Numbers 20:4

Numbers 20:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And why have ye brought up the congregation of the Lord into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there?
• New International Version (NIV)Why did you bring the Lord’s community into this wilderness, that we and our livestock should die here?
• English Standard Version (ESV)Why have you brought the assembly of the Lord into this wilderness, that we should die here, both we and our cattle?
• New King James Version (NKJV)Why have you brought up the assembly of the Lord into this wilderness, that we and our animals should die here?

Context of Numbers 20:4

2There was no water for the congregation, and they assembled themselves against Moses and Aaron. 3The people thus contended with Moses and spoke, saying, “If only we had perished when our brothers perished before the Lord! Why then have you brought the Lord’s assembly into this wilderness, for us and our beasts to die here? 5Why have you made us come up from Egypt, to bring us in to this wretched place? It is not a place of grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, nor is there water to drink.” 6Then Moses and Aaron came in from the presence of the assembly to the doorway of the tent of meeting and fell on their faces. Then the glory of the Lord appeared to them;

Numbers 20:4 word by word

וְלָמָ֤ה הֲבֵאתֶם֙ אֶת־קְהַ֣ל יְהוָ֔ה אֶל־הַמִּדְבָּ֖ר הַזֶּ֑ה לָמ֣וּת שָׁ֔ם אֲנַ֖חְנוּ וּבְעִירֵֽנוּ׃Read the interlinear

• Whyמָהmâh mah mâ ma meh · what?H4100
• then have you broughtבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
• the Lord’sיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• assemblyקָהָלqâhâl · assemblyH6951
• into thisזֶהzeh · thisH2088
• wildernessמִדְבָּרmidbâr · wildernessH4057
• for us and our beastsבְּעִירbe‛îyr · cattleH1165
• to dieמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• hereשָׁםshâm · thereH8033

Cross-references for Numbers 20:4

• Numbers 11:5We remember the fish which we used to eat free in Egypt, the cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic,
• Exodus 5:21They said to them, “May the Lord look upon you and judge you, for you have made us odious in Pharaoh’s sight and in the sight of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us.”
• Exodus 17:3But the people thirsted there for water; and they grumbled against Moses and said, “Why, now, have you brought us up from Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?”
• Psalms 106:21They forgot God their Savior, Who had done great things in Egypt,
• Acts 7:35“This Moses whom they disowned, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’ is the one whom God sent to be both a ruler and a deliverer with the help of the angel who appeared to him in the thorn bush.
• Numbers 16:13Is it not enough that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey to have us die in the wilderness, but you would also lord it over us?
• Exodus 14:11Then they said to Moses, “Is it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you dealt with us in this way, bringing us out of Egypt?
• Exodus 16:3The sons of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the Lord’s hand in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat, when we ate bread to the full; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”

Commentaries on Numbers 20:4

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2-6Verses 2-6 The language of the murmurers is noteworthy. It has the air of a traditional remonstrance handed down from the last generation. Compare marginal references.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2-13The people of Israel complained again about not having water and food (compare 11:4–35; 21:4–5; Exodus 15:22–25). So, Moses and Aaron disobeyed the Lord. As a result, they lost the privilege of entering the promised land.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 20:4

• Israel
• Moses
• Murmuring
• Trouble

In the dictionaries

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

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