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Sunday, July 20th, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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Read the Bible

Geneva Bible

Numbers 20:11

Then Moses lift vp his hande, and with his rod he smote the rocke twise, and the water came out aboundantly: so the Congregation, and their beastes dranke.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Aaron;   Anger;   Blessing;   Disobedience to God;   Israel;   Miracles;   Rashness;   Trouble;   Water;   Scofield Reference Index - Miracles;   Thompson Chain Reference - Bible Stories for Children;   Children;   Disobedience;   Home;   Miracles;   Obedience-Disobedience;   Pleasant Sunday Afternoons;   Presumption;   Prudence-Rashness;   Religion;   Rock;   Stories for Children;   Water;   The Topic Concordance - Foundation;   Jesus Christ;   Living Waters;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Anger;   Desert, Journey of Israel through the;   Disobedience to God;   Miracles Wrought through Servants of God;   Rocks;   Water;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Aaron;   Kadesh or Kadesh-Barnea;   Lehi;   Miracle;   Zin;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Aaron;   Kadesh-barnea;   Moses;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Fulfillment;   Moses;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Mourning;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Aaron;   Beast;   Meribah;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Aaron;   Enhakkore;   Kadesh Barnea;   Levi;   Meribah;   Moses;   Numbers, the Book of;   Rephidim;   Wilderness of the Wanderings;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Aaron;   Aaron's Rod;   Kadesh-Meribah;   Prophecy, Prophets;   Provocation;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Aaron;   Jephthah;   Massah and Meribah;   Moses;   Numbers, Book of;   Zin;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Living (2);   Moses ;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Aaron;   Kadesh, Kadeshbarnea ;   Miracles;   Moses ;   Wanderings of the Israelites;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Balaam;   Kadesh-barnea;   Levi;   Rebels;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Chief parables and miracles in the bible;   Journeyings of israel from egypt to canaan;   Kadesh;   Meribali;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Aaron;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Rock;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Moses;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - On to Canaan;   Moses, the Man of God;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Criticism (the Graf-Wellhausen Hypothesis);   Massah and Meribah;   Moses;   Pentateuch;   Rock;   Spiritual Drink;   Wrath (Anger);   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Aaron;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Bemidbar Rabbah;   Calumny;   Elohist;   Exodus, Book of;   Kadesh;   Miriam;   Water;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
Moshe lifted up his hand, and struck the rock with his rod twice: and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their cattle.
King James Version
And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.
Lexham English Bible
Then Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice. And abundant water went out, and the community and their livestock drank.
English Standard Version
And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice, and water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their livestock.
New Century Version
Then Moses lifted his hand and hit the rock twice with his stick. Water began pouring out, and the people and their animals drank it.
New English Translation
Then Moses raised his hand, and struck the rock twice with his staff. And water came out abundantly. So the community drank, and their beasts drank too.
Amplified Bible
Then Moses raised his hand [in anger] and with his rod he struck the rock twice [instead of speaking to the rock as the LORD had commanded]. And the water poured out abundantly, and the congregation and their livestock drank [fresh water].
New American Standard Bible
Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their livestock drank.
Legacy Standard Bible
Then Moses raised high his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation and their beasts drank.
Contemporary English Version
He raised his stick in the air and struck the rock two times. At once, water gushed from the rock, and the people and their livestock had water to drink.
Complete Jewish Bible
Then Moshe raised his hand and hit the rock twice with his staff. Water flowed out in abundance, and the community and their livestock drank.
Darby Translation
And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his staff smote the rock twice, and much water came out, and the assembly drank, and their beasts.
Easy-to-Read Version
Moses lifted his arm and hit the rock twice. Water began flowing from the rock, and the people and their animals drank that water.
George Lamsa Translation
And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his rod twice; and the water came out abundantly, and the people drank and all their cattle also.
Good News Translation
Then Moses raised the stick and struck the rock twice with it, and a great stream of water gushed out, and all the people and animals drank.
Christian Standard Bible®
Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff, so that abundant water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.
Literal Translation
And Moses lifted up his hand and smote the rock with his rod twice; and much water came out; and the congregation and their animals drank.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And Moses lift vp his hande, & smote ye rocke wt the staffe two tymes. Then came ye water out abudantly, so yt the cogregacion dranke, and their catell also.
American Standard Version
And Moses lifted up his hand, and smote the rock with his rod twice: and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their cattle.
Bible in Basic English
And lifting up his hand, Moses gave the rock two blows with his rod: and water came streaming out, and the people and their cattle had drink enough.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Moyses lyft vp his hande, and with his rodde he smote the rocke two tymes, and the water came out aboundauntly, and the multitude dranke, and their beastes also.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Moses lifted up his hand, and smote the rock with his rod twice; and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their cattle.
King James Version (1611)
And Moses lift vp his hand, and with his rod he smote the rocke twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the Congregation dranke, and their beasts also.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his rod twice; and much water came forth, and the congregation drank, and their cattle.
English Revised Version
And Moses lifted up his hand, and smote the rock with his rod twice: and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their cattle.
Berean Standard Bible
Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff, so that a great amount of water gushed out, and the congregation and their livestock were able to drink.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And whanne Moises hadde reisid the hond, and hadde smyte the flynt twies with the yerde, largeste watris yeden out, so that the puple drank, and the beestis drunken.
Young's Literal Translation
and Moses lifteth up his hand, and smiteth the rock with his rod twice; and much water cometh out, and the company drink, also their beasts.
Update Bible Version
And Moses lifted up his hand, and smote the rock with his rod twice: and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their cattle.
Webster's Bible Translation
And Moses lifted his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts [also].
World English Bible
Moses lifted up his hand, and struck the rock with his rod twice: and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their cattle.
New King James Version
Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank.
New Living Translation
Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with the staff, and water gushed out. So the entire community and their livestock drank their fill.
New Life Bible
Then Moses lifted up his hand and hit the rock twice with his stick, and more than enough water came out. The people and their animals drank.
New Revised Standard
Then Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff; water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their livestock drank.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Moses lifted high his hand and smote the cliff with his staff, twice, - and there came forth water in abundance, and the assembly and their cattle, did drink.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And when Moses bad lifted up his hand, and struck the rock twice with the rod, there came forth water in great abundance, so that the people and their cattle drank,
Revised Standard Version
And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his rod twice; and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their cattle.
THE MESSAGE
With that Moses raised his arm and slammed his staff against the rock—once, twice. Water poured out. Congregation and cattle drank.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation and their beasts drank.

