CINXE.COM

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width; initial-scale=1.0; maximum-scale=1.0; user-scalable=0;"/><title>Numbers 20:2 Commentaries: There was no water for the congregation, and they assembled themselves against Moses and Aaron.</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/newcom.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /><script type="application/javascript" src="https://scripts.webcontentassessor.com/scripts/8a2459b64f9cac8122fc7f2eac4409c8555fac9383016db59c4c26e3d5b8b157"></script><script src='https://qd.admetricspro.com/js/biblehub/biblehub-layout-loader-revcatch.js'></script><script id='HyDgbd_1s' src='https://prebidads.revcatch.com/ads.js' type='text/javascript' async></script><script>(function(w,d,b,s,i){var cts=d.createElement(s);cts.async=true;cts.id='catchscript'; cts.dataset.appid=i;cts.src='https://app.protectsubrev.com/catch_rp.js?cb='+Math.random(); document.head.appendChild(cts); }) (window,document,'head','script','rc-anksrH');</script></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../vmenus/numbers/20-2.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="/bmcom/numbers/20-2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="http://biblehub.com/commentaries/">Commentaries</a> > Numbers 20:2</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../numbers/20-1.htm" title="Numbers 20:1">◄</a> Numbers 20:2 <a href="../numbers/20-3.htm" title="Numbers 20:3">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="topverse">And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron.</div><div id="jump">Jump to: <a href="/commentaries/barnes/numbers/20.htm" title="Barnes' Notes">Barnes</a> • <a href="/commentaries/benson/numbers/20.htm" title="Benson Commentary">Benson</a> • <a href="/commentaries/illustrator/numbers/20.htm" title="Biblical Illustrator">BI</a> • <a href="/commentaries/calvin/numbers/20.htm" title="Calvin's Commentaries">Calvin</a> • <a href="/commentaries/cambridge/numbers/20.htm" title="Cambridge Bible">Cambridge</a> • <a href="/commentaries/clarke/numbers/20.htm" title="Clarke's Commentary">Clarke</a> • <a href="/commentaries/darby/numbers/20.htm" title="Darby's Bible Synopsis">Darby</a> • <a href="/commentaries/ellicott/numbers/20.htm" title="Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers">Ellicott</a> • <a href="/commentaries/expositors/numbers/20.htm" title="Expositor's Bible">Expositor's</a> • <a href="/commentaries/edt/numbers/20.htm" title="Expositor's Dictionary">Exp Dct</a> • <a href="/commentaries/gaebelein/numbers/20.htm" title="Gaebelein's Annotated Bible">Gaebelein</a> • <a href="/commentaries/gsb/numbers/20.htm" title="Geneva Study Bible">GSB</a> • <a href="/commentaries/gill/numbers/20.htm" title="Gill's Bible Exposition">Gill</a> • <a href="/commentaries/gray/numbers/20.htm" title="Gray's Concise">Gray</a> • <a href="/commentaries/guzik/numbers/20.htm" title="Guzik Bible Commentary">Guzik</a> • <a href="/commentaries/haydock/numbers/20.htm" title="Haydock Catholic Bible Commentary">Haydock</a> • <a href="/commentaries/hastings/numbers/10-29.htm" title="Hastings Great Texts">Hastings</a> • <a href="/commentaries/homiletics/numbers/20.htm" title="Pulpit Homiletics">Homiletics</a> • <a href="/commentaries/jfb/numbers/20.htm" title="Jamieson-Fausset-Brown">JFB</a> • <a href="/commentaries/kad/numbers/20.htm" title="Keil and Delitzsch OT">KD</a> • <a href="/commentaries/king-en/numbers/20.htm" title="Kingcomments Bible Studies">King</a> • <a href="/commentaries/lange/numbers/20.htm" title="Lange Commentary">Lange</a> • <a href="/commentaries/maclaren/numbers/20.htm" title="MacLaren Expositions">MacLaren</a> • <a href="/commentaries/mhc/numbers/20.htm" title="Matthew Henry Concise">MHC</a> • <a href="/commentaries/mhcw/numbers/20.htm" title="Matthew Henry Full">MHCW</a> • <a href="/commentaries/parker/numbers/20.htm" title="The People's Bible by Joseph Parker">Parker</a> • <a href="/commentaries/poole/numbers/20.htm" title="Matthew Poole">Poole</a> • <a href="/commentaries/pulpit/numbers/20.htm" title="Pulpit Commentary">Pulpit</a> • <a href="/commentaries/sermon/numbers/20.htm" title="Sermon Bible">Sermon</a> • <a href="/commentaries/sco/numbers/20.htm" title="Scofield Reference Notes">SCO</a> • <a href="/commentaries/ttb/numbers/20.htm" title="Through The Bible">TTB</a> • <a href="/commentaries/wes/numbers/20.htm" title="Wesley's Notes">WES</a> • <a href="#tsk" title="Treasury of Scripture Knowledge">TSK</a></div><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="comtype">EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)</div><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/ellicott/numbers/20.htm">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</a></div>(2) <span class= "bld">And there was no water . . . —</span>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 intermissions, up to the time to which this statement refers, and may have been suddenly withdrawn at this time in order to try the faith of the Israelites.