Numbers 20 12

Numbers 20:12 kjv

And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.

Numbers 20:12 nkjv

Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them."

Numbers 20:12 niv

But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them."

Numbers 20:12 esv

And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them."

Numbers 20:12 nlt

But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust me enough to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel, you will not lead them into the land I am giving them!"

Numbers 20 verses

Numbers 20 12 Meaning

Numbers 20:12 reveals God's divine judgment upon Moses and Aaron due to their actions at Meribah. Their specific transgression was a failure to trust in God completely and to properly sanctify (treat as holy) His name in the presence of the Israelite community. This act, contrary to God's explicit command to speak to the rock for water, resulted in the severe consequence that neither Moses nor Aaron would lead the people into the promised land, underscoring the high standards God holds for those in leadership, especially regarding their public demonstration of faith and reverence for His holiness.

Numbers 20 12 Context

Numbers chapter 20 takes place at a pivotal moment in Israel's journey through the wilderness—the fortieth year, just as the generation that wandered is dying off and a new generation is poised to enter the Promised Land. The immediate context sees the death of Miriam, Moses' sister, followed by a familiar complaint from the Israelites: a lack of water. This leads to the crucial incident at Meribah. God commands Moses to "speak to the rock" to bring forth water, demonstrating divine power through a simple command. However, Moses, perhaps exasperated by the people's repeated grumbling and his own frustration (evidenced by his exclamation, "Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?"), strikes the rock twice with his staff. This verse (20:12) is God's direct and swift judgment, indicating that Moses' action was not merely an error but a profound failure to trust God fully and honor His holiness before the very people He was leading.

Numbers 20 12 Word analysis

• And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron:
  • LORD (YHWH - יהוה): Refers to God's covenant name, signifying His unchanging, eternal, and personal character. His direct communication emphasizes the gravity of the leaders' responsibility and their accountability to His authority.
• Because ye believed me not:
  • believed me not (לא האמנתם בי - lo' he'emantem bi): Derived from the Hebrew root אמן (aman), meaning "to be firm, faithful, trust, believe." This signifies more than intellectual disbelief; it was a failure to rely fully and perfectly on God's specific instruction and His inherent power. Their action (striking instead of speaking) betrayed a lack of trust in God's simple, direct command, substituting human effort/impatience for divine omnipotence.
• to sanctify me:
  • sanctify (להקדישני - l'hakdishēni): From the root קדש (qadash), "to make holy, set apart, consecrate." This is the core offense. Moses and Aaron's deviation from God's command failed to demonstrate God's unique holiness and sovereign power to the people. By striking the rock rather than speaking to it, they potentially obscured God's glory, making it seem as if the miracle required human exertion or was attributed to Moses and Aaron's ability ("must we bring you water"). God’s command for speaking to the rock was intended to make His power clear, rather than confusing it with a repeated striking, which in their context was often associated with human effort or pagan rituals.
• in the eyes of the children of Israel:
  • Emphasizes the public nature and visible impact of their sin. As leaders, Moses and Aaron were meant to exemplify perfect faith and obedience, displaying God's glory and power. Their actions had profound implications for how the people perceived God, making their failure particularly grievous. It created an impression of their own power or exasperation, rather than God’s perfect, effortless provision.
• therefore ye shall not bring:
  • This direct, declarative judgment underscores the unwavering consequence for their actions. It is an immutable divine decree.
• this congregation:
  • Refers to the assembly of Israelites, specifically the generation ready to enter the Promised Land. This generation was different from the one that originally left Egypt, highlighting the seriousness that God demanded even of His faithful servants as they concluded a 40-year journey marked by His constant provision.
• into the land which I have given them:
  • The Promised Land, Canaan, the culmination of the Exodus. Moses' inability to lead the people into this land, despite his decades of faithful service, powerfully illustrates that even the greatest servants of God are held accountable to His perfect standards, especially concerning His glory. It also reminds that the land was a gift from God, not something to be earned.

Numbers 20 12 Bonus section

• Aaron's Complicity: Although Moses performed the physical act, Aaron, as co-leader, stood silently beside him, indicating his shared responsibility and thus the shared judgment. His death later also explicitly links to this transgression (Nu 33:38).
• The Symbolism of the Rock: The New Testament, particularly 1 Cor 10:4, identifies the rock in the wilderness as a symbol of Christ. In Exodus 17, the rock was struck, signifying Christ's initial suffering. In Numbers 20, the command was to speak to the rock. Some theological perspectives suggest that striking it a second time instead of speaking implicitly diminishes the sufficiency of Christ's one-time sacrifice or indicates a lack of faith in simply appealing to the life-giving Christ through His word.
• Meribah: Place of Contention: The place name itself, Meribah, means "contention" or "strife," perfectly capturing both Israel's quarreling with God and Moses' contentious actions that provoked divine judgment. This place is etched in Israel's memory as a site of failure, both theirs and their leaders'.
• God's Holiness is Paramount: The core principle highlighted is God's unwavering commitment to His own holiness and glory. No human achievement, no matter how great (like Moses' unique role in the Exodus and law-giving), can justify undermining God's explicit instructions or His perfect nature in the public eye. God must be acknowledged as holy by those nearest to Him (Lev 10:3).

Numbers 20 12 Commentary

Numbers 20:12 serves as a profound testament to God's uncompromising holiness and the non-negotiable demand for faith and precise obedience, particularly from His chosen leaders. Moses' action of striking the rock twice, rather than merely speaking to it as commanded, was a pivotal sin. It represented a lapse in faith and trust in God's simple word, perhaps born of frustration with the rebellious Israelites or a momentary overstepping of his role by seeming to claim the power ("must we bring you water?").

More critically, this act failed to "sanctify" or set God apart as supremely holy in the eyes of the people. God desired to display His glory through an effortless word, highlighting His omnipotence and sufficiency. By striking the rock, Moses might have diminished God's majesty, suggested human instrumentality was necessary, or implicitly repeated the earlier miracle of the smitten rock (Ex 17:6), obscuring the unique grace of simply speaking. For this public affront to God's holiness and their leadership’s demonstration of imperfect faith, Moses and Aaron were barred from the promised land, showing that even deep devotion and extensive service do not negate the consequences of public disobedience against God's direct command and His holiness. This event is a perpetual reminder that God is to be revered in all His commands, especially by those closest to Him and serving Him.