Lectionary Calendar
Thursday, July 24th, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
Attention!
StudyLight.org has pledged to help build churches in Uganda. Help us with that pledge and support pastors in the heart of Africa.
Click here to join the effort!

Read the Bible

THE MESSAGE

Numbers 20:4

This verse is not available in the MSG!

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Israel;   Moses;   Murmuring;   Trouble;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Desert, Journey of Israel through the;   Rocks;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Kadesh or Kadesh-Barnea;   Zin;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Kadesh-barnea;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Mourning;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Beast;   Meribah;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Aaron;   Kadesh Barnea;   Levi;   Meribah;   Numbers, the Book of;   Wilderness of the Wanderings;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Cattle;   Kadesh-Meribah;   Prophecy, Prophets;   Provocation;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Aaron;   Congregation, Assembly;   Jephthah;   Massah and Meribah;   Moses;   Numbers, Book of;   Zin;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Kadesh, Kadeshbarnea ;   Wanderings of the Israelites;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Balaam;   Kadesh-barnea;   Levi;   Rebels;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Journeyings of israel from egypt to canaan;   Kadesh;   Meribali;   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;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Exodus, Book of;   Kadesh;   Water;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
Why have you brought the assembly of the LORD into this wilderness, that we should die there, we and our animals?
King James Version
And why have ye brought up the congregation of the Lord into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there?
Lexham English Bible
Why have you brought the assembly of Yahweh, us and our livestock, into this desert to die here?
English Standard Version
Why have you brought the assembly of the Lord into this wilderness, that we should die here, both we and our cattle?
New Century Version
Why did you bring the Lord 's people into this desert? Are we and our animals to die here?
New English Translation
Why have you brought up the Lord 's community into this wilderness? So that we and our cattle should die here?
Amplified Bible
"Why have you brought up the assembly of the LORD into this wilderness to die here, we and our livestock?
New American Standard Bible
"Why then have you brought the LORD'S assembly into this wilderness, for us and our livestock to die here?
Geneva Bible (1587)
Why haue ye thus brought the Congregation of the Lorde vnto his wildernesse, that both we, and our cattell should die there?
Legacy Standard Bible
Why then have you brought the assembly of Yahweh into this wilderness, for us and our beasts to die here?
Contemporary English Version
You brought us into this desert, and now we and our livestock are going to die!
Complete Jewish Bible
Why did you bring Adonai 's community into this desert? To die there, we and our livestock?
Darby Translation
And why have ye brought the congregation of Jehovah into this wilderness, that we should die there, we and our beasts?
Easy-to-Read Version
Why did you bring the Lord 's people into this desert? Do you want us and our animals to die here?
George Lamsa Translation
Why have you brought the congregation of the LORD into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die here?
Good News Translation
Why have you brought us out into this wilderness? Just so that we can die here with our animals?
Christian Standard Bible®
Why have you brought the Lord’s assembly into this wilderness for us and our livestock to die here?
Literal Translation
And, why have you brought the assembly of Jehovah to this wilderness to die there, we and our animals?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Wherfore haue ye brought the congregacion of the LORDE in to this wildernesse, yt we shulde dye here with oure catell?
American Standard Version
And why have ye brought the assembly of Jehovah into this wilderness, that we should die there, we and our beasts?
Bible in Basic English
Why have you taken the Lord's people into this waste, for death to come to us and to our cattle there?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Why haue ye brought the congregation of the Lorde into this wildernesse, that both we and our cattell shoulde dye in it?
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And why have ye brought the assembly of the LORD into this wilderness, to die there, we and our cattle?
King James Version (1611)
And why haue yee brought vp the Congregation of the Lord into this wildernesse, that we and our cattell should die there?
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And wherefore have ye brought up the congregation of the Lord into this wilderness, to kill us and our cattle?
English Revised Version
And why have ye brought the assembly of the LORD into this wilderness, that we should die there, we and our cattle?
Berean Standard Bible
Why have you brought the LORD's assembly into this wilderness for us and our livestock to die here?
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Whi han ye led out the chirche of the Lord in to wildirnesse, that bothe we and oure beestis die?
Young's Literal Translation
and why have ye brought in the assembly of Jehovah unto this wilderness to die there, we and our beasts?
Update Bible Version
And why have you brought the assembly of Yahweh into this wilderness, that we should die there, we and our beasts?
Webster's Bible Translation
And why have ye brought the congregation of the LORD into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there?
World English Bible
Why have you brought the assembly of Yahweh into this wilderness, that we should die there, we and our animals?
New King James Version
Why have you brought up the assembly of the LORD into this wilderness, that we and our animals should die here?
New Living Translation
Why have you brought the congregation of the Lord 's people into this wilderness to die, along with all our livestock?
New Life Bible
Why have you brought the Lord's people into this desert, for us and our animals to die here?
New Revised Standard
Why have you brought the assembly of the Lord into this wilderness for us and our livestock to die here?
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Wherefore then hast thou brought the convocation of Yahweh into this desert, - to die there, we, and our cattle?
Douay-Rheims Bible
Why have you brought out the church of the Lord into the wilderness, that both we and our cattle should die?
Revised Standard Version
Why have you brought the assembly of the LORD into this wilderness, that we should die here, both we and our cattle?
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Why then have you brought the LORD'S assembly into this wilderness, for us and our beasts to die here?

Contextual Overview

1 In the first month, the entire company of the People of Israel arrived in the Wilderness of Zin. The people stayed in Kadesh. Miriam died there, and she was buried. 2There was no water there for the community, so they ganged up on Moses and Aaron. They attacked Moses: "We wish we'd died when the rest of our brothers died before God . Why did you haul this congregation of God out here into this wilderness to die, people and cattle alike? And why did you take us out of Egypt in the first place, dragging us into this miserable country? No grain, no figs, no grapevines, no pomegranates—and now not even any water!" 6 Moses and Aaron walked from the assembled congregation to the Tent of Meeting and threw themselves facedown on the ground. And they saw the Glory of God . 7 God spoke to Moses: "Take the staff. Assemble the community, you and your brother Aaron. Speak to that rock that's right in front of them and it will give water. You will bring water out of the rock for them; congregation and cattle will both drink." 9Moses took the staff away from God 's presence, as commanded. He and Aaron rounded up the whole congregation in front of the rock. Moses spoke: "Listen, rebels! Do we have to bring water out of this rock for you?" 11 With that Moses raised his arm and slammed his staff against the rock—once, twice. Water poured out. Congregation and cattle drank. 12 God said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you didn't trust me, didn't treat me with holy reverence in front of the People of Israel, you two aren't going to lead this company into the land that I am giving them." 13 These were the Waters of Meribah (Bickering) where the People of Israel bickered with God , and he revealed himself as holy.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

why: Numbers 11:5, Exodus 5:21, Exodus 17:3, Psalms 106:21, Acts 7:35, Acts 7:39, Acts 7:40

that we: Numbers 16:13, Numbers 16:14, Numbers 16:41, Exodus 14:11, Exodus 14:12, Exodus 16:3

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 6:16 - tempted him Joshua 7:7 - to deliver 2 Kings 3:9 - no water

Cross-References

Genesis 19:24
Then God rained brimstone and fire down on Sodom and Gomorrah—a river of lava from God out of the sky!—and destroyed these cities and the entire plain and everyone who lived in the cities and everything that grew from the ground.
Genesis 20:6
God said to him in the dream, "Yes, I know your intentions were pure, that's why I kept you from sinning against me; I was the one who kept you from going to bed with her. So now give the man's wife back to him. He's a prophet and will pray for you—pray for your life. If you don't give her back, know that it's certain death both for you and everyone in your family."
Genesis 20:17
Then Abraham prayed to God and God healed Abimelech, his wife and his maidservants, and they started having babies again. For God had shut down every womb in Abimelech's household on account of Sarah, Abraham's wife.
1 Chronicles 21:17
David prayed, "Please! I'm the one who sinned; I'm the one at fault. But these sheep, what did they do wrong? Punish me, not them, me and my family; don't take it out on them."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And why have ye brought up the congregation of the Lord into this wilderness,.... The wilderness of Zin, whither by various marches and journeys, and through different stations, they were at length come:

that we and our cattle should die there? with thirst; they seem to represent it, as if this was the end, design, and intention of Moses and Aaron in bringing them thither; their language is much the same with their fathers on a like occasion; which shows the bad influence of example, and how careful parents should be of their words and actions, that their posterity be not harmed by them; see Exodus 17:3.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The language of the murmurers is noteworthy. It has the air of a traditional remonstrance handed down from the last generation. Compare marginal references.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile