Numbers 20:8

God's power and sovereignty Miracles and God's intervention

⁶ Then Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. They fell facedown, and the glory of the LORD appeared to them.

⁷ And the LORD said to Moses,

“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.

¹⁰ 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?”

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: “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.”
KJV: 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.
WEB: “Take the rod, and assemble the congregation, you, and Aaron your brother, and speak to the rock before their eyes, that it pour out its water. You shall bring water to them out of the rock; so you shall give the congregation and their livestock drink.”
ASV: Take the rod, and assemble the congregation, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes, that it give forth its water; and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock; so thou shalt give the congregation and their cattle drink.
DARBY: 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.
BLB: “Take the rod and gather together the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and speak to the rock before their eyes; and it will yield its water. And you shall bring for them water from the rock and give drink to the congregation and their livestock.”

ÅB: Ta staven og kall menigheten sammen, du og Aron, din bror, og dere skal tale til klippen midt for deres øyne, så skal den gi vann fra seg; slik skal du la vann strømme ut av klippen for dem og gi både menigheten og dens buskap å drikke.
OTB: “Ta staven, og du og din bror Aron skal samle forsamlingen. Tal til klippen foran deres øyne, og den vil gi sitt vann. Du skal føre vann ut av klippen for menigheten og deres buskap å drikke.”
B1930: Ta staven og kall menigheten sammen, du og Aron, din bror, og I skal tale til klippen midt for deres øine, så skal den gi vann fra sig; således skal du la vann strømme ut av klippen for dem og gi både menigheten og dens buskap å drikke.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Exodus 4:17
But take this staff in your hand so you can perform signs with it.”
Read in context
Isaiah 43:20
The beasts of the field will honor Me, the jackals and the ostriches, because I provide water in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to My chosen people.
Read in context
Exodus 17:5–6
And the LORD said to Moses, “Walk on ahead of the people and take some of the elders of Israel with you. Take along in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go.
Read in context
Revelation 22:17
The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” Let the one who hears say, “Come!” And let the one who is thirsty come, and the one who desires the water of life drink freely.
Read in context
John 16:24
Until now you have not asked for anything in My name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.
Read in context
Isaiah 48:21
They did not thirst when He led them through the deserts; He made water flow for them from the rock; He split the rock, and water gushed out.
Read in context
Nehemiah 9:15
In their hunger You gave them bread from heaven; in their thirst You brought them water from the rock. You told them to go in and possess the land which You had sworn to give them.
Read in context
Acts 2:1–4
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.
Read in context