13<\/strong>. he was sanctified in them<\/em> ] The verb is from the same root as that of Kadesh (‘sacred’), and there is perhaps an intentional play on the name. The expression means ‘he proved, or vindicated, himself as holy,’ in spite of the sin of Moses and Aaron.<\/p>\n in them<\/em> ] Either in the waters, i.e. by his miracle in giving water, or, better, in the hearts of the people; cf. Eze 28:25<\/span>.<\/p>\n The water of Meribah – <\/B>i. e. Strife. The place is called Meribah in Kadesh Num 27:14<\/span>, and Meribah-Kadesh Deu 32:51<\/span>. to distinguish it from the Meribah of Exo 17:2<\/span> ff.<\/P> And he was sanctified in them – <\/B>An allusion doubtless to the name Kadesh (holy), which though not now bestowed, acquired a new significance from the fact that God here vindicated His own sanctity, punishing Moses and Aaron who had trespassed against it.<\/P> <\/p>\n Meribah, <\/B>called Meribah Kadesh<\/I>, to distinguish it from another Meribah<\/I>, Exo 17:7<\/span>. Sanctified in them<\/I>, or, among them<\/I>, to wit, the children of Israel last mentioned, by the demonstration of his omnipotency, veracity, and clemency towards the Israelites, and of his impartial holiness and severity against sin even in his greatest friends and favourites, as Moses was. <\/P> <\/p>\n 13. This is the water of Meribah<\/B>Theword “Kadesh” is added to it [De32:51<\/span>] to distinguish it from another Meribah (Ex17:7<\/span>).<\/P><\/p>\n This is the water of Meribah<\/strong>,…. Or “strife”: this is the name by which the water had in this place, and from this rock, was called; and which is the same name given to the place at Horeb, where a rock had been smitten, and water had flowed, as now, the first year they came out of Egypt; and to distinguish this from that, this is sometimes called Meribah-Kadesh, De 32:51<\/span>, this being at Kadesh, as that was at Rephidim:<\/p>\n because the children of Israel strove with the Lord<\/strong>: for their chiding and striving with Moses was interpretatively striving with the Lord himself, whose ministers and servants they were:<\/p>\n and he was sanctified in them<\/strong>; that is, the glory of his divine perfections was displayed in them; either in the waters fetched out of the rock, which was a proof of the almighty power of God, and of his truth and faithfulness to his promises; or in the children of Israel, in whose sight, and for whose sake this miracle was wrought: the Targum of Jonathan expressly says, in Moses and Aaron, in not sparing these his saints, but expressing severity towards them for their sin; so Jarchi and Aben Ezra interpret it.<\/p>\n The account closes with the words, “ This is the water of strife, about which the children of Israel strove with Jehovah, and He sanctified Himself on them<\/em>.” This does not imply that the scene of this occurrence received the name of “strife-water,” but simply that the water which God brought out of the rock for the Israelites received that name. But God sanctified Himself on them, by the fact that, on the one hand, He put their unbelief to shame by the miraculous gift of water, and on the other hand punished Moses and Aaron for the weakness of their faith.<\/p>\n (Note: The assumption of neological critics, that this occurrence is identical with the similar one at Rephidim (Ex 17), and that this is only another saga based upon the same event, has no firm ground whatever. The want of water in the arid desert is a fact so constantly attested by travellers, that it would be a matter of great surprise if Israel had only experienced this want, and quarrelled with its God and its leaders, once in the course of forty years. As early as Exo 15:22<\/span>. the people murmured because of the want of drinkable water, and the bitter water was turned into sweet; and immediately after the event before us, it gave utterance to the complaint again, “We have no bread and no water” (Num 21:4-5<\/span>). But if the want remained the same, the relief of that want would necessarily be repeated in the same or a similar manner. Moreover, the occurrences at Rephidim (or Massah-Meribah) and at Kadesh are altogether different from each other. In Rephidim, God gave the people water out of the rock, and the murmuring of the people was stayed. In Kadesh, God no doubt relieved the distress in the same way; but the mediators of His mercy, Moses and Aaron, sinned at the time, so that God sanctified Himself upon them by a judgment, because they had not sanctified Him before the congregation. (See Hengstenberg, Dissertations<\/em>, vol. ii.))