Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Numbers 20:10
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?
10, 11. As in Num 20:8, part of the narrative seems to have been lost. The sin which Moses and Aaron committed is not clearly defined. In Num 20:10 they appear to shew anger; and that is alluded to in Psa 106:32 f. In Num 20:11 Moses is said to have struck the rock twice. He may have been commanded to strike only once, or to raise the staff (cf. Exo 8:5) and speak to the rock without striking. Whatever his sin was, the action of Moses and Aaron in these verses hardly corresponds to the expression ‘rebelled against my word’ in Num 20:24 (cf. Num 27:14), and still less to unbelief ( Num 20:12). The obscurity is increased by Deu 1:37 (cf. Num 3:26, Num 4:21), where we read that Moses was forbidden to enter Canaan on account of the people’s sin at the return of the spies, which occurred (like the present incident) at Kadesh, but 37 years earlier.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
10. [Moses] said unto them,Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?Theconduct of the great leader on this occasion was hasty and passionate(Ps 106:33). He had beendirected to speak to the rock [Nu20:8], but he smote it twice [Nu20:11] in his impetuosity, thus endangering the blossoms of therod, and, instead of speaking to the rock, he spoke to thepeople in a fury.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock,…. To which they were directed, and were to speak unto; before this they gathered not only the elders of the people, but as many of the congregation as could be well assembled together:
and he said unto them; Moses, who was bid to take the rod, and was the principal person concerned in this affair:
hear now, ye rebels; such their fathers had been, and such they now were, a rebellious generation ever since they were known by him; not only rebellious against him their chief magistrate, but against the Lord himself, murmuring against him, being discontented and disobedient, see De 9:23:
must we fetch you water out of this rock? not only signifying their unworthiness of having such a miracle wrought for them, and as showing some degree of reluctance to attempt it, but as expressing diffidence about it; not of the power of God to bring water out of the rock, but of his will to do it for such a rebellious people; or else their unreasonableness to expect any such thing should be done for them: when they were so wicked, how could they think that such a miracle should be wrought for them? so the Targum of Jonathan,
“out of this rock is it possible for us to fetch out water for you?”
so Aben Ezra, have we power to bring out water to you from it? This was said in a passion, as the manner of speaking shows; see Ps 106:32 many of the congregation as could be well assembled together:
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
10. And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together. There is no doubt but that Moses was perplexed between hope and doubt, so that, although he committed the event to God, he was still to a certain extent oppressed with anxiety; for he would never have been so ready and prompt in obeying, and especially in such an unusually arduous matter, if he had been without faith. Aaron and himself had recently hidden themselves in alarm; it was, therefore, a task of no slight difficulty straightway to call the people, from whom they had fled, and voluntarily to encounter their madness. Thus far, then, we see nothing but a readiness to obey, conjoined with magnanimity, which is deserving of no common praise; but inasmuch as the unbelief of Moses is condemned by the heavenly Judge, in whose hands is the sovereign power, and at whose word we all stand or fall, we must acquiesce in His sentence. We scarcely perceive anything reprehensible in this matter, yet, since God declares that the fall of Moses displeased Him, we must abide by His decision rather than our own. And hence, too, let us learn that our works, on the surface of which nothing but virtue is apparent, are often abounding in secret defects, which escape the eyes of men, but are manifest to God alone.
If it be asked in what respect Moses transgressed, the origin of his transgression was unbelief; for it is not allowable, when this species of sin is expressly referred to in the answer of God, to imagine that it was anything else. But it is doubtful in what point he was incredulous; unless it be, that in asking whether he could fetch water out of the rock, he seems to reject as if it were impossible and absurd what God had promised to do. And, in fact, he was so entirely taken up by considerations of their contumacy, that he did not acknowledge the grace of God. He inquires whether he shall fetch water out of the rock? whereas he ought to have recollected that this had already been permitted to him by God. It became him, then, confidently to assert that God had again promised the same thing, rather than to speak with hesitation.
