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Numbers Chapter
Twenty
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 20
In
this chapter is an account of the children of Israel coming to the wilderness
of Zin, where Miriam died, and where wanting water they murmured, Numbers 20:1, upon
which Moses and Aaron applied to the Lord, who ordered Moses to speak to a
rock, which should give forth water, and which being smitten by him,
accordingly did, Numbers 20:6, but
Moses and Aaron, in their conduct of this affair, displeased the Lord, Numbers 20:12, after
this, Moses sent to the king of Edom to desire a passage through his country,
which request was refused, Numbers 20:14, upon
Israel's coming to Mount Hor, Aaron, by order, went up to the mount, and, when
stripped of his clothes, which were put on his son Eleazar, he died, lamented
by all the people, Numbers 20:22.
Numbers 20:1 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.
YLT
1And the sons of Israel come
in, -- all the company -- to the wilderness of Zin, in the first month, and the
people abide in Kadesh, and Miriam dieth there, and is buried there.
Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation,.... Not
immediately after the transaction of the above things, recorded in the
preceding chapters; as the sending of the spies into the land of Canaan, and
their report of it; the business of Korah, and the giving of several laws
respecting the priesthood, and the purification of the people; but thirty eight
years after: nor was this the congregation that came out of Egypt; their
carcasses, by this time, had fallen in the wilderness, as had been threatened,
excepting some few, so that this was a new generation: what passed during this
time we have very little account of, excepting their journeyings from place to
place, in Numbers 33:1, by
which it appears, there were eighteen stations between the place they encamped
at when the spies were sent, and this they now came to; and that the place from
whence they came hither was Ezion Geber; from hence they journeyed:
and came unto the desert of Zin; which is different from
the wilderness of Sin, Exodus 16:1 as
appears by their names, which are different, and by the stations of the
Israelites, Numbers 33:11,
hither they came
in the first month; the month of Nisan, on the tenth day of it,
according to the Targum of Jonathan, which was the first month of the fortieth
year of their coming out of Egypt, so Aben Ezra; with which agrees the Jewish
chronologerF21Seder Olam Rabba, c. 9. p. 25. , which says, this was
the fortieth year, and the beginning of the month Nisan:
and the people abode in Kadesh: which is by some thought
to be different from Kadeshbarnea, from whence the spies were sent, and lay to
the south of the land of Canaan, whereas this was upon the borders of Edom; but
Doctor LightfootF23Chorograph. Cent. in Matt. c. 7. p. 8, 9. shows
them to be the same: it is supposed to be eight hours north or northnorth-west
of Mount Sinai, which may be computed to be about twenty milesF24Pococke's
Travels, p. 157. ; here the Israelites abode about four months, see Numbers 33:38 the
above Jewish chronologer says three months, wrongly:
and Miriam died there, and was buried there; the Jews sayF25Shalshalet
Hakabala, fol. 7. 2. Schulchan Aruch, par. 1. c. 580. sect. 2. she died there
the tenth day of the month Nisan, which was ten days after the Israelites came
to this place; though, according to the Targum of Jonathan, it was the same day
they came thither: Patricides, an Arabian writer, saysF26Apud
Hottinger. Smegma Oriental. l. 1. c. 8. p. 457. she died on the seventh day of
Nisan, aged one hundred and twenty seven; no mention is made of the people
mourning for her as for Aaron, Numbers 20:29 and
for Moses, Deuteronomy 34:8
perhaps because of their distress for want of water, as follows.
Numbers 20:2 2 Now there was no water for the congregation; so they
gathered together against Moses and Aaron.
YLT
2And there hath been no
water for the company, and they are assembled against Moses, and against Aaron,
And there was no water for the congregation,.... Which was
so ordered, for the trial of this new generation, to see whether they would
behave any better than their fathers had done in a like circumstance, the first
year they came out of Egypt, Exodus 17:1.
and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against
Aaron; just as their fathers had done before them, being of the like
temper and disposition.
Numbers 20:3 3 And the people contended with Moses and spoke, saying:
“If only we had died when our brethren died before the Lord!
YLT
3and the people strive with
Moses, and speak, saying, `And oh that we had expired when our brethren expired
before Jehovah!
