| Scripture |
Expanded Comments | Additional Comments |
| |
| |
| 1 And the children of Israel, the whole assembly, came into the wilderness of Zin, in the first month; and the people abode at 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
|
|
| |
| |
| 2 And there was no water for the assembly, and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. |
|
|
| 3 And the people contended with Moses, and spoke, saying, Would that we had died when our brethren died before Jehovah! |
Chode with Moses – All leaders of honor and influence carry weighty responsibilities. R5315:1
|
|
| 4 And why have ye brought the congregation of Jehovah into this wilderness, that we should die there, we and our beasts? |
|
|
| 5 And why have ye made us to go up out of Egypt, to bring us to 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. |
|
|
| 6 And Moses and Aaron went from before the congregation to the entrance of the tent of meeting, and fell upon their faces; and the glory of Jehovah appeared to them. |
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
|
|
| 7 And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying, |
|
|
| 8 Take the staff, and gather the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes, and it shall give its water; and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock, and shalt give the assembly 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
|
|
| 9 And Moses took the staff from before Jehovah, as he had commanded him. |
|
|
| |
| |
| 10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said to them, Hear now, ye rebels: shall we bring forth to 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
|
|
| 11 And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his staff smote the rock twice, and much water came out, and the assembly drank, and their beasts. |
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
|
|
| 12 And Jehovah said to Moses and to Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to hallow me before the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land that 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
|
|
| 13 These are the waters of Meribah, where the children of Israel contended with Jehovah, and he hallowed himself in them. |
|
|
| |
| |
| 14 And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, Thus says thy brother Israel: Thou knowest all the trouble that hath befallen us, |
Of Edom – Descendants of Esau, Jacob's brother. R5316:1
Type of Christendom. D15
|
|
| 15 how our fathers went down to Egypt, and we dwelt in Egypt a long time, and the Egyptians evil entreated us and our fathers; |
|
|
| 16 and when we cried to Jehovah, he heard our voice, and sent an angel, and brought us forth out of Egypt; and behold, we are at Kadesh, a city at the extremity of thy border. |
|
|
| 17 Let us pass, I pray thee, through thy country; we will not pass through fields, or through vineyards, neither will we drink water out of the wells: we will go by the king's road; we will not turn to the right hand nor to the left, until we have passed thy border. |
|
|
| 18 But Edom said to him, Thou shalt not pass by me, lest I come out against thee with the sword. |
|
|
| 19 And the children of Israel said to him, We will go by the high way; and if we drink of thy water, I and my cattle, then I will pay for it: I will only, without anything else, go through on my feet. |
|
|
| 20 And he said, Thou shalt not go through. And Edom came out against him with much people, and with a strong hand. |
|
|
| 21 Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his territory; and 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
|
|
| |
| |
| 22 And they removed from Kadesh; and the children of Israel, the whole assembly, came to mount Hor. |
|
|
| 23 And Jehovah spoke to Moses and to Aaron in mount Hor, on the border of the land of Edom, saying, |
|
|
| 24 Aaron shall be gathered unto his peoples; for he shall not enter into the land that I have given unto the children of Israel, because ye rebelled against my commandment at the waters of Meribah. |
|
|
| 25 Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up unto mount Hor, |
|
|
| 26 and strip Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son; and Aaron shall be gathered to his peoples, and shall die there. |
|
|
| 27 And Moses did as Jehovah had commanded, and they went up mount Hor before the eyes of the whole assembly. |
|
|
| 28 And Moses stripped Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son; and Aaron died there upon the top of the mountain; and Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain. |
|
|
| 29 And the whole assembly saw that Aaron was dead, and they mourned for Aaron thirty days, even the whole house of Israel. |
|
|