . . —**Better, *And they journeyed from Kadesh; and the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, came unto Mount Hor. *The insertion of the words “the whole congregation,” as in Numbers 20:1, probably denotes that the people were broken up and dispersed during a considerable portion of their wilderness life, and that it was only on particular occasions t...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 22-29**
God bids Aaron prepare to die. There is something of displeasure in these orders. Aaron must not enter Canaan, because he had failed in his duty at the waters of strife. There is much of mercy in them. Aaron, though he dies for his transgression, dies with ease, and in honour. He is gathered to his people, as one who dies in the arms of Divine grace. There is much significancy...
Read full commentary →And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in mount Hor, by the coast of the land of Edom, saying,
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KJV Study Commentary
At Kadesh, God speaks to Moses and Aaron about the waters called Meribah ('strife' or 'contention'). The name memorialized Israel's contentious rebellion against God's provision and leaders. This second Meribah (cf. Exodus 17:7) demonstrates persistent patterns of unbelief. God's naming of places preserves warning to future generations.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
CHAPTER 16 Nu 16:1-30. The Rebellion of Korah.
**1-2. Now Korah, the son of Izhar--**Izhar, brother of Amram (Ex 6:18), was the second son of Kohath, and for some reason unrecorded he had been supplanted by a descendant of the fourth son of Kohath, who was appointed prince or chief of the Kohathites (Nu 3:30). Discontent with the preferment over him of a younger relative was probably the originat...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 22-29**
God bids Aaron prepare to die. There is something of displeasure in these orders. Aaron must not enter Canaan, because he had failed in his duty at the waters of strife. There is much of mercy in them. Aaron, though he dies for his transgression, dies with ease, and in honour. He is gathered to his people, as one who dies in the arms of Divine grace. There is much significancy...
Read full commentary →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. word: Heb. mouth
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KJV Study Commentary
God commands Moses and Aaron to 'speak ye unto the rock before their eyes,' promising water will flow. This method differed from the earlier rock-striking (Exodus 17:6), requiring simple obedience to God's word rather than dramatic action. Speaking to rock demonstrates faith in God's word alone to accomplish miracles—no additional human action needed beyond obedience.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(24) **Shall be gathered unto his people.—**This expression does not refer to the place of sepulture. (See Genesis 25:8. and Note.)
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
CHAPTER 16 Nu 16:1-30. The Rebellion of Korah.
**1-2. Now Korah, the son of Izhar--**Izhar, brother of Amram (Ex 6:18), was the second son of Kohath, and for some reason unrecorded he had been supplanted by a descendant of the fourth son of Kohath, who was appointed prince or chief of the Kohathites (Nu 3:30). Discontent with the preferment over him of a younger relative was probably the originat...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 22-29**
God bids Aaron prepare to die. There is something of displeasure in these orders. Aaron must not enter Canaan, because he had failed in his duty at the waters of strife. There is much of mercy in them. Aaron, though he dies for his transgression, dies with ease, and in honour. He is gathered to his people, as one who dies in the arms of Divine grace. There is much significancy...
Read full commentary →Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up unto mount Hor:
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KJV Study Commentary
God commands Moses to bring Aaron and his son Eleazar up Mount Hor for Aaron's transfer of priestly garments and subsequent death. This public, orderly succession demonstrated that priesthood was God's institution, not human office. The stripping of garments symbolized transfer of office and authority, prefiguring the 'crown of righteousness' believers receive from Christ (2 Timothy 4:8).
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**3. they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron--**The assemblage seems to have been composed of the whole band of conspirators; and they grounded their complaint on the fact that the whole people, being separated to the divine service (Ex 19:6), were equally qualified to present offerings on the altar, and that God, being graciously, present among them by the tabernacle and...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 22-29**
God bids Aaron prepare to die. There is something of displeasure in these orders. Aaron must not enter Canaan, because he had failed in his duty at the waters of strife. There is much of mercy in them. Aaron, though he dies for his transgression, dies with ease, and in honour. He is gathered to his people, as one who dies in the arms of Divine grace. There is much significancy...
Read full commentary →And strip Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son: and Aaron shall be gathered unto his people, and shall die there.