<\/p>\n 13. This is the water of Meribah. (110) This name was given: to the place in order that the ingratitude of their fathers might be detestable to their descendants, and hence the mercy of God more illustrious. Thus the Prophet, referring to it, says: <\/p>\n “<\/p>\n That the generation to come might know them, — that they might not forget the works of God, — and might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not steadfast with God.” (Psa 78:6<\/span>.) <\/p>\n And elsewhere both the name of Meribah and that of Massah are employed, in order that the Israelites might learn not to imitate their fathers, (Psa 95:8<\/span>; (111))although Moses here uses the plural number, whereas he has the singular in Exo 17:0<\/span>. <\/p>\n The expression at the end of the verse, that God “was sanctified” among the children of Israel, is not used in approval, but rather in reproof, of their conduct. Israel is called elsewhere God’s “holiness,” (112) (Psa 114:2<\/span>,) because God magnificently displayed tits glory in their deliverance; but He is here said to have sanctified Himself in a different sense, because, by the overthrow of their iniquity and frowardness, He rescued his holy name from contempt. In fine, it was a proof of his inestimable mercy, that the water, which might have justly been destructive to them, was not only given to be the sustenance of their bodies, but also was converted into an aid for their salvation; for which reason Paul says that this was “spiritual drink.” (1Co 10:4<\/span>.) <\/p>\n (110) Lat., “These are the waters of strife.” See margin A.V. <\/p>\n (111) In C.’s translation of this verse he retains the proper names Meribah and Massah, which in A.V. are rendered, “in the provocation, and in the day of temptation.” See C. Soc. Edit., vol. 4, p. 40; and Mr. Anderson’s note. <\/p>\n (112) A.V., “Judah was his sanctuary.” V. “Facta est Judaea sanctificatio ejus.” See C. Soc. Edit. of Psalms, vol. 4, pp. 336, 337. <\/p>\n (13) This is the water<\/strong> of Meribah.<\/strong>i.e., <\/em>of strife. (See Exo. 17:7<\/span>, and Note; also Num. 27:14<\/span>, where the words in Kadesh, in the wilderness of <\/em>Zin, are added to distinguish the latter from the earlier miracle.) In Deu. 32:51<\/span> the waters are spoken of as those of Meribah of Kadesh.<\/p>\n And he was sanctified in them.<\/strong>The reference in the words in them <\/em>seems to be either to the word waters, <\/em>which is plural in Hebrew, or, more probably, to the children of Israel, amongst whom Moses and Aaron were included. It has been supposed that the place derived its name of Kadesh <\/em>(or, more fully, Kadesh-Barnea, Num. 32:8<\/span>) from the cognate verb, which is rendered sanctify <\/em>in this and the preceding verse. It was in Kadesh that the sentence of exclusion had been pronounced upon the people generally (Num. 14:22-23<\/span>), and upon Moses and Aaron in particular, and it was thus that the Lord sanctified Himself in dealing with the transgressors. If the place derived its name, Kadesh, from these circumstances, it must have been called by that name proleptically in Gen. 14:7<\/span>a supposition which is entirely consistent with the manner in which the place is mentioned in that verse (Enmishpat, <\/em>which is Kadesh.)<\/p>\n 13<\/strong>. <\/strong> Meribah <\/strong> That is, Strife. <\/em> The two miracles of bringing water from the rock are thus distinguished: that at Rephidim, nearly forty years before, was called Massah, or Temptation; that in Kadesh is called Meribah. Deu 33:8<\/span>. That the second is not a mythical repetition of the first is evident from the new features which it presents the sin of Moses and his consequent exclusion from Canaan. <\/p>\n Strove with the Lord <\/strong> In reproaching and vilifying his servants. Jesus Christ always identifies himself with his disciples: “He that receiveth you receiveth me.” <\/p>\n And he was sanctified in them <\/strong> He showed himself holy ( kadesh<\/em>) on them, or in their case, putting to shame the unbelief of the people and punishing Moses and Aaron for their misconduct. Since the best men on earth had failed to reflect a perfect image of the holy God, he had vindicated and glorified himself among men by his signal rebuke of Moses and Aaron. God’s judgments do for him what his grace fails to prompt us to do, by reason of the abuse of our free agency. “God’s name,” says R. Solomon, “is much revered when he doth not spare even his holy ones.” His power was magnified by bringing water out of the rock, and “his holiness and impartial justice were exhibited in punishing his greatest friends for their unbelief.” Bishop Patrick. <\/em> For the practical lesson see Hebrews 3<\/span>. Learned Jews advance three opinions: 1.) That he was sanctified in the waters; 2.) In the Israelites; 3.) In the punishment of Moses and Aaron. See Num 20:12<\/span>, note, where the last opinion is maintained.