And the people chode with Moses,.... Contended with him
in a wrangling and litigious manner, showing no reverence nor respect unto his
person on account of the dignity of his office, and the many favours they had
received from him; and this at a time, when, instead of quarrelling with him,
they should have condoled him on the loss of his sister, and bewailed their own
loss also of one who had been a prophetess to them, and a leader of them, Micah 6:4.
and spake, saying, would God that we had died when our brethren
died before the Lord; either at Taberah by fire, or as Korah and his company in like
manner, or as the fourteen thousand and seven hundred by a pestilence, Numbers 11:1 which
they thought a much easier death, either of them, than to die of thirst: they
might well call them brethren, not only because of the same nation, and nearly
related to them, but because they were of the same temper and disposition, and
indeed brethren in iniquity; and they seem to use this appellation, as being of
the same sentiments with them, and in vindication of them, and adopt almost
their very language; see Numbers 14:2.
Numbers 20:4 4 Why have you brought up the assembly of the Lord into this wilderness, that we and our animals should die here?
YLT
4and why have ye brought in
the assembly of Jehovah unto this wilderness to die there, we and our beasts?
And why have ye brought up the congregation of the Lord into this
wilderness,.... The wilderness of Zin, whither by various marches and
journeys, and through different stations, they were at length come:
that we and our cattle should die there? with thirst;
they seem to represent it, as if this was the end, design, and intention of
Moses and Aaron in bringing them thither; their language is much the same with
their fathers on a like occasion; which shows the bad influence of example, and
how careful parents should be of their words and actions, that their posterity
be not harmed by them; see Exodus 17:3.
Numbers 20:5 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.”
YLT
5and why hast thou brought
us up out of Egypt to bring us in unto this evil place? no place of seed, and
fig, and vine, and pomegranate; and water there is none to drink.
And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt,.... They
represent that affair in such a light, as if they were forced out of Egypt by
Moses and Aaron against their wills; or at least were overpersuaded by them to
do what they had no inclination to, namely, to come out of Egypt; though they
were in the utmost bondage and slavery, and their lives were made bitter by it,
and they cried by reason of their oppression, and the hardships they endured;
but this was all forgot. Aben Ezra says, it is a strange word which is here
used, which shows the confusion they were in:
to bring us unto this evil place; dry and barren, where
there were neither food nor drink, as follows:
it is no place of seed; or fit for sowing, as
the Targum of Jonathan, any sort of seed, as wheat, barley, rye, rice, &c.
or of figs, or vines, or pomegranates; it is not a
soil fit to plant such trees in, nor would they grow were they planted:
neither is there any water to drink; for them and their
cattle, and therefore must be a miserable place for so large a body of people
to subsist in.
Numbers 20:6 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.
YLT
6And Moses and Aaron go in
from the presence of the assembly unto the opening of the tent of meeting, and
fall on their faces, and the honour of Jehovah is seen by them.
And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly,.... Like
fugitives, as Aben Ezra; they fled from them through fear, lest they should
rise and fall upon them, and stone them, as their fathers were ready to do in a
like case, Exodus 17:4. It is
very likely this assembly gathered about the tents of Moses and Aaron, who went
from thence unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation; where the Lord
had promised to meet Moses, and speak unto him, Exodus 29:42.
and they fell upon their faces; to pray, as Aben Ezra,
that God would forgive the sin, of the people, and not break forth in his wrath
against them, as he sometimes had done, and as their sin deserved, and that he
would grant them what was needful for them. In the Vulgate Latin version the
following words are added as their prayer,"and they cried unto the Lord,
and said, Lord God, hear the cry of this people, and open to them thy treasure,
the fountain of living water, that they being satiated, their murmuring may
cease.'But they are not neither in the Hebrew text, nor in the Greek version,
nor the Chaldee paraphrases:
and the glory of the Lord appeared unto them; either to
Moses and Aaron, to encourage them to expect their prayers would be answered;
or to the people, to terrify them, and silence their murmurings; see Numbers 16:19.