Others think that he sinned, because he was not contented with a single blow, but smote the rock twice. And this perhaps did arise from distrust. But the origin of the fault was that he did not simply embrace God’s promise, and strenuously discharge the duty assigned to him as an evidence of his faith. Although, therefore, his smiting the rock twice might have been a token of his want of confidence, still it was only an aggravation of the evil, and not its origin or cause. Thus, then, we must always come back to this, that Moses did not give God the glory, because he rather considered what the people had deserved, than estimated the power of God according to His word. And this, too, has previous reprimand denotes, when, in accusing the Israelites of rebellion, he shows, indeed, that he was inflamed with holy zeal; yet, at the same time, he does not bestir himself with suitable confidence in order to their conviction; nay, in a manner he confesses that the power of God fails beneath their wickedness. Thus it is said in Psa 106:32,
“
That it went in with Moses for their sakes, because they provoked his spirit, so that he spoke with his mouth:” (109)
for the Prophet does not there excuse Moses; but shows that in consequence of the wickedness of the people, he was carried away by inconsiderate fervor, so as to deny that what God had promised should take place. Hence let us learn that, when we are angered by the sins of others, we should beware lest a temptation of an opposite kind should take possession of our minds.
(109) A. V., “He spoke unadvisedly.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(10) Must we fetch you water out of this rock?In the case of the former miracle at Rephidim the rock is spoken of only under the Hebrew word zur (Exo. 17:6). Throughout the present narration the rock is invariably spoken of under the word sela. In Psa. 78:15-16, where reference appears to be made to both miracles, both words are used.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
10. Hear now, ye rebels Moses, as a legislator, had a right to address the seditious as rebels, and to suppress and punish them. In a proclamation made to this effect, this style of address would be admissible: “Disperse, ye rebels.” But on this occasion the execution of law is not contemplated, hence the epithet “rebels” seems to be a violation of the law of love. “Charity suffereth long and is kind.”
Must we fetch you water The word must is not Hebrew, nor is the we emphatic: “Shall we bring water for you?” The strain of uncharitable depreciation is still kept up. Kennicott translates it, “ Can we,” etc. This is admissible, since the future tense is often used for the potential mood, which is wanting in the Hebrew. (See Nord., Gram., 993.) This shows the unbelief in the heart of Moses, with which Jehovah charges him in Num 20:12.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Num 20:10. Hear now, ye rebels See ch. Num 17:10. What we render, Must we fetch you water out of this rock? the Vulgate renders, Can we, or are we able to fetch you, &c. which Houbigant follows: an poterimus vobis aquam de ista petra extrahere? as much as to say, “What a strange demand! What! do you believe that we are able to make water flow from the rock? Who can do this but the omnipotent God?”
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Num 20:10 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?
Ver. 10. Hear now, ye rebels. ] They could hardly hear, for the belly hath no ears, and their tongues scarce knew to utter any language but that of Samson, “Give me water, or I die.” Jdg 15:18 But why did Moses speak to them, when he should have spoken to the rock only? Num 20:8 This was ill; but worse to speak so unadvisedly. He struck at the rock, and as ready almost to split against it, he makes two arguments against it. (1.) Hear now, ye rebels, q.d., Will the Lord ever give water to such rebels? (2.) Shall we give you water out of the rock? Will that ever be done To fetch fire out of a flinty rock is far more likely; but to distil water out of it, how can that be done? Lo, Moses is staggered, and now at a stand. Adeo nihil est in nobis magnum, quod non queat minui: a the strongest faith much assailed, may flag and hang the wing. The best carry their treasure but in earthen vessels, which, dashing against the rock of unbelief, miseras rimas ducunt, &c., leak pitifully.
a Bucolch.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
said. He spoke to the People instead of to the rock.
must we . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis. App-6.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Deu 9:24, Psa 106:32, Psa 106:33, Mat 5:22, Luk 9:54, Luk 9:55, Act 23:3-5, Eph 4:26, Jam 3:2
we fetch: Num 11:22, Num 11:23, Gen 40:8, Gen 41:16, Dan 2:28-30, Act 3:12-16, Act 14:9-15, Rom 15:17-19, 1Co 3:7
Reciprocal: Num 11:10 – Moses Num 12:3 – above Eze 2:3 – rebelled Eze 2:8 – Be 1Co 13:5 – is not Gal 6:1 – overtaken Heb 5:2 – is compassed
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
AN ILL-TEMPERED LEADER
Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock? And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice.
