Numbers 20:10
8 “Take the staff and assemble the congregation. You and your brother Aaron are to speak to the rock while they watch, and it will pour out its water. You will bring out water from the rock and provide drink for the congregation and their livestock.”
9 So Moses took the staff from the LORD’s presence, just as he had been commanded.
Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly in front of the rock, and Moses said to them, “Listen now, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?”
11 Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff, so that a great amount of water gushed out, and the congregation and their livestock were able to drink.
12 But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust Me to show My holiness in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.”
Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly in front of the rock, and Moses said to them, “Listen now, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?”
- KJV
- 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?
- WEB
- Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels! Shall we bring water out of this rock for you?”
- ASV
- And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; shall we bring you forth water out of this rock?
- DARBY
- 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?
- BLB
- And Moses and Aaron gathered together the assembly to the face of the rock, and he said to them, “Hear now, [you] rebels; shall we bring forth for you⁺ water from this rock?”
- ÅB
- Og Moses og Aron kalte menigheten sammen foran klippen, og han sa til dem: Nå, dere gjenstridige! Mon vi kan la vann strømme fram for dere av denne klippe?
- OTB
- Moses og Aron samlet forsamlingen foran klippen, og han sa til dem: “Hør, dere opprørere, må vi få vann ut av denne klippen for dere?”
- B1930
- Og Moses og Aron kalte menigheten sammen foran klippen, og han sa til dem: Nu, I gjenstridige! Mon vi kan la vann strømme frem for eder av denne klippe?
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Psalms 106:32–33
At the waters of Meribah they angered the LORD, and trouble came to Moses because of them.
Read in contextJames 3:2
We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to control his whole body.
Read in contextMatthew 5:22
But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ will be subject to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to the fire of hell.
Read in contextGenesis 41:16
“I myself cannot do it,” Joseph replied, “but God will give Pharaoh a sound answer.”
Read in contextLuke 9:54–55
When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do You want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?”
Read in contextDeuteronomy 9:24
You have been rebelling against the LORD since the day I came to know you.
Read in contextDaniel 2:28–30
But there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the latter days. Your dream and the visions that came into your mind as you lay on your bed were these:
Read in contextGenesis 40:8
“We both had dreams,” they replied, “but there is no one to interpret them.” Then Joseph said to them, “Don’t interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams.”
Read in context