View commentary (4 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
Moses was to 'strip Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son: and Aaron shall be gathered unto his people, and shall die there.' The phrase 'gathered unto his people' indicates joining deceased ancestors in Sheol, affirming continuity between generations and reality of life after death. The transfer of garments while Aaron lived ensured clear succession without contested authority.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(26) **And strip Aaron of his garments.—**Thus the same hands which had invested Aaron with the sacred garments were employed in divesting him of them, and, in both cases, in obedience to the express command of God. The removal of the priestly robes from Aaron may be regarded as typical of the future disannulling of his priesthood when a priest after the order of Melchizedek should arise. “The suc...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**4. when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face--**This attitude of prostration indicated not only his humble and earnest desire that God would interpose to free him from the false and odious imputation, but also his strong sense of the daring sin involved in this proceeding. Whatever feelings may be entertained respecting Aaron, who had formerly headed a sedition himself [Nu 12:1], it is impossib...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 22-29**
God bids Aaron prepare to die. There is something of displeasure in these orders. Aaron must not enter Canaan, because he had failed in his duty at the waters of strife. There is much of mercy in them. Aaron, though he dies for his transgression, dies with ease, and in honour. He is gathered to his people, as one who dies in the arms of Divine grace. There is much significancy...
Read full commentary →And Moses did as the LORD commanded: and they went up into mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation.
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KJV Study Commentary
Moses obeyed exactly: Aaron, Eleazar, and Moses went up 'in the sight of all the congregation.' The public nature ensured Israel witnessed the legitimate transfer of priesthood, preventing future disputes. That Moses 'did as the LORD commanded' contrasts with his earlier disobedience at Meribah, showing even disciplined leaders can still obey after failure.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(27) **And they went up into Mount Hor . . . —**Some would render *to the summit of the mountain, *and regard these words as equivalent to those which occur in the following verse, “the top of the mount;” but the same words occur in the fourth verse of the following chapter, where they cannot be thus understood.
**In the sight of all the congregation.—**The place where the people encamped is calle...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**5-11. he spake unto Korah and unto all his company--**They were first addressed, not only because they were a party headed by his own cousin and Moses might hope to have more influence in that quarter, but because they were stationed near the tabernacle; and especially because an expostulation was the more weighty coming from him who was a Levite himself, and who was excluded along with his fami...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 22-29**
God bids Aaron prepare to die. There is something of displeasure in these orders. Aaron must not enter Canaan, because he had failed in his duty at the waters of strife. There is much of mercy in them. Aaron, though he dies for his transgression, dies with ease, and in honour. He is gathered to his people, as one who dies in the arms of Divine grace. There is much significancy...
Read full commentary →And Moses stripped Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son; and Aaron died there in the top of the mount: and Moses and Eleazar came down from the mount.
View commentary (4 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
Moses 'stripped Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son; and Aaron died there in the top of the mount.' The succession was complete—Aaron died immediately after divesting, emphasizing that his role was finished and God's purposes continue through new leadership. Death on the mountaintop parallels Moses' later death on Nebo, both excluded from Canaan yet granted dignified, ordered ...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(28) **And Aaron died there in the top of the mount.**—The date of Aaron’s death, as we learn from Numbers 33:38, was the first day of the fifth month, in the fortieth year after the exodus, and his age a hundred and twenty-three years (Numbers 33:39), which accords with the statement contained in Exodus 7:7, that “Moses was fourscore years old, and Aaron fourscore and three years old, when they s...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**5-11. he spake unto Korah and unto all his company--**They were first addressed, not only because they were a party headed by his own cousin and Moses might hope to have more influence in that quarter, but because they were stationed near the tabernacle; and especially because an expostulation was the more weighty coming from him who was a Levite himself, and who was excluded along with his fami...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 22-29**
God bids Aaron prepare to die. There is something of displeasure in these orders. Aaron must not enter Canaan, because he had failed in his duty at the waters of strife. There is much of mercy in them. Aaron, though he dies for his transgression, dies with ease, and in honour. He is gathered to his people, as one who dies in the arms of Divine grace. There is much significancy...
Read full commentary →And when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, they mourned for Aaron thirty days, even all the house of Israel.
View commentary (3 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
Moses and Eleazar 'came down from the mount,' and 'when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, they mourned for Aaron thirty days.' The entire nation grieved their first high priest's passing, showing genuine affection despite previous rebellions against him (16:3, 41). The 30-day mourning period matched Moses' later mourning (Deuteronomy 34:8), honoring leaders who served faithfully despit...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**5-11. he spake unto Korah and unto all his company--**They were first addressed, not only because they were a party headed by his own cousin and Moses might hope to have more influence in that quarter, but because they were stationed near the tabernacle; and especially because an expostulation was the more weighty coming from him who was a Levite himself, and who was excluded along with his fami...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 22-29**
God bids Aaron prepare to die. There is something of displeasure in these orders. Aaron must not enter Canaan, because he had failed in his duty at the waters of strife. There is much of mercy in them. Aaron, though he dies for his transgression, dies with ease, and in honour. He is gathered to his people, as one who dies in the arms of Divine grace. There is much significancy...
Read full commentary →