Num 20:10-11
This is a memorable incident in Israels history, and it is rich in warning to us at this day. Moses had failed in his duty towards God, and that in three particulars. (1) He had failed in strict obedience. God had bidden him speak to the rock, and he had smitten it, smitten it twice. (2) He had shown temper, used hard language. Hear now, ye rebels! (3) He had taken to himself the credit of supplying the Israelites with water. Must we fetch water for you out of the rock?
I. The first lesson to be learned from Moses at Meribah is the danger of departing, in the least jot or tittle, from any law of God.
II. The second is the immense importance attached to temperate speech, the necessity of keeping a check on temper and not letting ourselves be moved to hot and angry words. The want of self-control was very heavily visited upon Moses and upon Aaron, the saint of the Lord. Because of it they were shut out of Canaan.
III. The scene at the rock of Meribah is further useful as carrying our thoughts upwards to Him who is the source of all our hopes, the nourishment of our soul, the very life of our religion, the Lord Jesus Christ. The rock in the desert was but a type and shadow; the reality it typified is represented in Jesus Christ. All other waters after a while must fail; the water that Christ can give shall be in us as a well of water, springing up unto everlasting life.
Rev. R. D. B. Rawnsley.
Illustration
(1) It was probably through lack of faith that Moses smote the rock, instead of speaking to it. It seemed such a little thing to speak, hardly enough, surely, to awaken a response in the hard rock; hence he lifted up his hand, and smote the rock with main force, as though his might were to do the work; and it was his lack of faith, allied as it was with impatience, that excluded the great Lawgiver from the Land of Promise.
(2) Note how the right things may be done in the wrong spirit. The Lesson speaks of Gods displeasure at Moses. He was told that he would never enter the land of Canaan because of his conduct in this matter of the rock. There was no question that God had been true to His wordthere flowed the water in an abundant streambut there was that in Moses, even while he wrought the miracle, that was intensely displeasing to Jehovah. Moses had been bidden speak to the rock; instead of that he struck it, not once, but twice. He was in a heat of passion, too, with the rebellious people, and, as the psalmist says, he spake unadvisedly. And doubtless, in the secret chambers of his heart, God saw an unbelief that no one else saw, for we read in verse 12, Ye believed Me not. Note, then, how a man may do the right thing, yet he may do it wrongly, and have to suffer for it. God not only reckons the actions that we do; He reckons also the spirit in which they are done. Two girls may give their toys to some poor children, but the one does it cheerfully and willingly; the other does it with a grumble and a grudge, thinking it a hardship all the time. So far as the poor children are concerned, it does not matterthey get the toys, as Israel got the waterbut in the eyes of God there is a world of difference betwixt the gifts of the two little maidens. Two boys are asked by their mothers to go a message; the one goes promptly and happily, the other sulkily. Of course the message is done in either case, but how different are the two actions, up in heaven! It is the saddest of all experiences to do wrong things; but scarcely less sad is it to do right things wrongly.
(3) It is easy to see why Moses had to die outside the land of rest. He had not learnt the secret of rest in himself. That double smiting of the rock, that impetuous address to the congregation, indicated, how far he had fallen short of the rest of faith; Ye believed Me not to sanctify Me. Oh, Spirit of God, who dost lead us into rest that we may give rest, deliver us from the sin of smiting the rock twice, and breathe into our nature that perfect peace from out which we may learn the art of speaking to the Rock!
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
20:10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; {e} must we fetch you water out of this rock?
(e) The punishment which followed declared that Moses and Aaron did not believe the Lord’s promise as it appeared in Num 20:12.