<p><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/benson/numbers/20.htm">Benson Commentary</a></div><span class="bld"><a href="/numbers/20-2.htm" title="And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron.">Numbers 20:2</a></span>. <span class="ital">No water — </span>Which, as is generally thought, having followed them through all their former journeys, began to fail them here, because they were now come near countries where waters might be had by ordinary means, and therefore God would not use extraordinary, lest he should seem to prostitute the honour of miracles. This story, though like that Exodus 17., is different from it, as appears by divers circumstances.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="mhc" id="mhc"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/mhc/numbers/20.htm">Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary</a></div>20:1-13 After thirty-eight years' tedious abode in the wilderness, the armies of Israel advanced towards Canaan again. There was no water for the congregation. We live in a wanting world, and wherever we are, must expect to meet with something to put us out. It is a great mercy to have plenty of water, a mercy which, if we found the want of, we should more own the worth of. Hereupon they murmured against Moses and Aaron. They spake the same absurd and brutish language their fathers had done. It made their crime the worse, that they had smarted so long for the discontent and distrusts of their fathers, yet they venture in the same steps. Moses must again, in God's name, command water out of a rock for them; God is as able as ever to supply his people with what is needful for them. But Moses and Aaron acted wrong. They took much of the glory of this work of wonder to themselves; Must we fetch water? As if it were done by some power or worthiness of their own. They were to speak to the rock, but they smote it. Therefore it is charged upon them, that they did not sanctify God, that is, they did not give to him alone that glory of this miracle which was due unto his name. And being provoked by the people, Moses spake unadvisedly with his lips. The same pride of man would still usurp the office of the appointed Mediator; and become to ourselves wisdom, righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption. Such a state of sinful independence, such a rebellion of the soul against its Saviour, the voice of God condemns in every page of the gospel.<a name="bar" id="bar"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/barnes/numbers/20.htm">Barnes' Notes on the Bible</a></div>The language of the murmurers is noteworthy. It has the air of a traditional remonstrance handed down from the last generation. Compare marginal references. <a name="jfb" id="jfb"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/jfb/numbers/20.htm">Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary</a></div>2-13. there was no water for the congregation—There was at Kadesh a fountain, En-Mishpat (Ge 14:7), and at the first encampment of the Israelites there was no want of water. It was then either partially dried up by the heat of the season, or had been exhausted by the demands of so vast a multitude.<div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/poole/numbers/20.htm">Matthew Poole's Commentary</a></div> The water having followed them through all their former journeys, began now to fail them here, because they were now come near Canaan and other countries, where waters might be had by ordinary means, and therefore God would not use extraordinary, lest he should seem to prostitute the honour of miracles. This story, though like that <span class="bld"> Exo 17</span>, is different from it, as appears by divers circumstances. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="gil" id="gil"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/gill/numbers/20.htm">Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible</a></div>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, <a href="/exodus/17-1.htm">Exodus 17:1</a>. <p>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. <a name="gsb" id="gsb"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/gsb/numbers/20.htm">Geneva Study Bible</a></div><span class="cverse2">And there was no water for the congregation: and they <span class="cverse3">{c}</span> gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron.</span><p>(c) Another rebellion was in Rephidim Ex 17:1-16, and this was in Kadesh.