Numbers 20:13

13 This is the water of Strife, because the children of Israel spoke insolently before the Lord, and he was sanctified in them.

Numbers 20:13 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 20:13

This is the water of Meribah
Or "strife": this is the name by which the water had in this place, and from this rock, was called; and which is the same name given to the place at Horeb, where a rock had been smitten, and water had flowed, as now, the first year they came out of Egypt; and to distinguish this from that, this is sometimes called Meribah-Kadesh, ( Deuteronomy 32:51 ) , this being at Kadesh, as that was at Rephidim:

because the children of Israel strove with the Lord:
for their chiding and striving with Moses was interpretatively striving with the Lord himself, whose ministers and servants they were:

and he was sanctified in them;
that is, the glory of his divine perfections was displayed in them; either in the waters fetched out of the rock, which was a proof of the almighty power of God, and of his truth and faithfulness to his promises; or in the children of Israel, in whose sight, and for whose sake this miracle was wrought: the Targum of Jonathan expressly says, in Moses and Aaron, in not sparing these his saints, but expressing severity towards them for their sin; so Jarchi and Aben Ezra interpret it.

Numbers 20:13 In-Context

11 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.

12 And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, Because ye have not believed me to sanctify me before the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.

13 This is the water of Strife, because the children of Israel spoke insolently before the Lord, and he was sanctified in them.

14 And Moses sent messengers from Cades to the king of Edom, saying, Thus says thy brother Israel; Thou knowest all the distress that has come upon us.

15 And our fathers went down into Egypt, and we sojourned in Egypt many days, and the Egyptians afflicted us and our fathers.