2 There was no water for the congregation , and they assembled themselves against Moses and Aaron . 3 The people thus contended with Moses and spoke , saying , " If only we had perished when our brothers perished before the Lord ! 4 " Why then have you brought the Lord'S assembly into this wilderness , for us and our beasts to die here ? 5 "Why have you made us come up from Egypt , to bring us in to this wretched place ? It is not a place of grain or figs or vines or pomegranates , nor is there water to drink ." 6 Then Moses and Aaron came in from the presence of the assembly to the doorway of the tent of meeting and fell on their faces . Then the glory of the Lord appeared to them; 7 and the Lord spoke to Moses , saying , 8 "Take the rod ; and you and your brother Aaron assemble the congregation and speak to the rock before their eyes , that it may yield its water . You shall thus bring forth water for them out of the rock and let the congregation and their beasts drink ." 9 So Moses took the rod from before e the Lord , just as He had commanded him; 10 and Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly before e the rock . And he said to them, " Listen now , you rebels ; shall we bring forth water for you out of this rock ?" 11 Then Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod ; and water came forth abundantly , and the congregation and their beasts drank . 12 But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron , " Because you have not believed Me, to treat Me as holy in the sight of the sons of Israel , therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them." 13 Those were the waters of Meribah , because the sons of Israel contended with the Lord , and He proved Himself holy among them.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Numbers 20:2-13
Commentary on Numbers 20:1-13
(Read Numbers 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.