Numbers 20:7 7 Then the Lord spoke to
Moses, saying,
YLT
7And Jehovah speaketh unto
Moses, saying,
And the Lord spake unto Moses,.... Out of what was the
token of his glory, which perhaps was the cloud, with an uncommon lustre and
brightness in it: saying; as follows.
Numbers 20:8 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.”
YLT
8`Take the rod, and assemble
the company, thou and Aaron thy brother; and ye have spoken unto the rock
before their eyes, and it hath given its water, and thou hast brought out to
them water from the rock, and hast watered the company, and their beasts.'
Take thy rod,.... The rod of miracles, as the Targum of
Jonathan; not the rod of Aaron, miraculous for its blossom and fruit, as some
Jewish writers think; but the rod of Moses, with which he had done many wonders
in Egypt, and at the Red sea, and in the wilderness, and particularly by
smiting the rock at Horeb, when the Israelites wanted water, as they did now:
and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother; not only the
heads of the people, but the body of them, as many as could be got together to
see the miracle, and to receive the benefit of it:
and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; which was
near, but a little way off, within sight, and might be pointed to: it was not
the same rock that was smote before; that was in Horeb, this in the extremity
of the land of Edom, as Aben Ezra observes; this was to be spoken to, and by a
word speaking it would give out water; which was a trial of the faith of Moses
and Aaron, as well as of the people, before whom, in a public manner, the rock
was to be addressed, as if it was intelligent and all-sufficient:
and it shall give forth his water; not as though there was
a fountain of water in it, but that water should flow from it, or God by it
give water:
and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock; by speaking
to it: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink; sufficient
for them both.
Numbers 20:9 9 So Moses took the rod from before the Lord as He commanded him.
YLT
9And Moses taketh the rod
from before Jehovah, as He hath commanded him,
And Moses took the rod from before the Lord..... Which was
laid up somewhere in the sanctuary, as well as the rod of Aaron, Numbers 17:7,
as he commanded him; being always faithful
and obedient to him that appointed him.
Numbers 20:10 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?”
YLT
10and Moses and Aaron
assemble the assembly unto the front of the rock, and he saith to them, `Hear,
I pray you, O rebels, from this rock do we bring out to you water?'
And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the
rock,.... To which they were directed, and were to speak unto; before
this they gathered not only the elders of the people, but as many of the
congregation as could be well assembled together:
and he said unto them; Moses, who was bid to
take the rod, and was the principal person concerned in this affair:
hear now, ye rebels; such their fathers had
been, and such they now were, a rebellious generation ever since they were
known by him; not only rebellious against him their chief magistrate, but
against the Lord himself, murmuring against him, being discontented and
disobedient, see Deuteronomy 9:23,
must we fetch you water out of this rock? not only
signifying their unworthiness of having such a miracle wrought for them, and as
showing some degree of reluctance to attempt it, but as expressing diffidence
about it; not of the power of God to bring water out of the rock, but of his
will to do it for such a rebellious people; or else their unreasonableness to
expect any such thing should be done for them: when they were so wicked, how
could they think that such a miracle should be wrought for them? so the Targum
of Jonathan,"out of this rock is it possible for us to fetch out water for
you?'so Aben Ezra, have we power to bring out water to you from it? This was
said in a passion, as the manner of speaking shows; see Psalm 106:32 many
of the congregation as could be well assembled together:
Numbers 20:11 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.
YLT
11and Moses lifteth up his
hand, and smiteth the rock with his rod twice; and much water cometh out, and
the company drink, also their beasts.
And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock
twice,.... At first it only brought out some drops, as Jarchi
conjectures, and therefore Moses smote again, when it brought forth water
plentifully: the Targum of Jonathan says,"at the first time it dropped
blood, at the second time came out much water.'Could this be credited, it would
make the agreement between this rock and Christ appear very manifest, from
whom, when his side was pierced with a spear, there came out blood and water, John 19:34 for
justification and sanctification. In what respect this rock was a type of
Christ, as the other at Horeb, and the smiting of it an emblem of Christ being
smitten with the rod of justice, according to the law of God, and of the
abundance of water flowing from it, as typical of the abundance of grace, and
the blessings of it, as coming through a smitten wounded Saviour; see Gill on Exodus 17:6, where
the same things are said of another rock as of this, and both types of Christ:
and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and
their beasts also; there was enough for them and their cattle; for it came out in
great quantities, in large streams, so that it ran down like a river, and which
gave them drink as out of the great depths, Psalm 78:15, where
the Psalmist makes mention of rocks in the plural number, for there were two
that were smitten in two different places, and at two different times; the one
was at Rephidim, the other, as here, in Kadesh; the one was in the first year
of Israel's coming out of Egypt, this in the fortieth year of it; that was struck
but once, this twice; of this second stone no mention is made by any traveller
but oneF1See a Journal from Cairo to Mount Sinai, 1722. p. 42, 43.
