Numbers 20:11

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

9Moses took his staff out of ⌞the tent in⌟ the Lord’s presence as he had been commanded. 10Then Moses and Aaron assembled the community in front of the rock and said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring water out of this rock for you?” Moses raised his hand and hit the rock twice with the staff. Water came pouring out, and all the people and their animals drank. 12But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “You didn’t trust me! You didn’t show the Israelites how holy I am! So you will not bring this congregation into the land I’m giving them.” 13This was the oasis of Meribah [Complaining], where the Israelites complained about the Lord and where he showed them he was holy.

Numbers 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 your staff, then you and your brother Aaron gather the community. Right before their eyes, tell the rock to give up its water. In this way you will give the community water from the rock for them and their animals to drink.”
• Leviticus 10:1Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu each took an incense burner and put burning coals and incense in it. Then in the Lord’s presence they offered this unauthorized fire.
• 1 Samuel 15:13Samuel came to Saul, who said, “The Lord bless you. I carried out the Lord’s instructions.”
• 1 Kings 13:21The Lord also called to the man of God. He said, “This is what the Lord says: You rebelled against the words from the Lord’s mouth and didn’t obey the command that the Lord your God gave you.
• 1 Chronicles 13:9But when they came to Chidon’s threshing floor, the oxen stumbled. So Uzzah reached out to grab the ark.
• 1 Chronicles 15:2Then David insisted that only the Levites carry God’s ark because the Lord had chosen them to carry his ark and to serve him forever.
• Matthew 28:20Teach them to do everything I have commanded you. “And remember that I am always with you until the end of time.”
• James 1:20An angry person doesn’t do what God approves of.
• Exodus 17:6I’ll be standing in front of you there by a rock at Mount Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.” Moses did this while the leaders of Israel watched him.
• Deuteronomy 8:15He was the one who led you through that vast and dangerous desert—a thirsty and arid land, with poisonous snakes and scorpions. He was the one who made water come out of solid rock for you.
• Hosea 13:5I took care of you in the desert, in a dry land.
• 1 Corinthians 10:4and all of them drank the same spiritual drink. They drank from the spiritual rock that went with 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

• Aaron
• Anger
• Blessing
• Disobedience to God
• Israel
• Miracles
• Rashness
• Trouble
• Water

In the dictionaries

• Moses
• Aaron
• Beast
• Exodus
• Meribah
• Refuse
• Agrapha
• Chronicles, Books of
• Chronology of the Old Testament
• Criticism

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