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Wednesday, August 6th, 2025
the Week of Proper 13 / Ordinary 18
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Read the Bible

The NET Bible®

Numbers 20:11

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.

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.
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.
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 entire community of Israel entered the wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh. Miriam died and was buried there. 2 And there was no water for the community, and so they gathered themselves together against Moses and Aaron. 3 The people contended with Moses, saying, "If only we had died when our brothers died before the Lord ! 4 Why have you brought up the Lord 's community into this wilderness? So that we and our cattle should die here? 5 Why have you brought us up from Egypt only to bring us to this dreadful place? It is no place for grain, or figs, or vines, or pomegranates; nor is there any water to drink!" 6 So Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the entrance to the tent of meeting. They then threw themselves down with their faces to the ground, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them. 7 Then the Lord spoke to Moses: 8 "Take the staff and assemble the community, you and Aaron your brother, and then speak to the rock before their eyes. It will pour forth its water, and you will bring water out of the rock for them, and so you will give the community and their beasts water to drink." 9 So Moses took the staff from before the Lord , just as he commanded him. 10 Then Moses and Aaron gathered the community together in front of the rock, and he said to them, "Listen, you rebels, must we bring water out of this rock for you?"

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
When the Egyptians see you they will say, ‘This is his wife.' Then they will kill me but will keep you alive.
Genesis 20:1
Abraham journeyed from there to the Negev region and settled between Kadesh and Shur. While he lived as a temporary resident in Gerar,
Genesis 20:4
Now Abimelech had not gone near her. He said, "Lord, would you really slaughter an innocent nation?
Genesis 22:12
"Do not harm the boy!" the angel said. "Do not do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God because you did not withhold your son, your only son, from me."
Genesis 26:7
When the men of that place asked him about his wife, he replied, "She is my sister." He was afraid to say, "She is my wife," for he thought to himself, "The men of this place will kill me to get Rebekah because she is very beautiful."
Genesis 42:18
On the third day Joseph said to them, "Do as I say and you will live, for I fear God.
Nehemiah 5:15
But the former governors who preceded me had burdened the people and had taken food and wine from them, in addition to forty shekels of silver. Their associates were also domineering over the people. But I did not behave in this way, due to my fear of God.
Job 1:1
There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. And that man was pure and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.
Job 28:28
And he said to mankind, ‘The fear of the Lord —that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.'"
Psalms 14:4
All those who behave wickedly do not understand— those who devour my people as if they were eating bread, and do not call out to 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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