<\/p>\n The Place is Called the Waters of Meribah (mrybh) Because ‘the Children of Israel’ Strove (ryb) There with Yahweh and He Was Sanctified (yqdsh) In Them ( Num 20:13<\/strong><\/span><\/strong> ).<\/strong> <\/p>\n Num 20:13<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n ‘These are the waters of Meribah, because the children of Israel strove with Yahweh, and he was sanctified in them.’ <\/p>\n And the waters were given the name Meribah, which means ‘contention’ (rib = quarrel, complaint). The same name had been given at an earlier incident at the beginning, soon after the departure from Egypt, when the people had also there contended with Moses because of lack of water. Thus the children had repeated what their fathers had done before them. The repetition of the name was probably deliberately in order to bring out that very fact. Moses wanted the people to recognise that they were following in their fathers’ footsteps, and that they were behaving little differently from their fathers. There had been a previous Rephidim (contention with God, resulting in blessing), and the people had gone on to disaster. Now they had their own Rephidim. They too had been contentious, and yet had received blessing. Let them take warning from it not to go on as their fathers had done. The repetition indicated a new beginning for God’s people. Now they could go forward if they had learned their lesson. <\/p>\n But the two incidents were clearly quite different. In Exo 17:1-7<\/span> only Moses was involved, and the ‘miracle’ was performed before the elders of Israel only. There it was out of sight of the people. Here it was deliberately in front of all the people. Furthermore there Moses was told to strike the rock, which he did obediently, not in anger. Indeed the smiting was deliberately drawn attention to, and specifically stated to be similar to the smiting of the Nile (Exo 7:20<\/span>), and thus as bringing glory to God. The striking revealed Yahweh’s power. Here the striking of the rock is portrayed as nearly destroying all that God was attempting to reveal. At that stage the people had needed to recognise that the God of the Exodus was working though Moses in the same way as He had before in Egypt. But here, after all that had gone before, the people had needed a new lesson, the lesson that God was with them and would graciously provide for them through His word. Here He had wanted His peoples’ eyes turned from Moses to Himself. And that was where Moses had failed. Considering what had happened to Nadab and Abihu (Lev 10:1-2<\/span>) for the misuse of holy things Moses might well have been smitten down. To hold the rod of God is an awesome thing. It puts someone under a huge responsibility. It was only because he was so favoured in God’s sight, and because it had been more unwitting than highhanded, that his punishment was less. <\/p>\n “And he was sanctified in them.”<\/strong> Moses and Aaron had failed Him, but they had not prevented His final aim. As a result of receiving the ‘waters of contention’ (called such because the people ‘contended’ with Him there) He was sanctified in the eyes of the people. They did recognise in it a wonderful provision from Yahweh. And in view of their contentiousness He was even more sanctified as a result of His graciousness being revealed in the face of their contention. <\/p>\n Perhaps we may conclude this section by again drawing attention to the word play on Miriam (mrym) and Meribah (mrybh). The section commences with the death of mrym and ends with the waters of mrybh. This is surely deliberate. It indicates the passing away of the old order. First in the death of Miriam, and then in embryo in the coming death of Aaron and Moses. For at the waters of mrybh not only did the people quarrel (ryb) with God, but God quarrelled with Moses and Aaron. But it also indicates that after death came life through the waters. The advance had begun. But they had to learn stage by stage that it would not always be straightforward. <\/p>\n EXCURSUS Note on Kadesh.