2 in Kadesh, and Mary died there, and was buried there. And there was no water for the congregation; and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. And the peo 6 THE FIRST MONTH,] To wit, of the fortieth year, after they were come up out of Egypt, as appeareth by Num. xxxiii. 38; compared with the 28th ver. of this chap., and Deut. ii. 1-7. So this was the last year of Israel's travel in the wilderness: and from the sending of the spies, Num. xiii. unto this time, was about thirty-eight years, Deut. i. 22, 23; ii. 14. In all which space, we see how few things are recorded concerning Israel; and the things that are mentioned, are partly their murmurings and rebellions, by which they provoked God, and for which they were punished: partly the means of grace, reconciliation and sanctification, taught them of the Lord, to be obtained by Jesus Christ, figured by the sacrifices and ordinances which Moses showed them, that it might appear, that where sin abounded, grace did much more abound,' Rom. v. 20. ABODE IN KADESH,] About four months they stayed here; then removing to mount Hor, there Aaron died, the first day of the fifth month, Num. xxxiii. 38. This Kadesh (which the Chald. named Rekam,) was either another wilderness, or another place in the wilderness, than that from which the spies were sent, Num. xiii. 26; called Kadesh barnea,' Deut. i. 19. Chazkuni here saith, "This is not the Kadesh whereof it is said, and ye abode in Kadesh many days,' (Deut. i. 46;) for that Kadesh is El-Pharan, Gen. xiv. 6; and is called Kadesh-barnea, and from thence the spies were sent; but this Kadesh in Num. xx. is in the wilderness of Zin, in the border of the land of Edom." After the rebellion of the spies, God sent the people back again through the wilderness towards the red sea, Num. xiv. 25; (where they might renew the memorial of their baptism, 1 Cor. x. 2;) and from Eziongaber (which is a port on the shore of the red sea,' 1 Kings ix. 26;) they removed next to this Kadesh, Num. xxxiii, 36. So Jephthah saith, Israel walked through the wilderness unto the Red sea, and came to Kadesh, Judg. xi. 16. MARY,] Heb. Mirjam; in Gr. Mariam: she was sister to Moses and Aaron, and a prophetess, by whom God guided the Israelites in their travels, as it is written, I sent before thee, Moses, Aaron, and Mary, Mic. vi. 4. Of her, see Exod. xv. 20; Num. xii. In this fortieth year of Israel's travel, God took from them by death, Mary their prophetess, in the first month; Aaron their priest, in the fifth month, Num. xxxiii. 38; and Moses their king in the end of the year, Deut. i. 3; and xxxiv. 5. When these three ministers of 3 the law were deceased, Jesus the son of Nun (a figure of Jesus the son of God) bringeth them into the promised land, Jos. i. 1, 2. &c.; so after the abrogating of the law, our Lord Jesus Christ bringeth us into the kingdom of God, Mark i. 15; Rom. vii. 4, 5, 6. Dan. ix. 24. VER. 2. THERE WAS NO WATER,] In the first year, when they were come out of Egypt to Rephidim in the wilderness, they wanted water, Exod. xvii; and in this last, the fortieth year, they wanted water again: here God tried the children, as he had done the fathers, and they also rebelled against him. And many things were like in both places. That Rephidim was the tenth encamping place or station from Egypt: this in Kadesh was the tenth encamping place before they entered Canaan, as by their rehearsal of their journeys in Num. xxxiii, is to be seen. There the people in their thirst, instead of praying unto God, contended with Moses, and murmured for that he had brought them out of Egypt, Exod. xvii. 2, 3; here they do the same, ver. 3, 4. There Moses cried unto the Lord for the outrage of the people, Exod. xvii. 4; here Moses and Aaron fall down before the Lord, ver. 6. There God promised and gave them water out of the rock, Exod. xvii. 6; here he doth likewise ver. 8. There God willed Moses to take his rod here also he commandeth him, Take the rod.' There the Lord promised to stand before Moses, Exod. xvii. 6; here his glory appeareth unto him and Aaron, ver. 6. There Moses by commandment smiting the rock with his rod, waters came out of it: here he smiting the rock without commandment, waters came out. There the place was named Meribah or Contention, Exod. xvii. 7; here the place is named Meribah, ver. 13. That was the people's sixth rebellion, after they were come out of Egypt, as is noted on Num. xiv. 22; this was their sixth rebellion after they were come from mount Sinai, (if we except the private murmuring of Mary and Aaron against Moses, Num. xii.) For the first was at Taberal, Num. xi. 1, 3; the next at Kibroth hattaavah, Num. xi. 24; then in the wilderness of Pharan, Num. xiv. 1, 2; after that followed the rebellion of Korah and his company, Num. xvi. and after it, of all the congregation, for the death of those rebels, Num. xvi. 41; now the sixth is in Kadesh. VER. 3.