Ed. 2. , who coming from Mount Sinai, says,"we passed by a large rock on
our left hand, in which, as in the other rock which Moses struck with his rod,
appear, from the bottom to the top, openings where water hath gushed out.'
Numbers 20:12 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.”
YLT
12And Jehovah saith unto
Moses, and unto Aaron, `Because ye have not believed in Me to sanctify Me
before the eyes of the sons of Israel, therefore ye do not bring in this
assembly unto the land which I have given to them.'
And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron,.... Out of
the cloud, where his glory appeared, and still continued:
because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the
children of Israel; that Moses and Aaron committed an evil which was displeasing to
the Lord is certain, but what that was is variously represented. Some say their
sin was, that the order was to speak to the rock, whereas it was smitten, and
not spoken to; but why then was Moses bid to take the rod with him, if it was
not to smite with it, as he had done before at Horeb? and besides, this would
only have been the sin of Moses, and not of Aaron; others think, that what
provoked the Lord was, that the Israelites were called "rebels"; but
this is a name the Lord himself gave them, Numbers 17:10, and
was what they justly deserved; and what after this Moses says of them, which,
had this been the case, he would have been careful to have abstained from, Deuteronomy 9:24.
Others are of opinion, that what was displeasing to the Lord was, that the
bringing the water out of the rock was ascribed to themselves, and not to him;
"must we fetch you water", &c. Others suppose the sin was in
smiting the rock twice, and in anger; but this could only be the fault of Moses
at most. Dr. LightfootF2See his Works, vol. 1. p. 36. thinks the
particular fault was this, that Moses expressed his displeasure and resentment
to the Israelites, that on their murmuring a new rock was opening, which
portended a new and long stay in the wilderness, as the opening of the first
rock at Horeb did when he and Aaron were in expectation of being soon out of
the wilderness, and now they feared they were beginning anew their abode in it;
but it is certain from the text that unbelief was their sin; they were
diffident about the will of God to bring water out of the rock for such a
rebellious people, and they did not put them in mind of the miracles God had
wrought in former time, to encourage their faith; and so the Lord was not
sanctified by them before the people, as he ought to have been:
therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which
I have given them; the land of Canaan, a grant of which was made to their fathers,
and particularly to this generation, and into which they would certainly be
brought; but not by Moses and Aaron, who were excluded because of their
unbelief, and accordingly both died before the entrance of the people into the
land. This, according to the Targum of Jonathan, and Jarchi, was said with an
oath; see Hebrews 3:18.
Numbers 20:13 13 This was the water of Meribah,[a] because
the children of Israel contended with the Lord, and He
was hallowed among them.
YLT
13These [are] waters of
Meribah, because the sons of Israel have `striven' with Jehovah, and He is
sanctified upon them.
This is the water of Meribah,.... Or "strife":
this is the name by which the water had in this place, and from this rock, was
called; and which is the same name given to the place at Horeb, where a rock
had been smitten, and water had flowed, as now, the first year they came out of
Egypt; and to distinguish this from that, this is sometimes called
Meribah-Kadesh, Deuteronomy 32:51,
this being at Kadesh, as that was at Rephidim:
because the children of Israel strove with the Lord: for their
chiding and striving with Moses was interpretatively striving with the Lord
himself, whose ministers and servants they were:
and he was sanctified in them; that is, the glory of
his divine perfections was displayed in them; either in the waters fetched out
of the rock, which was a proof of the almighty power of God, and of his truth
and faithfulness to his promises; or in the children of Israel, in whose sight,
and for whose sake this miracle was wrought: the Targum of Jonathan expressly
says, in Moses and Aaron, in not sparing these his saints, but expressing
severity towards them for their sin; so Jarchi and Aben Ezra interpret it.
Numbers 20:14 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,
YLT
14And Moses sendeth
messengers from Kadesh unto the king of Edom, `Thus said thy brother Israel,
Thou -- thou hast known all the travail which hath found us;
And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh unto the king of Edom,.... This
country was sometimes governed by kings, and sometimes by "dukes",
see Genesis 36:14. At
the time of the passage of the Israelites through the Red sea, we read of the
dukes of Edom, Exodus 15:15, and
here, thirty nine years after, of a king of Edom, but who he was is not
certain. Bishop Usher takes him to be the same with Hadar, the last of the race
of kings mentioned in Genesis 36:39, to
him Moses sent messengers with a request, which follows after a preamble to it;
who were the messengers is not said; the place from whence they were sent is
Kadesh, a city on the borders of the land of Edom; but not Kadeshbarnea, Aben
Ezra says, though some are of opinion it is the same, see Numbers 20:1,
thus saith thy brother Israel; the Israelites and
Edomites springing from two men, Jacob and Esau, who were twin brothers, and is
observed to ingratiate themselves to the Edomites, and gain their request,
pleading relation to them:
thou knowest all the travail that hath befallen us; what an
uncomfortable condition they had been in for many years, which was well known
to Edom, a neighbouring country, as is reasonable to suppose; since the fame of
the children of Israel coming out of Egypt, passing through the Red sea, and
being so long in the wilderness, was spread everywhere; this was said to move
their pity.
Numbers 20:15 15 how our fathers went down to Egypt, and we dwelt in
Egypt a long time, and the Egyptians afflicted us and our fathers.
YLT
15that our fathers go down to
Egypt, and we dwell in Egypt many days, and the Egyptians do evil to us and to
our fathers;
How our fathers went down into Egypt,.... Jacob and
his twelve sons, with their children:
and we have dwelt in Egypt a long time; even the
space of four hundred and thirty years, Exodus 12:40.
and the Egyptians vexed us and our fathers; used them
ill, brought them into bondage, and made their lives bitter, laid heavy tasks
and burdens upon them, as well as slew their male children, see Exodus 1:7.
Numbers 20:16 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.
YLT
16and we cry unto Jehovah,
and He heareth our voice, and sendeth a messenger, and is bringing us out of
Egypt; and lo, we [are] in Kadesh, a city [in] the extremity of thy border.
And when we cried unto the Lord,.... By reason of their
bondage, and to be delivered from it, Exodus 2:24,
he heard our voice; their prayer to him, as the Targum of
Jonathan, for help and deliverance, Exodus 2:24,
and sent an angel, and hath brought us forth out of Egypt; one of the
ministering angels, as the same Targum, and so Aben Ezra; though he observes
that some interpret it of Moses, as do Jarchi, Ben Gersom, and Ben Melech,
which is not likely; since Moses is the person that sent this message to the
king of Edom, who would not easily understand it of him, if so he meant; nor
would the mention of it be of any consequence and avail with him; whereas to
understand it of some divine and heavenly agent, sent by the Lord on so
important an affair, might make it the more remarkable, and to be regarded by
him: and indeed no other is meant than the Angel of God's presence, who
appeared to Moses in the bush, and sent him to Pharaoh to demand the dismission
of the children of Israel; and who, by him, wrought the wonders in Egypt, and
brought Israel from thence, and went before them in a pillar of cloud and fire:
and, behold, we are in Kadesh, a city in the uttermost of thy
border; not that they were properly in the city, but near it, for they
dwelt in tents in the wilderness; nor would that, or anyone city, hold so large
a number as they consisted of.
Numbers 20:17 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.’”
YLT
17Let us pass over, we pray
thee, through thy land; we pass not over through a field, or through a
vineyard, nor do we drink waters of a well; the way of the king we go, we turn
not aside -- right or left -- till that we pass over thy border.'