<\/strong> <\/p>\n In the time of Abraham a place called En Mishpat was seen as later called Kadesh (Gen 14:7<\/span>), which was ‘in the country of the Amalekites’, a wilderness tribe. In Num 20:16<\/span> a Kadesh is declared to be a city on the border of the Edom (compare Kedesh in Jos 15:23<\/span>). One problem that we have here is that we do not know how far the borders of Edom extended, but it is very doubtful if they reached to Kadesh-barnea. Secondly it may well be that this Kadesh was called Kadesh (qdsh – holy place) by Israel, simply because that was where Yahweh was sanctified in the eyes of Israel (Num 20:13<\/span>). The names are given so that the people of Israel can identify the places. Most places around that area would have different names to different peoples, each identifying them in their own terms. It is doubtful how many places, if at all, would have standard names. However, a Kadesh is mentioned in Gen 16:14<\/span>; Gen 20:1<\/span>, thus the name for at least one site appears to come from earlier times. <\/p>\n Kadesh-barnea is not referred to as such until Num 32:8<\/span>; Num 34:4<\/span>; Deu 1:2<\/span>; Deu 1:19<\/span>; Deu 2:14<\/span>; Deu 9:23<\/span>; Jos 10:41<\/span>; Jos 15:3<\/span> and was the Kadesh from which the scouts went out and to which they returned. ‘Barnea’ may well have been added simply to distinguish it because it was well known that there was another Kadesh. Kadesh-barnea may, in fact, be identifiable with ‘Ain Qudeirat, where a small fortress would later be built in 10th century BC, and it is possible that it was originally called Barnea. It is noteworthy that it is not mentioned in the itinerary in Numbers 33<\/span> until the second visit in Num 33:36<\/span>, whereas an earlier visit must have been made around Num 20:17-18<\/span>, as mentioned in Num 13:26<\/span> and in the above references. Perhaps then it was called Rithmah. Or Rithmah may have been a more important landmark, only being superseded because of the events Numbers 20<\/span>. There were a number of oases around Kadesh-barnea. In view of the meaning of the name, ‘holy place’, it is not inconceivable that there were a number of Kadeshes. End of Excursus. <\/p>\n Num 20:13<\/span><\/em><\/strong>. <\/strong>This is the water of Meribah<\/em><\/strong><\/strong> So called from chiding <\/em>or strife; <\/em>and in Deu 32:51<\/span> distinguished from the other Meribah <\/em>at Horeb, by the name of Meribah Kadesh. Here God was sanctified in them; i.e.<\/em> glorified his power, goodness, and truth, in the eyes of the Israelites, by this signal miracle, and demonstrated his holiness and impartial justice, by punishing his greatest favourites for their incredulity. <\/p>\n REFLECTIONS.<\/strong>Their years of wandering are now drawing to an end. The former generation being nearly consumed, the people once more see their faces toward the promised land, and encamp in Kadesh, near the borders of Edom, where we have, <\/p>\n 1. Miriam’s death. Though forgiven her murmuring, at Moses’s intercession, she is excluded Canaan. Note; <\/em>We may, for our sins, be corrected with temporal afflictions, though God has forgiven them, and saved us from eternal death. 2. The murmuring of the people for want of water. Note; <\/em>(1.) It is too common for children to imitate their fathers’ bad examples. (2.) They who cannot put up with inconveniences in their journey to Heaven, must never think of going thither. Never was greater unthankfulness and perverseness seen than in this people: instead of being affected with God’s mercy in sparing them, they wish to have died with their brethren by the plague; and quarrel with Moses for having brought them from Egypt, though such an iron furnace, because of a present difficulty, which, by past experience, they might be assured God could easily remove. Note; <\/em>They who seek occasion to quarrel will find fault with the best services done them, and reproach with ill intentions the friends to whom they have been most obliged. 3. Moses and Aaron fly to the sanctuary, and on their faces fall down, lest new judgments should overtake the people, and to beg direction how to act in the present emergency. Note; <\/em>In all troubles, approach to God is the surest means for direction and relief. 