1Die Söhne Jissraels, alle Gemeinschaft, kamen nach der Wüste Zin in der ersten Mondneuung, und das Volk blieb in Kadesch. Dort starb Mirjam und wurde dort begraben. 2Als nicht Wasser für die Gemeinschaft war, sammelten sie sich über Mosche und über Aharon, 3das Volk zankte mit Mosche, sie sprachen ihre Sprüche, so: Wären wir doch verschieden beim Verscheiden unsrer Brüder vor IHM! 4und: Warum habt ihr SEIN Gesamt in diese Wüste kommen lassen, hier zu sterben, wir und unser Vieh! 5und: Warum habt ihr uns heraufgebracht aus Ägypten, uns an diesen üblen Ort kommen zu lassen, einen Ort nicht von Saat, Feige, Rebe, Granatbaum, auch kein Wasser gibts zu trinken! 6Mosche und Aharon kamen vom Angesicht der Versammlung zum Einlaß des Zelts der Begegnung, sie fielen auf ihr Angesicht. SEINE Erscheinung ließ von ihnen sich schauen. 7ER redete zu Mosche, sprechend: 8Nimm den Stecken, versammle die Gemeinschaft, du und Aharon dein Bruder, und redet zum Felsen unter ihren Augen, daß er sein Wasser hergebe: Wasser führst du ihnen aus dem Felsen herauf und letzest die Gemeinschaft und ihr Vieh. 9Mosche nahm den Stecken vor SEINEM Angesicht hinweg, wie er ihm geboten hatte, 10Mosche und Aharon versammelten das Gesamt angesichts des Felsens. Er sprach zu ihnen: Hört doch, ihr Widerstrebenden! Sollen wir aus diesem Felsen euch Wasser heraufführen? 11Mosche erhob seine Hand, er schlug den Fels mit seinem Stecken zu zwei Malen, heraus fuhr viel Wasser, die Gemeinschaft trank und ihr Vieh. 12ER sprach zu Mosche und Aharon: Weil ihr mir nicht vertrautet, mich zu heiligen in den Augen der Söhne Jissraels, darum sollt nicht ihr dieses Gesamt in das Land kommen lassen, das ich ihnen gegeben habe. 13Das sind die Wasser von Gezänke, da die Söhne Jissraels mit IHM zankten, er aber erheiligte sich an ihnen. 14Mosche sandte Boten von Kadesch zum König von Edom: So spricht dein Bruder Jissrael: DU selber kennst alles Ungemach, das uns betroffen hat, 15wie unsre Väter hinab nach Ägypten kamen, wie wir viele Tage in Ägypten saßen, wie die Ägypter uns und unsern Vätern übel taten, 16wie wir zu IHM schrien und er unsre Stimme hörte, einen Boten entsandte, uns aus Ägypten führte. Und da sind wir in Kadesch, einer Stadt am Ende deiner Gemarkung. 17Laß uns doch dein Land durchschreiten! Wir wollen nicht Feld und Weinberg durchschreiten, wir wollen nicht Wasser aus Brunnen trinken, den Königsweg wollen wir gehn, nicht rechts noch links abbiegen, bis wir deine Gemarkung durchschritten haben. 18Edom sprach zu ihm: DU sollst mich nicht durchschreiten, sonst fahre ich aus mit dem Schwert dir entgegen. 19Die Söhne Jissraels sprachen zu ihm: Auf der Straße wollen wir hinanziehn, trinken wir von deinen Gewässern, ich und meine Herde, geben wir den Kaufpreis dafür, nur laß - nicht der Rede wert - mich mit meinen Füßen hindurchschreiten. 20Er sprach: Du sollst nicht hindurchschreiten. Edom fuhr aus, ihm entgegen, mit schwerem Volk mit starker Hand. 21Edom weigerte Jissrael zu verstatten, seine Gemarkung zu durchschreiten, und Jissrael bog ab von ihm. 22Sie zogen von Kadesch und kamen, die Söhne Jissraels, alle Gemeinschaft, zum Berge Hor. 23ER sprach zu Mosche und zu Aharon beim Berge Hor, als der Mark des Landes Edom, er sprach: 24Aharon werde eingeholt zu seinen Volkleuten, denn er soll nicht kommen in das Land, das ich den Söhnen Jissraels gebe, deswegen daß ihr meinem Mund widerstrebtet bei den Wassern von Gezänke. 25Nimm Aharon und Elasar seinen Sohn, lasse sie den Berg Hor ersteigen, 26streife Aharon seine Gewänder ab, bekleide damit Elasar seinen Sohn, Aharon soll dort eingeholt werden und sterben. 27Mosche tat, wie ER geboten hatte, sie stiegen den Berg Hor hinan vor den Augen aller Gemeinschaft, 28Mosche streifte Aharon seine Gewänder ab und bekleidete damit Elasar seinen Sohn. Aharon starb dort auf dem Haupt des Bergs, Mosche schritt herab und Elasar vom Berg. 29Sie sahen, alle Gemeinschaft, daß Aharon verschieden war, und sie beweinten Aharon dreißig Tage, alles Haus Jissrael.
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).
