Christian Standard Bible
Numbers 20:11
11Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff, so that abundant water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.
Numbers 20:11 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice, and water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their livestock.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank.
Context of Numbers 20:11
9So Moses took the staff from the Lord’s presence just as he had commanded him. 10Moses and Aaron summoned the assembly in front of the rock, and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels! Must we bring water out of this rock for you?” Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff, so that abundant water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank. 12But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust me to demonstrate my holiness in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this assembly into the land I have given them.” 13These are the Waters of Meribah, where the Israelites quarreled with the Lord, and he demonstrated his holiness to them.
Read all of Numbers 20Numbers 20:11 word by word
וַיָּ֨רֶם מֹשֶׁ֜ה אֶת־יָד֗וֹ וַיַּ֧ךְ אֶת־הַסֶּ֛לַע בְּמַטֵּ֖הוּ פַּעֲמָ֑יִם וַיֵּצְאוּ֙ מַ֣יִם רַבִּ֔ים וַתֵּ֥שְׁתְּ הָעֵדָ֖ה וּבְעִירָֽם׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Mosesמֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872
- lifted upרוּםrûm · to exaltH7311
- his handיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
- and with his rodמַטֶּהmaţţeh maţţâh · tribe: rodH4294
- he smoteנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
- the rockסֶ֫לַעsela‛ · cragH5553
- twiceפַּ֫עַםpa‛am pa‛ămâh · beatH6471
- and the waterמַיmayim · waterH4325
- came outיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: issueH3318
- abundantlyרַבrab · manyH7227
- and the congregationעֵדָה‛êdâh · congregationH5712
- drankשָׁתָהshâthâh · to drinkH8354
- and their beastsבְּעִירbe‛îyr · cattleH1165
Cross-references for Numbers 20:11
- Numbers 20:8“Take the staff and assemble the community. You and your brother Aaron are to speak to the rock while they watch, and it will yield its water. You will bring out water for them from the rock and provide drink for the community and their livestock.”
- Leviticus 10:1Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu each took his own firepan, put fire in it, placed incense on it, and presented unauthorized fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded them to do.
- 1 Samuel 15:13When Samuel came to him, Saul said, “May the Lord bless you. I have carried out the Lord’s instructions.”
- 1 Kings 13:21and the prophet cried out to the man of God who had come from Judah, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Because you rebelled against the Lord’s command and did not keep the command that the Lord your God commanded you —
- 1 Chronicles 13:9When they came to Chidon’s threshing floor, Uzzah reached out to hold the ark because the oxen had stumbled.
- 1 Chronicles 15:2Then David said, “No one but the Levites may carry the ark of God, because the Lord has chosen them to carry the ark of the Lord and to minister before him forever.”
- Matthew 28:20teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
- James 1:20for human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness.
- Exodus 17:6I am going to stand there in front of you on the rock at Horeb; when you hit the rock, water will come out of it and the people will drink.” Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel.
- Deuteronomy 8:15He led you through the great and terrible wilderness with its poisonous snakes and scorpions, a thirsty land where there was no water. He brought water out of the flint rock for you.
- Hosea 13:5I knew you in the wilderness, in the land of drought.
- 1 Corinthians 10:4and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ.
Commentaries on Numbers 20:11
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 11The command Numbers 20:8 was “Speak ye unto the rock.” The act of smiting, and especially with two strokes, indicates violent irritation on the part of Moses; as does also his unseemly mode of addressing the people: “Hear now, ye rebels.” The form too of the question, “must we, etc.,” directs the people not, as ought to have been the case, to God as their deliverer, but to Moses and Aaron personally. In fact the faithful servant of God, worn out by the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 10-12Instead of obeying God's instructions with respect, Moses criticized the people (Must we bring you water out of this rock?). Moses then hit the rock twice with his staff (20:11). God considered the words and actions of Moses as a serious lack of faith. Moses "spoke rashly" (Psalm 106:32–33; compare James 1:20). Moses did not trust God enough to show God’s holiness to the people. God had told Moses exactly what to do. By acting differently, Moses showed a…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2-132-13. there was no water for the congregation--There was at Kadesh a fountain, En-Mishpat (Ge 14:7), and at the first encampment of the Israelites there was no want of water. It was then either partially dried up by the heat of the season, or had been exhausted by the demands of so vast a multitude.Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 20:11
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Numbers 20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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