4. God appears, not as before, in anger to destroy them, but in mercy to supply them. Note; <\/em>If God were strict to visit for all our offences, the Spirit would fail before him. He often thinketh upon mercy when we deserve punishment. Moses is ordered to take the rod of God, and, in the presence of all the people, to speak to the rock, and the streams shall immediately flow. Behold, (1.) The rich grace of God to rebellious people. (2.) The power of God magnified in such a miracle. Are our hearts hard as this rock? The word of God can cleave them, and open sluices of penitential tears. 5. Moses and Aaron obey; but in such a manner as displeased their Master, and brought upon them exclusion from the land to which they were conducting the people. They were guilty of two great sins in this matter: (1.) Unbelief. They doubted whether God would really bring water from the rock for such a people. Note; <\/em>No sin among God’s people is more besetting, or more dangerous, than unbelief. (2.) Passion. They were out of patience with them, angrily abuse them as rebels, and, instead of calmly commanding the water to flow, Moses with repeated vehemence smites the rock; and as Israel were spectators of this hasty conduct, the offence was the greater. Note; <\/em>(1.) Great provocations are no excuse for passion. (2.) The meekest men need watch over a self-willed spirit. (3.) If anger kindle in our heart, the more cause have we to keep our lips, as it were, with a bridle. (4.) That reproach may be very just, which in our mouth, as flowing from an enraged heart, may to us be exceeding evil. 6. God’s displeasure at Moses and Aaron; and their punishment is to die in the wilderness. Note; <\/em>(1.) God’s own people must not think they shall sin with impunity. No; God, as he expects more from them, will often correct them more severely than others. (2.) The record Moses bears against himself is a proof of his impartiality, and a gracious token of his humiliation under his offence. 7. The place is called Meribah, like that other where they murmured and strove with God before. It is good to remark the place and spot where our sins have been committed, that we may, whenever we pass by, look, and be confounded on the remembrance of them. <\/p>\n It should be observed, that there are two Meribahs. The one is mentioned, Exo 17:7<\/span> . The other is this Meribah-Kadish. Deu 32:51<\/span> .<\/p>\n Num 20:13 This [is] the water of Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with the LORD, and he was sanctified in them.<\/p>\n Ver. 13. And he was sanctified in them.<\/strong> ] By overcoming their evil with good; striking the rock for them, when he might justly have stricken them with utter destruction. Man’s badness interrupteth not the course of God’s goodness; “his unbelief maketh not the faith of God without effect.” Rom 3:3 <\/p>\n Meribah = contention. Psa 106:32, &c. <\/p>\n He was sanctified = He hallowed Himself. See note on “holy”, Exo 3:5. Compare Eze 38:23. <\/p>\n the water: Deu 33:8, Psa 95:8, Psa 106:32-48 <\/p>\n Meribah: i.e. Strife, Exo 17:7, Deu 32:51, Meribah-Kadesh <\/p>\n he was: Isa 5:16, Eze 20:41, Eze 36:23, Eze 38:16 <\/p>\n Reciprocal: Num 27:14 – Meribah Deu 6:16 – tempted him Psa 81:7 – proved Isa 8:13 – Sanctify Eze 47:19 – strife Eze 48:28 – strife in Kadesh<\/p>\n Num 20:13. Meribah That is, strife. In them Or, among them, the children of Israel, by the demonstration of his omnipotency, veracity, and clemency toward the Israelites, and of his impartial holiness and severity against sin, even in his greatest friends and favourites.<\/p>\n 20:13 This [is] the water of Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with the LORD, and he {h} was sanctified in them.<\/p>\n (h) By showing himself almighty and maintaining his glory.<\/p>\n This [is] the water of Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with the LORD, and he was sanctified in them. 13. he was sanctified in them ] The verb is from the same root as that of Kadesh (‘sacred’), and there is perhaps an intentional play on the name. The expression means ‘he proved, … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Numbers 20:13”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4333","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4333","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4333"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4333\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4333"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4333"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4333"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"