Let us pass, I pray thee, through thy country,.... That
being the nearest and shortest way to the land of Canaan, from the place where
they now were:
we will not pass through the fields, or through the vineyards; to harm them,
and injure any man in his private property, by gathering the fruit of them, if
the season of the year for it, or by trampling them down:
neither will we drink of the water of the wells; which private
persons had dug, for the watering of their fields and vineyards, and for other
uses, at least without paying for it; or only of the waters of the rivers,
common to all passengers; from hence it appears, that the country of Edom was
not then such a barren country as in later times, and as travellersF3See
Shaw's Travels, 4. 438. Ed. 2. now report it is; See Gill on Malachi 1:3.
we will go by the king's highway; not the way in which the
king used to walk, or which he should order them to walk in, as Aben Ezra; but
the public roads, common to all his subjects, and travellers to walk in by his
allowance; and such roads are now called by us the king's highway:
we will not turn to the right hand, or to the left; to do any
injury to any person's property, but go straight forward:
until we have passed thy borders; from one to another, and
got quite through the country.
Numbers 20:18 18 Then Edom said to him, “You shall not pass through my land,
lest I come out against you with the sword.”
YLT
18And Edom saith unto him,
`Thou dost not pass over through me, lest with sword I come out to meet thee.'
And Edom said unto him,.... The king of Edom
replied to Israel, represented by the messengers sent in their name:
thou shall not pass by me; through my country:
lest I come out against thee with the sword; or with those
that use the sword, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan; that is, with an
army of soldiers with their drawn swords in their hands, to slay them as
enemies.
Numbers 20:19 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.”
YLT
19And the sons of Israel say
unto him, `In the highway we go, and if of thy waters we drink -- I and my
cattle -- then I have given their price; only (it is nothing) on my feet I pass
over.'
And the children of Israel said unto him,.... The
messengers sent by the children of Israel made answer to the king of Edom:
we will go by the highway; we desire no other
favour but that of the public road; we propose not to go through any part of
the country that is enclosed and cultivated, to do any damage to it:
if I and my cattle drink of thy water, then I will pay for it; as it was
usual, and still is, to buy water in those countries near the Red sea, where it
is scarce. We are toldF4See a Journal from Cairo to Mount Sinai, p.
10,11. Ed. 2. , that at Suess, a city on the extremity of the Red sea, there is
no water nearer than six or seven hours journey towards the north east, which
is brought from thence on camels; and a small vessel of it is sold for three or
four medinas, and a larger vessel for eight or ten, according to the demand for
it; a medina is an Egyptian piece of money, worth about three halfpence of our
English money:
I will only (without doing anything else) go through on my feet; as fast as I
can, without saying anything to the inhabitants to terrify and distress them,
and without doing them any injury. Some render it, I will only go "with my
footmen"F5ברגלי "cum meo
exercitu pedestri"; so some in Fagius & Vatablus. ; foot soldiers, an
army on foot, as Israel were.
Numbers 20:20 20 Then he said, “You shall not pass through.” So Edom
came out against them with many men and with a strong hand.
YLT 20And he saith, `Thou dost
not pass over;' and Edom cometh out to meet him with much people, and with a
strong hand;
And he said, thou shall not go through,.... Which is
an absolute and peremptory denial:
and Edom came out against him with much people, and with a strong
hand; the king raised the militia of his country, and came at the head
of a powerful army to hinder their passing into it; being fearful and jealous,
lest such a large body as they were should seize on his country, or spoil it,
not relying on their promises; and this might arise also from the old grudge of
Esau against Jacob, and which continued in his posterity, and might now be
revived upon their going to Canaan to possess the earthly blessing conferred on
Jacob and his seed: however, it seems, though the Edomites would not let Israel
pass through their country, yet they furnished them with food and drink for
their money, Deuteronomy 2:28.
Numbers 20:21 21 Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his
territory; so Israel turned away from him.
YLT
21and Edom refuseth to suffer
Israel to pass over through his border, and Israel turneth aside from off him.
