Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Numbers
Book: Numbers
Chapter: 20
Overview:
The people come to Zin, They murmur for water,
Moses directed
to smite the
Rock, The infirmity of
Moses and
Aaron.
(1-13) The
Israelites are refused a
Passage through
Edom.
(14-21) Aaron
reigns the
Priest's office to
Eleazar, and dies in
Mount Hor.
(22-29)
1-13 After thirty-eight years' tedious abode in the
Wilderness,
the armies of
Israel advanced towards
Canaan again. There was
No
water for the
Congregation. We live in a wanting world, and
wherever we are, must expect to meet with something to
Put us
out. It is a great
Mercy to have plenty of water, a
Mercy which,
if we found the want of, we should more own the worth of.
Hereupon they murmured against
Moses and
Aaron. They spake the
same absurd and brutish language their fathers had done. It made
their crime the worse, that they had smarted
So long for the
discontent and distrusts of their fathers, yet they venture in
the same steps.
Moses must again, in
God's name, command water
out of a
Rock for them;
God is as able as ever to supply his
people with what is needful for them. But
Moses and
Aaron acted
wrong. They took much of the
Glory of this work of wonder to
themselves; "Must we fetch water?" As if it were done
By some
power or worthiness of their own. They were to speak to the
Rock, but they smote it. Therefore it is charged upon them, that
they did not sanctify
God, that is, they did not give to him
alone that
Glory of this
Miracle which was due unto his name.
And being provoked
By the people,
Moses spake unadvisedly with
his lips. The same pride of
Man would still usurp the office of
the appointed
Mediator; and become to ourselves
Wisdom,
Righteousness, and
Sanctification, and
Redemption. Such a state
of sinful independence, such a rebellion of the soul against its
Saviour, the voice of
God condemns in every page of the
Gospel.
14-21 The nearest way to
Canaan from the place where
Israel
encamped, was through the country of
Edom. The ambassadors who
were sent returned with a denial. The Edomites feared to receive
damage
By the Israelites. And had this numerous
Army been under
any other discipline than that of the righteous
God himself,
there might have been cause for this
Jealousy. But
Esau hated
Jacob because of the blessing; and now the
Hatred revived, when
the blessing was about to be inherited. We must not think it
strange, if reasonable requests be denied
By unreasonable men,
and if those whom
God favours be affronted
By men.
22-29 God bids
Aaron prepare to die. There is something of
displeasure in these orders.
Aaron must not enter
Canaan,
because he had failed in his duty at the waters of strife. There
is much of
Mercy in them.
Aaron, though he dies for his
transgression, dies with ease, and in honour. He is gathered to
his people, as one who dies in the arms of Divine
Grace. There
is much significancy in these orders.
Aaron must not enter
Canaan, to show that the Levitical priesthood could make nothing
perfect; that must be done
By bringing in a better
Hope.
Aaron
submits, and dies in the method and manner appointed; and, for
aught that appears, with as much cheerfulness as if he had been
going to
Bed. It was a great satisfaction to
Aaron to see his
son, who was dear to him, preferred; and his office preserved
and secured: especially, to see in this a figure of
Christ's
Everlasting priesthood. A good
Man would desire, if it were the
will of
God, not to outlive his usefulness. Why should we covet
to continue any longer in this world, than while we may do some
service in it for
God and our
Generation?