(A)“Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation together. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water; thus (B)you shall bring water for them out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their animals.” So Moses took the rod (C)from before the Lord as He commanded him.

10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock; and he said to them, (D)“Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?” 11 Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; (E)and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank.

12 Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Because (F)you did not believe Me, to (G)hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.”

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The Waters of Meribah

“Take (A)the staff; and you and your brother Aaron assemble the congregation and speak to the rock before their eyes, that it shall yield its water. So you shall bring water for them out of the rock, and have the congregation and their livestock drink.”

So Moses took the staff (B)from before the Lord, just as He had commanded him; 10 and Moses and Aaron summoned the assembly in front of the rock. And he said to them, “(C)Listen now, you rebels; shall we bring water for you out of this rock?” 11 Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff; and (D)water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their livestock drank. 12 But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “(E)Since you did not trust in Me, to treat Me as holy in the sight of the sons of Israel, for that reason you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.”

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The Water of Meribah

“Take the rod; and you and your brother Aaron assemble the congregation and speak to the rock [a]in front of them, so that it will pour out its water. In this way you shall bring water for them out of the rock and let the congregation and their livestock drink [fresh water].”

So Moses took the rod from before the Lord, just as He had commanded him; 10 and Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly before the rock. Moses said to them, “Listen now, you rebels; must we bring you water out of this rock?” 11 Then Moses raised his hand [in anger] and with his rod he struck the rock twice [instead of speaking to the rock as the Lord had commanded]. And the water poured out abundantly, and the congregation and their livestock drank [fresh water]. 12 But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you have not believed (trusted) Me, to treat Me as holy in the sight of the sons of Israel, you therefore [b]shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.”(A)

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 20:8 Lit before their eyes.
  2. Numbers 20:12 Moses apparently allowed his anger and frustration with the Israelites to blind him to the significance of what God had instructed. Although thoroughly exasperated by the Israelites, Moses was still held accountable for his behavior.

“Take the staff,(A) and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water.(B) You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink.”

So Moses took the staff(C) from the Lord’s presence,(D) just as he commanded him. 10 He and Aaron gathered the assembly together(E) in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?”(F) 11 Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water(G) gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.

12 But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy(H) in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.”(I)

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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.

And Moses took the rod from before the Lord, as he commanded him.

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?

11 And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.

12 And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.

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