Contextual Overview

1 Then the children of Israel came with ye whole Congregation to the desert of Zin in the first moneth, and the people abode at Cadesh: where Miriam died, and was buried there. 2 But there was no water for the Congregation, and they assembled them selues against Moses and against Aaron. 3 And the people chode with Moses, & spake, saying, Would God we had perished, when our brethren died before the Lord. 4 Why haue ye thus brought the Congregation of the Lorde vnto his wildernesse, that both we, and our cattell should die there? 5 Wherefore nowe haue yee made vs to come vp from Egypt, to bring vs into this miserable place, which is no place of seede, nor figges, nor vines, nor pomegranates? neither is there any water to drinke. 6 Then Moses and Aaron went from the assemblie vnto the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, and fell vpon their faces: and the glory of the Lord appeared vnto them. 7 And the Lord spake vnto Moses, saying, 8 Take the rod, and gather thou & thy brother Aaron the Congregation together, & speake yee vnto the rocke before their eyes, and it shall giue foorth his water, and thou shalt bring them water out of the rocke: so thou shalt giue the Congregation, and their beastes drinke. 9 Then Moses tooke the rod from before the Lord, as he had commanded him. 10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the Congregation together before the rocke, and Moses sayd vnto them, Heare nowe, ye rebels: shall we bring you water out of this rocke?