Notwithstanding
their near relation to each other, and the fair promises Israel made:
wherefore Israel turned away from him: patiently
bearing the refusal, and not resenting it; being ordered, as the Targum of
Jonathan expresses it, by the Word of heaven, not to make war with them,
because the time was not yet come to take vengeance on Edom by their hands; and
to the same purpose the Targum of Jerusalem.
Numbers 20:22 22 Now the children of Israel, the whole congregation,
journeyed from Kadesh and came to Mount Hor.
YLT
22And the sons of Israel, the
whole company, journey from Kadesh, and come in unto mount Hor,
And the children of Israel, even the whole congregation,
journeyed from Kadesh,.... Not directly, but after they had continued there some time,
and had furnished themselves with provisions for their journey, which they
bought of the Edomites, see Judges 11:17,
"the whole congregation" is observed to Journey from hence, not one
of them being lost by the king of Edom's coming out against them; these went
out complete and perfect, safe and sound:
and came unto Mount Hor; which, according to
BuntingF6Travels of the Patriarchs, &c. p. 83. , was forty eight
miles from Kadesh; this had not its name from the Horim or Horites, nor they
from that, their name being written with a different letter, but from Harar, a
mountain, for the word itself signifies a mountain; wherefore it may be
rendered, "a mountain of the mountain", which Jarchi interprets a
mountain on the top of a mountain. JosephusF7Antiqu. l. 4. c. 4.
sect. 7. says, that here stood a city, formerly called Arce, since Petra,
surrounded with an high mountain, where Aaron went and died; and Pliny saysF8Nat.
Hist. l. 6. c. 28. of Petra, that it is encompassed with inaccessible
mountains.
Numbers 20:23 23 And the Lord spoke to
Moses and Aaron in Mount Hor by the border of the land of Edom, saying:
YLT
23and Jehovah speaketh unto
Moses and unto Aaron in mount Hor, on the border of the land of Edom, saying,
And the Lord spake unto
Moses and Aaron in Mount Hor,.... When they were at the foot of that
mountain, in the valley adjoining to it:
by the coast of the land of Edom; which they were still
upon the borders of, and were going round it, not being permitted to go through
it:
saying; as follows.
Numbers 20:24 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.
YLT
24`Aaron is gathered unto his
people, for he doth not go in unto the land which I have given to the sons of
Israel, because that ye provoked My mouth at the waters of Meribah.
Aaron shall be gathered
unto his people,.... That is, shall die, for this phrase is a periphrasis of
death, and is used in common both of good and bad men, and designs death in
general, without regard to persons and places men go to at death:
for he shall not enter into the land which I have given unto the
children of Israel; the land of Canaan; and Aaron the priest, and so Moses the
lawgiver, not being suffered to enter into that land, show the weakness and
imperfection of the law, and of the Levitical priesthood, and the insufficiency
of them, and of obedience to them to bring men to, and give them an entrance
into the heavenly glory; that is done by another person, the antitype of
Joshua, even Jesus:
because ye rebelled against my word at the water of Meribah; that is, you
Moses and Aaron; their unbelief is called a rebelling against the word of the
Lord, for which it was threatened them, that they should not bring the people
of Israel into the land of Canaan, and now the threatening begins to take
place, see Numbers 20:12.
Numbers 20:25 25 Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up to
Mount Hor;
YLT
25`Take Aaron and Eleazar his
son, and cause them to go up mount Hor,
Take Aaron and Eleazar his
son,.... His eldest son, who was to succeed him in the priesthood,
and did:
and bring them up unto Mount Hor; to the top of it, they
being now at the foot of it, where the people of Israel lay encamped.
Numbers 20:26 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.”
YLT
26and strip Aaron of his
garments, and thou hast clothed [with] them Eleazar his son, and Aaron is
gathered, and doth die there.'
And strip Aaron of his
garments,.... His priestly garments, as the Targum of Jonathan, and so
Jarchi:
and put them upon Eleazar his son; thereby declaring him to
be high priest in his father's stead:
and Aaron shall be gathered unto his people, and shall die there; the phrase of
gathering to his people is here explained of his dying.
Numbers 20:27 27 So Moses did just as the Lord commanded, and they went up to Mount Hor in the sight of all the
congregation.
