Lectionary Calendar
Monday, April 6th, 2026
Monday in Easter Week
Attention!
Take your personal ministry to the Next Level by helping StudyLight build churches and supporting pastors in Uganda.
Click here to join the effort!

Read the Bible

Myles Coverdale Bible

Numbers 20:11

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.

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.
Geneva Bible (1587)
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.
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.
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 And the childre of Israel came wt the whole cogregacion into the wildernesse of Zin in the first moneth, & the people abode at Cades. And there dyed Miriam, & was buried there. 2 And the congregacion had no water, & they gathered them selues together agaynst Moses & Aaron, 3 & the people chode with Moses, & sayde: Wolde God yt we had perished, whan oure brethre perished before the LORDE. 4 Wherfore haue ye brought the congregacion of the LORDE in to this wildernesse, yt we shulde dye here with oure catell? 5 And wherfore haue ye brought vs out of Egipte in to this place, where men can not sowe, where are nether fygges, ner vynes, ner pomgranates, & where there is no water to drynke? 6 And Moses & Aaron wete fro the congregacion vnto ye dore of ye Tabernacle of witnesse, & fell vpon their faces. And the glory of the LORDE appeared vnto them. 7 And the LORDE spake vnto Moses, and sayde: 8 Take the staffe, & gather the cogregacion together, thou & thy brother Aaron, & speake vnto the rocke before their eyes, & it shall geue his water. And thus shalt thou prouyde the water out of the rocke, & geue the congregacion drynke, and their catell also. 9 The toke Moses the staffe before ye LORDE, as he commaunded him, 10 & Moses & Aaron gathered the congregacion together before the rocke, & sayde vnto the: Heare ye rebellions: Shal we prouyde 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
Now whan the Egipcians se the, they wil saye: She is his wife, and so shal they slaye me, and saue the alyue.
Genesis 20:1
As for Abraham, he departed thence, into the south countre, and dwelt betwixte Cades and Sur, and was a straunger at Gerar,
Genesis 20:4
Neuertheles Abimelech had not yet touched her, and sayde: LORDE, wilt thou sley a righteous people?
Genesis 22:12
He sayde: Laye not thy handes vpon the childe, & do nothinge vnto him: for now I knowe that thou fearest God, and hast not spared thine onely sonne for my sake.
Genesis 26:7
And whan the men of the same place axed him of his wife, he sayde: she is my sister. For he was afrayed to saye: she is my wife, (thinkinge thus:) they might slaye me for Rebeccas sake, for she was beutifull to loke vnto.
Genesis 42:18
Vpon the thirde daye he sayde vnto the: Yf ye wil lyue, the do thus, for I feare God:
Nehemiah 5:15
For the olde Debytes that were before me, had bene chargeable vnto the people, and had take of the bred and wyne, and fortye Sycles of syluer: Yee and their seruauntes had oppressed the people. But so dyd not I, and that because of the feare of God.
Job 1:1
In the lode of Hus there was a man called Iob: an innocent and vertuous man, soch one as feared God, and eschued euell.
Job 28:28
And vnto man he sayde: Beholde, to feare the LORDE, is wy?dome: & to forsake euell, is vnderstondinge.
Psalms 14:4
Their mouth is full of cursinge and bytternes, their fete are swift to shed bloude. Destruccion & wretchednes are in their wayes, ad the waye of peace haue they not knowne: there is no feare off God before their eyes.

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.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile