1._Then came the children of Israel. _In the twenty-third chapter of this book many intermediate stations are mentioned, which are not here referred to: perhaps because, from the time that God compelled them to draw back, _they _had made no advance for thirty whole years, but had wandered about by c... [ Continue Reading ]
2._And there was no water for the congregation. _We have already seen a similar, though not the same, history. For, when the people had hardly come out of Egypt, they began to rebel in Rephidim on account of the scarcity of water; and now, after thirty-eight years, or thereabouts, a new sedition aro... [ Continue Reading ]
6._And Moses and Aaron went from the presence. _It is probable that they fled in fear, inasmuch as the tabernacle was a kind of refuge for them from the violence of the people. Still, we may conjecture from other passages that they had consideration not only for themselves, but for the wretched peop... [ Continue Reading ]
8._Take the rod. _It is unquestionable that the faith of Moses had now begun to waver; but we gather from his prompt obedience that it had not altogether failed; for he wastes no time in discussion, but comes straight to the rock in order that he may perform God’s command. His faith, then, was only... [ Continue Reading ]
10._And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together. _There is no doubt but that Moses was perplexed between hope and doubt, so that, although he committed the event to God, he was still to a certain extent oppressed with anxiety; for he would never have been so ready and prompt in obeying, a... [ Continue Reading ]
12._And the Lord spoke unto Moses and Aaron. _God here both sets forth their crime, and pronounces its punishment. Now, whilst unbelief is in itself a gross and detestable evil, God aggravates its guilt by declaring its consequence, viz., that He was defrauded of His glory, when Moses and Aaron, who... [ Continue Reading ]
13._This is the water of Meribah. _(110) This name was given: to the place in order that the ingratitude of their fathers might be detestable to their descendants, and hence the mercy of God more illustrious. Thus the Prophet, referring to it, says: “That the generation to come might know them, — t... [ Continue Reading ]
Numbers 20:14._Thou knowest all the travel that hath befallen us. _This preface was well calculated to conciliate favor, when the sons of Jacob, descended from the same blood, familiarly approached the Edomites: for their connection ought to have rendered them hospitable. But there are two principal... [ Continue Reading ]
19._And the children of Israel said unto him. _It is doubtful whether or not the ambassadors were sent a second time, in order to remove all unjust suspicions, and to appease the ferocity (of the Edomites.) It is probable, however, that we have the relation of what was done in one and the same exped... [ Continue Reading ]
23._And the Lord spoke unto Moses. _First of all, in the death of Aaron, we must consider the execution of the sentence, whereby he had been condemned; for God wished to show that He had not threatened either him or Moses in vain, with what then occurred, as children are wont to be threatened. If Aa... [ Continue Reading ]
25._Take Aaron and Eleazar his son. _Aaron’s successor was to be designated whilst he was himself still living; first of all, that the perpetuity of the priesthood might be secured; and, secondly, lest the people, with their usual temerity, should take upon themselves the election in a matter depend... [ Continue Reading ]
29._And when all the congregation saw. _This has been an error common to almost all nations and ages, but which reigned peculiarly amongst the people of Israel — to pay due honor to God’s holy servants, rather after their deaths than in their lives. They had frequently wished to stone Aaron; they ha... [ Continue Reading ]