YLT
27And Moses doth as Jehovah
hath commanded, and they go up unto mount Hor before the eyes of all the
company,
And Moses did as the Lord
commanded,.... Though it must be very cutting, distressing, and afflicting
to him, to part with a brother so dear to him, and who had been so many years a
companion of him, and a partner with him in the care and government of the
people of Israel; but it being the Lord's will, he submits unto it, and
faithfully and readily obeyed his orders, as he always did:
and they went up into Mount Hor, in the sight of all the
congregation; that is, Moses, Aaron, and Eleazar, and perhaps there might be
some others that went with them as servants, to attend them and assist them in
some things to be done, particularly in the burial of Aaron; they all saw Aaron
go up, but he came down no more, and so it was ordered in this public manner,
that they might be witnesses of the translation of the priesthood from Aaron to
Eleazar, who, after this affair was over, came down with Moses.
Numbers 20:28 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.
YLT
28and Moses strippeth Aaron
of his garments, and clotheth with them Eleazar his son, and Aaron dieth there
on the top of the mount; and Moses cometh down -- Eleazar also -- from the
mount,
And Moses stripped Aaron
of his garments,.... His priestly garments, which, very probably, were put on at
the foot of the mountain, on purpose for the transaction of this affair, since
they were not in common worn, but only when in service; the same hands that
clothed Aaron with them at first, stripped him of them, and both were done at
the command of God; as the stripping of those garments was a divesting Aaron of
his office, so it was a figure of the disannulling of his priesthood, when the
Messiah should come, a priest after another order:
and put them upon Eleazar his son; which was an investing
him with the office of high priest in his father's room; and which, as it must
give Aaron pleasure and satisfaction to see his son put into his office before
he died, so it signified the continuance of it in succession in his posterity,
and was a confirmation of it; and it must be pleasing to Moses and the people
of Israel to observe the care and faithfulness of God in providing for the
succession of the priesthood:
and Aaron died there in the top of the mount; quietly,
comfortably, and contentedly, without the least murmuring or repining: this was
on the first day of the fifth month, as appears from Numbers 33:38, that
is, of the month Ab, as the Targum of Jonathan here says; and in this the
Jewish writersF11Seder Olam Rabba, c. 10. p. 29. Shalshalet
Hakabala, fol. 7. 2. Schulchan Aruch, par. 1. c. 580. sect. 2. agree in
general, which month answers to part of July and part of August; and in this
same place where he died he was buried, as is evident from Deuteronomy 10:6,
wherefore no credit is to be given to the Arabs, who show a stone not far from
Mount Sinai, about two feet high from the ground, on which are seen some
unknown characters, which, they say, were engraven by Jeremiah the prophet, in
honour of Moses and Aaron, who were buried thereF12Journal from
Cairo to Mount Sinai, p. 40. Ed. 2. :
and Moses and Eleazar came down from the mount; after Aaron
was dead and buried.
Numbers 20:29 29 Now when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead,
all the house of Israel mourned for Aaron thirty days.
YLT
29and all the company see
that Aaron hath expired, and they bewail Aaron thirty days -- all the house of
Israel.
And when all the
congregation saw that Aaron was dead,.... Not that they saw
his dead body, but they perceived by the relation of Moses, and by various
circumstances, as not seeing Aaron come down, whom they saw go up, and seeing
Eleazar with Aaron's garments on him, and perhaps by tokens of mourning in Moses
and Eleazar; so the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem say, they saw them come
down from the top of the mountain, with their garments rent, and ashes on their
heads, weeping and lamenting:
they mourned for Aaron thirty days; the whole month out; so
long public mourning with the Jews lasted, as JosephusF13De Bello
Jud. l. 3. c. 8. sect. 5. relates:
even all the house
of Israel; men and women, as the Targum of Jonathan, and so Jarchi: no
doubt it was for the amiable virtues and abundant grace that were in him, and
the many services he had done for them, both before and since he was invested
with the priestly office; and oftentimes the memory of such things is revived
after the death of a good man, which are not so much taken notice of in his
life, nor he be thanked for them, or have honour and respect shown him on
account of them; but when dead, he, and what he has done, are spoken well of,
and his loss lamented.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)