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

smote: Numbers 20:8, Leviticus 10:1, 1 Samuel 15:13, 1 Samuel 15:14, 1 Samuel 15:19, 1 Samuel 15:24, 1 Kings 13:21-24, 1 Chronicles 13:9, 1 Chronicles 13:10, 1 Chronicles 15:2, 1 Chronicles 15:13, Matthew 28:20, James 1:20

the water: Exodus 17:6, Deuteronomy 8:15, Hosea 13:5, 1 Corinthians 10:4

Reciprocal: Numbers 1:50 - the tabernacle Numbers 20:24 - because ye Deuteronomy 32:51 - ye trespassed Psalms 74:15 - cleave Psalms 78:15 - General Psalms 78:20 - he smote Psalms 105:41 - opened Psalms 106:33 - Because Psalms 114:8 - General Isaiah 35:6 - for Isaiah 43:19 - rivers Isaiah 48:21 - he caused Jonah 4:4 - Doest thou well to be angry Habakkuk 3:9 - Thou Hebrews 2:2 - every

Cross-References

Genesis 12:12
Therefore it will come to passe, that when the Egyptians see thee, they will say, She is his wife: so will they kill me, but they will keepe thee aliue.
Genesis 20:1
Afterward Abraham departed thence toward the South countrey and dwelled betweene Cadesh and Shur, and soiourned in Gerar.
Genesis 20:4
(Notwithstanding Abimelech had not yet come neere her) And he said, Lord, wilt thou slay euen the righteous nation?
Genesis 22:12
Then he said, Lay not thine hand vpon the childe, neither doe any thing vnto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing for my sake thou hast not spared thine onely sonne.
Genesis 26:7
And the men of the place asked him of his wife, and he sayd, She is my sister: for he feared to say, She is my wife, least, sayde he, the men of the place shoulde kill me, because of Rebekah: for she was beautifull to the eye.
Genesis 42:18
Then Ioseph said vnto them the third day, This do, and liue: for I feare God.
Nehemiah 5:15
For the former gouernours that were before me, had bene chargeable vnto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, besides fourtie shekels of siluer: yea, and their seruants bare rule ouer the people: but so did not I, because of the feare of God.
Job 1:1
There was a man in the lande of Vz called Iob, & this man was an vpright and iust man, one that feared God, and eschewed euill.
Job 28:28
And vnto man he said, Behold, the feare of the Lord is wisedome, and to depart from euil is vnderstanding.
Psalms 14:4
Doe not all the workers of iniquitie know that they eate vp my people, as they eate bread? they call not vpon the Lord.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice,.... At first it only brought out some drops, as Jarchi conjectures, and therefore Moses smote again, when it brought forth water plentifully: the Targum of Jonathan says,

"at the first time it dropped blood, at the second time came out much water.''

Could this be credited, it would make the agreement between this rock and Christ appear very manifest, from whom, when his side was pierced with a spear, there came out blood and water, John 19:34 for justification and sanctification. In what respect this rock was a type of Christ, as the other at Horeb, and the smiting of it an emblem of Christ being smitten with the rod of justice, according to the law of God, and of the abundance of water flowing from it, as typical of the abundance of grace, and the blessings of it, as coming through a smitten wounded Saviour, John 19:34- :, where the same things are said of another rock as of this, and both types of Christ;

and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also; there was enough for them and their cattle; for it came out in great quantities, in large streams, so that it ran down like a river, and which gave them drink as out of the great depths,

Psalms 78:15, where the Psalmist makes mention of rocks in the plural number, for there were two that were smitten in two different places, and at two different times; the one was at Rephidim, the other, as here, in Kadesh; the one was in the first year of Israel's coming out of Egypt, this in the fortieth year of it; that was struck but once, this twice; of this second stone no mention is made by any traveller but one a, who coming from Mount Sinai, says,

"we passed by a large rock on our left hand, in which, as in the other rock which Moses struck with his rod, appear, from the bottom to the top, openings where water hath gushed out.''

a See a Journal from Cairo to Mount Sinai, 1722. p. 42, 43. Ed. 2.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The command Numbers 20:8 was “Speak ye unto the rock.” The act of smiting, and especially with two strokes, indicates violent irritation on the part of Moses; as does also his unseemly mode of addressing the people: “Hear now, ye rebels.” The form too of the question, “must we, etc.,” directs the people not, as ought to have been the case, to God as their deliverer, but to Moses and Aaron personally. In fact the faithful servant of God, worn out by the reiterated perversities of the people, breaks down; and in the actual discharge of his duty as God’s representative before Israel, acts unworthily of the great function entrusted to him. Thus, Moses did not “sanctify God in the eyes of the children of Israel.” Aaron might have checked the intemperate words and acts of Moses, and did not. Hence, God punishes both by withdrawing them from their work for Him, and handing over its accomplishment to another.


 
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