-CONTENDED,] Chode with bitter and reproachful words, which the Gr. transAND lateth, reviled; see Exod. xvii. 2. ple contended with Moses; and they said, saying, And oh that we had given up the ghost, when our brethren gave up the ghost before Jehovah. And why have ye brought the church of Jehovah into this wilderness to die there, we and our cattle? 5 And why 6 have ye made us to come up out of Egypt to bring us in, unto this evil place? it is no place of seed, or of figs, or vines, or of pomegranates, neither is there any water to drink. And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the church unto the door of the tent of the congregation, and they fell upon their faces, and the glory of Jehovah appeared unto them. And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, Take the rod, and gather together the congre OH,] Or, And would God. The word, And, showeth the passion of mind, out of which they spake abruptly: see the notes on Gen. xxvii. 28; Num. xi. 29. WE HAD GIVEN UP THE GHOST,] In Chald. we had died: in Gr. we had perished in the perdition of our brethren, before the Lord: whereby they seem specially to mean the pestilence (the last plague wherewith their brethren died, Num. xvi. 49;) which pestilence above other judgments, cometh most immediately from the hand of God, as David acknowledgeth, 2 Sam. xxiv, 14, 15. And this evil they wished, as being easier than to perish with hunger or thirst: as the prophet also complaineth, They that be slain with the sword, are better than they that be slain with hunger for these pine away, stricken through for the fruits of the field, Lam. iv. 9. Wherefore they here use the word giving up (or breathing out) the ghost; which seemeth to mean a more easy kind of death, than that which is by force of sword, or by hunger, or thirst, or other like violent means. So the Heb. explain, giving up the ghost, to be a death without pain or long sickness. VER. 4.-TO DIE THERE,] Understand, that we should die there with thirst; the Gr. translateth, to kill us and our children, which words they spake in Exod. xvii. 3. VER. 5.-OF SEED,] To sow seed in, or to plant fig-trees, vines, &c., for the wilderness was a land of deserts and of pits, a land of drought and of the shadow of death, a land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt,' Jer. ii. 6. Otherwise had there been commodiousness of place, the Israelites might have sown and reaped, planted and gathered fruits in those thirty-eight years, which they abode therein, Deut. ii. 14. VER. 6. FROM THE PRESENCE, Or, from the face, for fear of them, and because of their outrage; so in Rev. xii. 14; Ps. iii. 1. FELL ON THEIR FACES,] In prayer unto God, whose glory resided in that sanctuary: so in Exod. xvii. 4; Moses cried unto the Lord. See Num. xvi. 4, 45. APPEARED,] In the cloud, as Num. xii. 5; a sign that he heard their prayer, and would save them: see Num. xiv. 10; xvi. 19, 42. 6 VER. 8.-TAKE THE ROD,] In Gr. Take thy rod: so God spake before, in Exod. xvii. 5; but here, some gather from ver. 9. that it was the rod of Aaron which had budded, and was laid up before the testimony,' Num. xvii. 10; Chazkuni saith, "This was Aaron's rod, for lo, it is here written (in ver. 9.) And Moses took the rod from before the Lord, and this was the rod of Aaron, as it is written (in Num. xvii. 10.) Bring Aaron's rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a sign against the sons of rebellion: and forasmuch as Aaron's rod was a sign against the sons of rebellion, hereupon Moses said (in ver 10.) Hear now ye rebels." Howbeit Moses rod (which is also called the rod of God,' Exod. iv. 20; xvii. 9.) might be kept also in the sanctuary: and after in ver. 11. it is said, Moses smote the rock with his rod.' SPEAK YE UNTO THE ROCK,] He saith not, smite the rock: yet in ver. 11. Moses smote the rock; and in ver. 10. he spake to the people; but it is not said that he spake to the rock, as here he was com. manded. Some others think, that God's intention in bidding him, Take the rod, was to smite the rock with it; and that he sinned, not in smiting it, but in unbelief, for which he is blamed in ver. 12. IT SHALL GIVE FORTH HIS WATER,] Or, the waters of it; this promise of God, was that whereon the faith of Moses and Aaron should have rested. THOU SHALT BRING FORTH,] God was he that brought forth, and gave water to the people, as is often mentioned to his glory; He clave the rock in the wilderness, and gave drink as out of the great deeps, and brought forth streams out of the rock,' &c. Ps. lxxviii. 15, 16. So in Ps. cv. 41; cxiv. 8; Deut. viii. 15. Neh. ix. 15, 20. But that work is here ascribed to Moses ministerially, for that the waters should come out at his speaking. So in other works of grace, the ministers of the word are called saviours, gation, thou and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes, and it shall give forth his water: and thou shalt give forth to them water out of the rock; and thou shalt give the congregation and their cattle drink. And Moses took the rod from before Jehovah, as he commanded him. 10 And Moses and Aaron gathered together the church before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels, shall we bring forth water for you out of this rock? "And Moses lifted up his hand, and he smote the rock with his rod twice; and much water came out, and. the congregation drank, and their cattle. 12 And Jehovah said unto Moses and unto Aaron, Because ye Obad. ver. 21; for in the faithful performance of their office, they both save themselves, and those that hear them, 1 Tim. iv. 16. VER. 9. FROM BEFORE JEHOVAH,] That is, out of the tabernacle; for so the phrase importeth, as In Num. xvii. 7; Exod. xvi. 13, 34. VER. 10. HEAR NOW YE REBELS,] As here he speaketh to the people, who was bidden speak to the rock,' ver. 8; so the manner of his speech showeth great passion of mind, more than at other times: and the scripture noteth, that now the people had 'bitterly provoked his spirit, so that he spake unadvisedly (uttering his anger) with his lips,' Ps. cvi. 33. SHALL WE BRING FORTH WATER,] A speech of doubting and unbelief, both in Moses and Aaron, as in ver. 12. God blameth them because they believed not in him. So before, when Moses said, 'shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them,' &c., he was blamed with this answer, "Is the Lord's hand waxed short? Num. xi. 22, 23. Moses was sore moved against this latter generation of Israelites, who had seen so many miracles, and their fathers perished for rebellion, and yet they were not bettered: he might fear, lest for their sinning like their fathers, the Lord would leave them, as he after speaketh in Num. xxxii. 14, 15. 64 VER. 11.-LIFTED UP HIS HAND,] Another sign of indignation, being joined with smiting. TWICE,] the doubling of the stroke showed also the heat of his anger. Sol. Jarchi (on this place) conjectureth, that he smote it twice, because at first it brought forth but drops, (of water) because God had not bidden him smite it, but speak unto it." MUCH WATER,] Or, many waters. 'He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave drink, as out of the great deeps, Ps. lxxviii. 15. The unbelief of man maketh not the faith of God without effect, Rom. iii. 3. Moses and Aaron believed not God, to sanctify him, ver. 12; yet he faithfully kept his promise, and sanctified himself, ver. 13. THE CON GREGATION DRANK,] Thus the Lord knew his people in the wilderness, in the land of droughts,' Hos. xiii. 5. 'And they thirsted not, when he led them through the deserts; he caused the waters to flow out of the rocks for them he clave the rocks also, and the waters gushed out, Isa. xlviii. 21. The water out of the rock, besides the refreshing which it gave unto their bodies, was also a 'spiritual drink, from that spiritual rock Christ,' 1 Cor. x. 4; who being smitten for our transgressions, Isa. liii; with the rod of the law, which worketh wrath, Rom. iv. 15; from him proceeds the living water, wherewith the Israel of God may quench their thirst for ever, John iv. 10, 14. For whoso believeth in him, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water,' even the waters of the Holy Spirit, John vii. 38, 39. To these waters, every one that thirsteth' is called to come freely, Isa. Iv. 1; Rev. xxii. 17. THEIR CATTLE,] That water, which was both a natural and spiritual refreshing to the people, is given also to the beasts for their natural thirst, because the signs and seals of God's grace are such in respect of the use of them, to those unto whom they are sanctified of God for that purpose. So the waters of Jordan were sanctified for baptism, unto repentance, and believing sinners, Mat. iii. 6; which out of that use were common waters. And now, not only the Israelites' cattle, but the wild beasts also of the wilderness, had benefit by this mercy of God to his people: whereunto the Lord hath reference, when he saith by his prophet, The beasts of the field shall honour me, the dragons and the owls, because I give waters in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen,' Isa. xliii. 20. VER. 12.-YE BELIEVED NOT IN ME,] The Chald. expoundeth, ye believed not in my word. Thus unbelief was here the chief sin, and cause of other sins, as before in the people, Num. xiv; so here in Moses and Aaron, who were both partners in the trans. gression. And this their sin is called a re believed not in me, to sanctify me, in the eyes of the sons of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this church into the land which I have given them. 13 This is the water of Meribah, because the sons of Israel contended with Jehovah: and he was sanctified in them. And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh, unto the king of bellion against the mouth of the Lord, Num. xxvii. 14; and a transgression, Deut. xxxii. 51; which word, as R. Menachem here noteth, implieth, falsehood, as in Lev. vi. 2; it is joined with false denial: and the apostle saith, He that believeth not God hath made him a liar,' 1 John v. 10. TO SANCTIFY ME,] Inwardly in the heart by faith, outwardly by obedience, to do that which I commanded; and by both to ascribe unto me the glory of my truth and power. So when it is said, Sanctify the Lord of hosts,' Isa. viii. 13; the apostle expoundeth it, 'Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts,' 1 Pet. iii. 15. IN THE EYES,] The Gr. translateth it, before the sons of Israel. This seemeth to be the reason of God's severity at this time against Moses and Aaron, more than before, when Moses bewrayed also his unbelief, in Num. xi. 21-23; hecause he now publicly dishonoured God before all the people, (which did aggravate the sin) whereas the former time he did it not in their eyes, but in private before the Lord. THEREFORE,] Chazkuni observeth, that this word implieth an oath. Neither indeed could Moses' repentance or prayer get this sentence to be reversed: for when the Lord hath sworn, he will not repent, Ps. cx. 4. YE SHALL NOT BRING,] This chastisement was grievous unto Moses, so that he besought the Lord that he might go over, and see the good land; but the Lord was wroth with him for the people's sakes, and would not hear him, Deut. iii. 23-16. And as God here spake, so it came to pass; for Aaron died in mount Hor, Num. xx. 24-28; and Moses on mount Nebo, after he had seen the land with his eyes, but might not go over thither, Deut. xxxiv. The Psalmist saith, Thou wast unto them a God that forgiveth, and taking vengeance on their practices,' Ps. xcix. 8. Moses the minister of the law, though he guided Israel through the wilderness, to the borders of the promised land, yet could not bring the people there-into, but Jesus (or Joshua) his successor, gave them the possession of it; to signify, that the law (which 'worketh wrath,' Rom. iv. 15.) and the works thereof (by which no flesh shall be justified, Gal. ii. 16.) cannot bring us into the kingdom of God, but Jesus Christ (who hath loved us, and given himself for us) giveth us by faith the inheritance of the hea venly kingdom, Rom. iv. 24, 25; v. 1, 2. &c. Gal. ii. 16; iii. 43, 14. &c. VER. 13.-OF MERIBAH,] That is, of contention or strife; which the Gr. translateth, of contradiction; so called for a memorial of their sin, and for a warning to ages following, not to do the like; whereupon it is said by David, Harden not your heart, as in Meribah,' Ps. xcv. 8. The same name was given to the former place in Rephidim, Ex. xvii. 7. To distinguish between them, the scripture calleth this, 'Meribah of Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin,' Deut. xxxii. 51. CONTENDED WITH JEHOVAH,] In that they contended with Moses, ver. 3. it is accounted as contention against the Lord himself, as he told them before, in Exod. xvi. 8. The Gr. translateth it, reviled before the Lord. HE WAS SANCTIFIED,] Or, he sanctified himself in them. Though Moses and Aaron sanctified him not by faith and obedience, yet was he sanctified among the people, by the work of his grace, in giving waters for their thirst. Or, he was sanctified in them, that is, in Moses and Aaron, as Thargum Jonathan explaineth it: for by punishing their rebellion, he sanctified himself in them; as it is written, "That the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O God, before their eyes;" where it is understood of punishment; as it followeth, And I will plead against him with pestilence, and with blood, &c. thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself, and I will be known in the eyes of many nations,' Ezek. xxxviii. 16; xxii. 23. See also the annot. on Lev. x. 3. And thus Sol. Jarchi expoundeth it, "in them, for Moses and Aaron died because of them; for when the holy blessed God doth judgment, &c., he sanctifieth himself before his creatures; and so it is said, Fearful art thou, O God, out of thy sanctuaries," Ps. lxviii. 36. VER. 14.-EDOM,] The Edomites, the posterity of Esau, who was surnamed Edom, Gen. xxv. 30; xxxvi. 1. This message which Moses sent unto Edom, and all things about it following, were done by the direction and word of God, as appeareth by Deut. ii. 1, 2, 4, &c. THY BROTHER, ISRAEL,] So the whole nation is called, because Jacob, whose name was called Israel, Gen. xxxii. 28, was natural brother to Esau: and this title of brotherhood continued long after, as 15 16 Edom: thus saith thy brother Israel; thou knowest all the travel that hath found us. And our fathers went down into Egypt, and we have dwelt in Egypt many days, and the Egyptians did evil to us, and to our fathers. And we cried out unto Jehovah, and he heard our voice, and sent an angel, and hath brought us forth out of Egypt; and behold, we are in Kadesh, a city in the uttermost of thy border. "Let us pass, I pray thee, through thy country; we will not pass through the fields, or through the vineyards, neither will we drink of the water of the well: we will go by the king's way, we will not turn aside, to the right hand or to the left, until we have passed thy border. And Edom said unto him, Thou shalt not pass through me, lest I come out against thee with the sword. 19 And the sons of Israel said unto him, We will go up by the high-way; and if we drink of thy water, I and my cattle, then I will give the price of it; only without doing any thing else, I will pass through on my feet. And he said, Thou shalt in Obad. ver. 10, 12. Also the law saith, 'Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite, for he is thy brother,' Deut. xxiii. 7. TRAVEL THAT HATH FOUND US,] The wearisome molestation that hath befallen us. See the like phrase in Exod. xviii. 8; Neh. ix. 32. VER. 15.-INTO EGYPT,] The history hereof is in Gen. xlvi. DWELT,] Heb. sitten, that is, continued; in Gr. sojourned. MANY DAYS,] see Exod. xii. 40. DID EVIL] Afflicted with rigorous bondage, and other cruelty, see Exod. i, &c. VER, 16. WE CRIED OUT,] As is recorded in Exod. ii. 23. AN ANGEL,] This was Christ: see Exod. iii. 2; xiv. 19; xxiii. 20, with the annot. Some of the Hebs. under.. stand it of Moses, because the prophets are called Angels or Messengers, as in Judg. ii. 1; 2 Chron. xxxvi. 15,16; Hag. i. 13. IN KADESH, A CITY,] Or, by Kadesh, to wit, in the wilderness lying near, and having the name of Kadesh the city, Num. xxxiii. 36. The Chald. here and usually nameth it Rekam. VER. 17. THROUGH THY COUNTRY,] Because it was the nearest way: therefore when Edom refused to let them go through, they ' turned and passed by the way of the wilderness of Moab,' Deut. ii. 8; Judg. xi. 17, 18. THE VINEYARDS,] To rob, or make spoil of any man's goods. WATER OF THE WELL,] That is, of the wells, or, of any well: the Gr. translateth, of thy well: meaning either that they would not drink without paying for it, as in ver. 19; or, that they would drink of the rivers which were common, not of wells which were private, and digged of men for their own use. THE KING'S WAY,] That is, the high way, which is common for all to VOL. II. L 20 18 WITH VER. 18.-NOT PASS THROUGH ME,] That is, through my country, ver. 17, as the Chald. explaineth it, through my border. See the like phrase in Deut. ii. 30; Rom. xv. 28. LEST I COME,] it is a threatening which the Gr. explaineth, otherwise I will come see the annot. on Gen. iii. 3. THE SWORD,] The Chald. expoundeth it, with them that kill with the sword; the Gr. in war. It had been the duty of Edom, to have met their brother Israel with bread and with water in the way,' as God speaketh of the Moabites, Deut. xxiii. 4; but by this unkindness the Lord would have his people to see, how all worldly friends and kindred after the flesh will fail them, yea, and oppose them, that their hope and strength may be in him alone, Mat. x. 21, 22. VER. 19. THE HIGH WAY,] Or causey; that which before was called the king's way, ver. 17; the Gr. here translateth it, the mountain. THE PRICE,] Heb. the sale; which both Gr. and Chald. translate, the price. This was so commanded of God, Ye shall buy meat of them for money, that ye may eat: and ye shall also buy water of them for money, that ye may drink. For Jehovah thy God hath blessed thee in all the work of thine hand,' Deut. ii. 6, 7. WITHOUT DOING ANY THING ELSE,] Heb. without a word, that is, without any thing; which the Chald. explaineth, any evil thing, (or word.) VER. 20.- WITH MUCH PEOPLE,] Heb. with an heavy people; which the Chald. expoundeth, a great army. The scripture confirmeth this, as that which in 1 Kings iii. 9. is written an heavy (or weighty) people, is |