1Prvního měsíce přišli synové Izraele, celá ta pospolitost, na pustinu Sin a lid pobýval v Kádeši. Tam zemřela Mirjam a byla tam pohřbena. 2Pospolitost neměla vodu, a tak se shromáždili proti Mojžíšovi a Áronovi. 3Lid se přel s Mojžíšem. Říkali: Kéž bychom zahynuli, když zahynuli naši bratři před Hospodinem! 4Proč jste přivedli Hospodinovo shromáždění do této pustiny, abychom tady zemřeli my i náš dobytek? 5Proč jste nás vyvedli z Egypta, abyste nás přivedli na toto zlé místo? Není to místo zrna a fíků, vinné révy a granátových jablek, ani zde není voda na pití! 6Mojžíš a Áron odešli od shromáždění ke vchodu do stanu setkávání a padli na tvář. I ukázala se jim Hospodinova sláva. 7Hospodin promluvil k Mojžíšovi: 8Vezmi hůl, svolej pospolitost, ty i tvůj bratr Áron, a promluvte před jejich zrakem ke skále a vydá vodu. Vyvedeš jim vodu ze skály a dáš napít pospolitosti i jejich dobytku. 9Mojžíš vzal hůl před Hospodinem, jak mu přikázal. 10Mojžíš s Áronem svolali shromáždění před skálu a řekl jim: Teď poslyšte, vy vzpurníci. Copak vám máme vyvést vodu z této skály? 11Mojžíš pozvedl ruku, dvakrát udeřil svou holí do skály i vyšlo množství vody a napila se pospolitost i jejich dobytek. 12Hospodin však řekl Mojžíšovi a Áronovi: Protože jste mi nevěřili a nedosvědčili jste moji svatost před očima synů Izraele, proto nepřivedete toto shromáždění do země, kterou jsem jim dal. 13Toto jsou Vody sváru, kde synové Izraele vedli při s Hospodinem a on se mezi nimi posvětil. 14Mojžíš poslal z Kádeše posly k edómskému králi: Toto praví tvůj bratr Izrael: Ty znáš všechny těžkosti, které nás postihly. 15Naši otcové sestoupili do Egypta; pobývali jsme v Egyptě po mnoho dní. Egypťané s námi a s našimi otci jednali zle. 16Když jsme křičeli k Hospodinu, uslyšel náš hlas, poslal anděla a vyvedl nás z Egypta. Hle, jsme v Kádeši, v městě na okraji tvého území. 17Dovol, ať projdeme tvou zemí. Nepotáhneme polem ani vinicí, nebudeme pít vodu ze studní; půjdeme královskou cestou, neuhneme napravo ani nalevo, dokud neprojdeme tvým územím. 18Edóm mu však odpověděl: Neprojdeš skrze mě, jinak proti tobě vytáhnu s mečem. 19Synové Izraele mu řekli: Půjdeme vzhůru po silnici, a jestliže se napijeme tvé vody, my a náš dobytek, zaplatíme za ni. Nic jiného, jenom chceme pěšky projít. 20On ale odpověděl: Neprojdeš. A Edóm proti němu vytáhl s množstvím lidu a s velkou mocí. 21Edóm odmítl nechat Izrael projít přes své území a Izrael před ním uhnul. 22Synové Izraele, celá ta pospolitost, vyrazili z Kádeše a přišli na horu Hór. 23Hospodin řekl Mojžíšovi a Áronovi na hoře Hór, na hranici edómské země: 24Áron bude připojen ke svému lidu — nevejde do země, kterou jsem dal synům Izraele, protože jste se vzepřeli mému příkazu při Vodách sváru. 25Vezmi Árona a jeho syna Eleazara a vyveď je na horu Hór. 26Svlékni Áronovi jeho roucho a oblékni jej jeho synu Eleazarovi. Áron bude připojen ke svému lidu, zemře tam. 27Mojžíš učinil, jak Hospodin přikázal. Před očima celé pospolitosti vystoupili na horu Hór. 28Mojžíš svlékl Áronovi jeho roucho a oblékl jej jeho synu Eleazarovi. Áron tam zemřel na vrcholu hory. Mojžíš pak s Eleazarem sestoupil z hory. 29Když celá pospolitost viděla, že Áron skonal, celý dům izraelský oplakával Árona po třicet dní.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 THE DEATH OF MIRIAM. (Num. 20:1-29)
Then came the children of Israel . . . into the desert of Zin in the first month--that is, of the fortieth year (compare
Num 20:22-
Num 20:23, with
Num 33:38). In this history only the principal and most important incidents are recorded, those confined chiefly to the first or second and the last years of the journeyings in the wilderness, thence called Et-Tih. Between
Num 19:22 and
Num 20:1 there is a long and undescribed interval of thirty-seven years.
the people abode in Kadesh--supposed to be what is now known as Ain-el-Weibeh, three springs surrounded by palms. (See on
Num 13:26). It was their second arrival after an interval of thirty-eight years (
Deut 2:14). The old generation had nearly all died, and the new one encamped in it with the view of entering the promised land, not, however, as formerly on the south, but by crossing the Edomite region on the east.
Miriam died there--four months before Aaron [
Num 33:38].
2 there was no water for the congregation--There was at Kadesh a fountain, En-Mishpat (
Gen 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.
6 Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly--Here is a fresh ebullition of the untamed and discontented spirit of the people. The leaders fled to the precincts of the sanctuary, both as an asylum from the increasing fury of the highly excited rabble, and as their usual refuge in seasons of perplexity and danger, to implore the direction and aid of God.
8 Take the rod--which had been deposited in the tabernacle (
Num 17:10), the wonder-working rod by which so many miracles had been performed, sometimes called "the rod of God" (
Exod 4:20), sometimes Moses' (
Num 20:11) or Aaron's rod (
Exod 7:12).
10 [Moses] said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?--The conduct of the great leader on this occasion was hasty and passionate (
Ps 106:33). He had been directed to speak to the rock [
Num 20:8], but he smote it twice [
Num 20:11] in his impetuosity, thus endangering the blossoms of the rod, and, instead of speaking to the rock, he spoke to the people in a fury.
11 the congregation drank, and their beasts--Physically the water afforded the same kind of needful refreshment to both. But from a religious point of view, this, which was only a common element to the cattle, was a sacrament to the people (
1Cor 10:3-4) --It possessed a relative sanctity imparted to it by its divine origin and use.
12 The Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, &c.--The act of Moses in smiting twice betrayed a doubt, not of the power, but of the will of God to gratify such a rebellious people, and his exclamation seems to have emanated from a spirit of incredulity akin to Sarai's (
Gen 18:13). These circumstances indicate the influence of unbelief, and there might have been others unrecorded which led to so severe a chastisement.
13 This is the water of Meribah--The word "Kadesh" is added to it [
Deut 32:51] to distinguish it from another Meribah (
Exod 17:7).
14 Moses sent messengers . . . to the king of Edom--The encampment at Kadesh was on the confines of the Edomite territory, through which the Israelites would have had an easy passage across the Arabah by Wady-el-Ghuweir, so that they could have continued their course around Moab, and approached Palestine from the east [ROBERTS]. The Edomites, being the descendants of Esau and tracing their line of descent from Abraham as their common stock, were recognized by the Israelites as brethren, and a very brotherly message was sent to them.
17 we will go by the king's highway--probably Wady-el-Ghuweir [ROBERTS], through which ran one of the great lines of road, constructed for commercial caravans, as well as for the progress of armies. The engineering necessary for carrying them over marshes or mountains, and the care requisite for protecting them from the shifting sands, led to their being under the special care of the state. Hence the expression, "the king's highway," which is of great antiquity.
19 if I and my cattle drink of thy water, then I will pay for it--From the scarcity of water in the warm climates of the East, the practice of levying a tax for the use of the wells is universal; and the jealousy of the natives, in guarding the collected treasures of rain, is often so great that water cannot be procured for money.
21 Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border, &c.--A churlish refusal obliged them to take another route. (See on
Num 21:4;
Deut 2:4; and
Judg 11:18; see also
1Sam 14:47;
2Sam 8:14, which describe the retribution that was taken.)
22 the children of Israel . . . came unto mount Hor--now Gebel Haroun, the most striking and lofty elevation in the Seir range, called emphatically "the mount" [
Num 20:28]. It is conspicuous by its double top.
24 Aaron shall be gathered unto his people--In accordance with his recent doom, he, attired in the high priest's costume, was commanded to ascend that mountain and die. But although the time of his death was hastened by the divine displeasure as a punishment for his sins, the manner of his death was arranged in tenderness of love, and to do him honor at the close of his earthly service. His ascent of the mount was to afford him a last look of the camp and a distant prospect of the promised land. The simple narrative of the solemn and impressive scene implies, though it does not describe, the pious resignation, settled faith, and inward peace of the aged pontiff.
26 strip Aaron of his garments--that is, his pontifical robes, in token of his resignation. (See
Isa 22:20-
Isa 22:25).
put them on his son--as the inauguration into his high office. Having been formerly anointed with the sacred oil, that ceremony was not repeated, or, as some think, it was done on his return to the camp.
28 Aaron died there in the top of the mount--(See on
Deut 10:6). A tomb has been erected upon or close by the spot where he was buried.
29 When all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead--Moses and Eleazar were the sole witnesses of his departure (
Num 20:28). According to the established law, the new high priest could not have been present at the funeral of his father without contracting ceremonial defilement (
Lev 21:11). But that law was dispensed with in the extraordinary circumstances. The people learned the event not only from the recital of the two witnesses, but from their visible signs of grief and change; and this event betokened the imperfection of the Levitical priesthood (
Heb 7:12).
they mourned for Aaron thirty days--the usual period of public and solemn mourning. (See on
Deut 34:8).