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| 1 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. |
First month – In April of the 40th year they assembled to enter the promised land. R5315:1
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| 2 And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. |
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| 3 And the people chided with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had expired when our brethren expired before the LORD! |
Chode with Moses – All leaders of honor and influence carry weighty responsibilities. R5315:1
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| 4 And why have ye brought up the congregation of the LORD into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there? |
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| 5 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. |
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| 6 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.
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Glory of the LORD – Surmised to have been a ray of light emanating from the Mercy Seat in the Most Holy. R5315:1
Unto them – Possibly also manifest to the people of Israel, who looked on. R5315:1
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| 7 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, |
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| 8 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. |
Take the rod – Presumably "Aaron's rod that budded." R5315:1
A reminder to the people of the Lord's special acceptance of Aaron as the High Priest and assistant of Moses. R5315:2
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| 9 And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him. |
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| 10 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? |
Must we fetch – Moses took the honor to himself instead of giving God the glory. R41:1, R5957:4
One of the most illustrious servants of God there fell under divine disapprobation. R5315:2
Similarly, the feet class will need to be specially upheld by the Lord that they stumble not through pride or self-conceit. R4047:5
Those who do not have sufficient faith in the Lord as the real Head of the Church are generally those who feel too much self-assurance. R3018:2
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| 11 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. |
And Moses – Typifying, in this case, those who crucify the Son of God afresh; commit the sin unto death. R3077:4, R4058:1, R5333:3, R5957:5
Smote the rock – Type of Christ. R3077:4, R5333:3
In this he spoiled a type while he made another type. Christ Jesus, the true Rock, was to be smitten but once for our sins. But the second smiting made a new type--some now crucify Christ afresh, committing the sin unto death--the Second Death. R3077:3,4
Twice – Twice, typically putting Christ "to an open shame." (Heb. 6:6) R3077:4
The second time; the first time in Ex. 17:1-7; this time he was to speak to the rock, not smite it. R3077:3
The smiting of the rock at the beginning of Israel's experience was authorized; it was necessary that upon Jesus should fall the rod of affliction. The second smiting may symbolize a smiting of the people of God in the end of this age. R5315:3
Water came out – Symbolizing the blessings which flow from the smiting of Jesus' followers. Under the divine providence blessings will flow from the wrong course, yet no greater blessings than might have come by pursuing the right course. R5315:3
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| 12 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. |
Believed me not – Self-assertion and lack of faith were Moses' sin. R4047:6, R5315:5
Any denial of the Redeemer on the part of the consecrated would signify a crucifying afresh, a smiting of the rock a second time. R5315:4
The most unjust thing we can do is judge Moses or any other man by his deeds and not by his fruits. R4055:5
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| 13 This is the water of Meribah, because the children of Israel strove with the LORD, and he was sanctified in them. |
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| 14 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: |
Of Edom – Descendants of Esau, Jacob's brother. R5316:1
Type of Christendom. D15
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| 15 How our fathers went down into Egypt, and we have dwelt in Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians vexed us, and our fathers: |
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| 16 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: |
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| 17 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. |
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| 18 And Edom said unto him, Thou shalt not pass by me, lest I come out against thee with the sword. |
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| 19 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. |
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| 20 And he said, Thou shalt not go through. And Edom came out against him with much people, and with a strong hand. |
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| 21 Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border: wherefore Israel turned away from him. |
Israel turned away – The Midianites, Moabites and Edomites were related to Abraham so Israel left them unmolested, except when they attacked. R5316:1
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| 22 And the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, journeyed from Kadesh, and came unto mount Hor. |
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| 23 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in mount Hor, by the coast of the land of Edom, saying, |
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| 24 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. |
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| 25 Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up unto mount Hor: |
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| 26 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. |
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| 27 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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| 28 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. |
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| 29 And when all the congregation saw that Aaron had expired, they mourned for Aaron thirty days, even all the house of Israel. |
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