</div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><div class="comtype">EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)</div><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/cambridge/numbers/20.htm">Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges</a></div><span class="bld">2–13</span>. <span class="ital">The striking of the rock at Meribah</span>. Many characteristics of language indicate that this is mainly the work of P . In <a href="/context/exodus/17-1.htm" title="And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the LORD, and pitched in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drink....">Exodus 17:1-7</a> there is another account (E ) of the striking of the rock, the place being similarly named Meribah. It is probable that these are two traditions of the same event. In E it is placed at Horeb, early in the journeyings; here it is placed at their close. This two-fold striking of the rock appears to have influenced S. Paul’s language in <a href="/1_corinthians/10-4.htm" title="And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.">1 Corinthians 10:4</a>. See on <a href="/numbers/21-18.htm" title="The princes dig the well, the nobles of the people dig it, by the direction of the lawgiver, with their staves. And from the wilderness they went to Mattanah:">Numbers 21:18</a>.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="pul" id="pul"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/pulpit/numbers/20.htm">Pulpit Commentary</a></div><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 2.</span> - <span class="cmt_word">There</span> <span class="cmt_word">was no water.</span> There was a large natural spring at Kadesh, and during the time of their previous sojourn there no complaint of this sort seems to have arisen. At this time, however, the bulk of the encampment may have lain in a different direction (cf. verse 1 with chapter Numbers 13:26), or the supply may have failed kern temporary causes. In either case a total absence of water need not be imagined, but only an insufficient supply. Numbers 20:2<a name="kad" id="kad"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/kad/numbers/20.htm">Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament</a></div>Sin of Moses and Aaron at the Water of Strife at Kadesh. - In the arid desert the congregation was in want of water, and the people quarrelled with Moses in consequence. In connection with the first stay in Kadesh there is nothing said about any deficiency of water. But as the name Kadesh embraces a large district of the desert of Zin, and is not confined to one particular spot, there might easily be a want of water in this place or the other. In their faithless discontent, the people wished that they had died when their brethren died before Jehovah. The allusion is not to Korah's company, as Knobel supposes, and the word גּוע, "to expire," would be altogether inapplicable to their destruction; but the reference is to those who had died one by one during the thirty-seven years. "Why," they murmured once more against Moses and Aaron, "have ye brought the congregation of God into this desert, to perish there with their cattle? Why have ye brought it out of Egypt into this evil land, where there is no seed, no fig-trees and pomegranates, no vines, and no water to drink?" <div class="vheading2">Links</div><a href="/interlinear/numbers/20-2.htm">Numbers 20:2 Interlinear</a><br /><a href="/texts/numbers/20-2.htm">Numbers 20:2 Parallel Texts</a><br /><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/niv/numbers/20-2.htm">Numbers 20:2 NIV</a><br /><a href="/nlt/numbers/20-2.htm">Numbers 20:2 NLT</a><br /><a href="/esv/numbers/20-2.htm">Numbers 20:2 ESV</a><br /><a href="/nasb/numbers/20-2.htm">Numbers 20:2 NASB</a><br /><a href="/kjv/numbers/20-2.htm">Numbers 20:2 KJV</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="http://bibleapps.com/numbers/20-2.htm">Numbers 20:2 Bible Apps</a><br /><a href="/numbers/20-2.htm">Numbers 20:2 Parallel</a><br /><a href="http://bibliaparalela.com/numbers/20-2.htm">Numbers 20:2 Biblia Paralela</a><br /><a href="http://holybible.com.cn/numbers/20-2.htm">Numbers 20:2 Chinese Bible</a><br /><a href="http://saintebible.com/numbers/20-2.htm">Numbers 20:2 French Bible</a><br /><a href="http://bibeltext.com/numbers/20-2.htm">Numbers 20:2 German Bible</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/">Bible Hub</a><br /></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td align="center"><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div><br /><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script><br /><br /> </div> <div id="left"><a href="../numbers/20-1.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Numbers 20:1"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Numbers 20:1" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="../numbers/20-3.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Numbers 20:3"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Numbers 20:3" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div> <div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>