_THEN CAME THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, EVEN THE WHOLE CONGREGATION, INTO
THE DESERT OF ZIN IN THE FIRST MONTH: AND THE PEOPLE ABODE IN KADESH;
AND MIRIAM DIED THERE, AND WAS BURIED THERE._
Then came the children of Israel ... in the first month - i:e., of
the fortieth year (cf. Numbers 20:22, with Numb... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND THERE WAS NO WATER FOR THE CONGREGATION: AND THEY GATHERED
THEMSELVES TOGETHER AGAINST MOSES AND AGAINST AARON._
There was no water for the congregation. There was at Kadesh a
fountain, En-mishpat (Genesis 14:7), and at the first encampment of
the Israelites there was no want of water. It was... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND MOSES SENT MESSENGERS FROM KADESH UNTO THE KING OF EDOM, THUS
SAITH THY BROTHER ISRAEL, THOU KNOWEST ALL THE TRAVAIL THAT HATH
BEFALLEN US:_
Moses sent messengers ... unto the king of Edom. The Edomite monarchy
was elective, not hereditary-the electoral body being, as Kurtz (vol.
3:, p. 340) s... [ Continue Reading ]
_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 WELLS: WE WILL GO BY THE KING'S HIGH WAY, WE WILL NOT
TURN TO THE RIGHT HAND NOR TO THE LEFT, UNTIL WE HAVE PASSED THY
BORDERS._
We will go by the... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND EDOM SAID UNTO HIM, THOU SHALT NOT PASS BY ME, LEST I COME OUT
AGAINST THEE WITH THE SWORD._
No JFB commentary on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL SAID UNTO HIM, WE WILL GO BY THE HIGH WAY:
AND IF I AND MY CATTLE DRINK OF THY WATER, THEN I WILL PAY FOR IT: I
WILL ONLY, WITHOUT DOING ANY THING ELSE, GO THROUGH ON MY FEET._
If ... drink of thy water ... pay for it. From the scarcity of water
in the warm climates of t... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND HE SAID, THOU SHALT NOT GO THROUGH. AND EDOM CAME OUT AGAINST HIM
WITH MUCH PEOPLE, AND WITH A_ _ STRONG HAND._
No JFB commentary on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
_THUS EDOM REFUSED TO GIVE ISRAEL PASSAGE THROUGH HIS BORDER:
WHEREFORE ISRAEL TURNED AWAY FROM HIM._
Edom refused to give Israel ... - a churlish refusal obliged them to
take another route, and in submitting, instead of attempting, like a
military chief bent on plunder and conquest, to force a pas... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, EVEN THE WHOLE CONGREGATION, JOURNEYED
FROM KADESH, AND CAME UNTO MOUNT HOR._
The children of Israel ... journeyed from Kadesh. At that stage they
had three routes to Canaan to decide upon. The one that led northward
was the most direct and the shortest-that by which an... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND THE LORD SPAKE UNTO MOSES AND AARON IN MOUNT HOR, BY THE COAST OF
THE LAND OF EDOM, SAYING,_
No JFB commentary on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
_AARON SHALL BE GATHERED UNTO HIS PEOPLE: FOR HE SHALL NOT ENTER INTO
THE LAND WHICH I HAVE GIVEN UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, BECAUSE YE
REBELLED AGAINST MY WORD AT THE WATER OF MERIBAH._
Aaron shall be gathered unto his people. In accordance with his recent
doom, he, attired in the high priest's... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND WHEN ALL THE CONGREGATION SAW THAT AARON WAS DEAD, THEY MOURNED
FOR AARON THIRTY DAYS, EVEN ALL THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL._
When all the congregation saw. Moses and Eleazar were the sole
witnesses of his departure. According to the established law, the new
high priest could not have been present at... [ Continue Reading ]