Numbers 20:29 kjv
And when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, they mourned for Aaron thirty days, even all the house of Israel.
Numbers 20:29 nkjv
Now when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, all the house of Israel mourned for Aaron thirty days.
Numbers 20:29 niv
and when the whole community learned that Aaron had died, all the Israelites mourned for him thirty days.
Numbers 20:29 esv
And when all the congregation saw that Aaron had perished, all the house of Israel wept for Aaron thirty days.
Numbers 20:29 nlt
When the people realized that Aaron had died, all Israel mourned for him thirty days.
Numbers 20 29 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference Note |
|---|---|---|
| Num 20:23-28 | The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron at Mount Hor, by the border... | Context of Aaron's death and transfer of garments |
| Deut 32:50 | and die on the mountain where you go up...just as Aaron your brother | God's judgment on Aaron and Moses for Meribah |
| Num 20:12 | "Because you did not believe Me...therefore you shall not bring..." | Meribah incident, cause of Aaron's exclusion |
| Deut 10:6 | (Now the sons of Israel journeyed from Beeroth Bene-jaakan to Moserah... | Aaron's death mentioned near Moserah (another name for Mt. Hor or nearby location) |
| Deut 34:8 | So the sons of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days... | Moses's similar 30-day national mourning period |
| Gen 50:10-11 | They mourned there seven days...it is a grievous mourning... | Jacob's mourning, intense but shorter formal period |
| 1 Sam 31:13 | and they fasted seven days. | Saul's mourning, 7-day duration |
| Lev 10:6 | Moses said to Aaron...“You shall not uncover your heads...lest you die..." | Specific mourning restrictions for priests |
| Ecc 3:4 | A time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance. | Universality of mourning as part of human experience |
| Lam 2:10 | The elders of the daughter of Zion sit on the ground, they are silent... | Description of communal lament |
| Ps 77:19 | Your way was in the sea and Your paths in the mighty waters, and Your... | God's sovereign leading, even through deaths |
| Josh 1:2 | “Moses My servant is dead; now therefore arise, cross this Jordan..." | The reality of death and the necessity of transition |
| Heb 7:23 | The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because.. | Earthly priests die; contrasts with Christ's eternal priesthood |
| Heb 7:24 | but He, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. | Christ's undying priesthood, not subject to death |
| Rom 6:9-10 | knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die.. | Christ's victory over death contrasted with human mortality |
| Phil 2:27 | For indeed he was sick to the point of death, but God had mercy on him... | Human experience of sickness and near-death |
| 1 Thess 4:13 | But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are.. | Biblical perspective on mourning and hope in Christ |
| Job 2:13 | Then they sat down on the ground with him for seven days and seven... | Friend's mourning with Job, showing solidarity |
| Num 27:18-20 | “Take Joshua...lay your hand on him and give him some of your authority." | Model of succession and transfer of leadership |
| Deut 4:1 | “Now, Israel, listen to the statutes and the ordinances which I am..." | Significance of generational transition for new covenant |
| 1 Cor 15:26 | The last enemy that will be abolished is death. | Death as a conquered enemy through Christ |
Numbers 20 verses
Numbers 20 29 Meaning
Numbers 20:29 describes the collective, profound grief of the entire Israelite community upon witnessing the death of Aaron, their high priest and brother of Moses. This verse signifies the end of an era for the Exodus generation's leadership and underscores the people's deep respect for Aaron despite his human failings, as they observe an extended period of national mourning as commanded. It highlights the direct transition of leadership from Aaron to his son Eleazar, which occurred just prior to this, solidifying God's established order.
Numbers 20 29 Context
Numbers chapter 20 narrates a pivotal and somber sequence of events towards the end of Israel's forty-year wilderness wanderings. It begins with the arrival of the Israelites in the Desert of Zin, marking the first mention of the assembly in many years. Miriam, Moses and Aaron’s sister, dies at Kadesh. This chapter then describes the "waters of Meribah" incident, where Moses and Aaron disobeyed the Lord's instruction to speak to the rock, instead striking it. Due to this act of distrust and rebellion, God decreed that neither Moses nor Aaron would enter the Promised Land. Immediately preceding verse 29, Numbers 20:23-28 details God's command for Aaron to ascend Mount Hor with Moses and Eleazar. There, Aaron's priestly garments were solemnly transferred to Eleazar, signifying the official transfer of the high priestly office, before Aaron died on the mountain as decreed by the Lord. Verse 29 then reports the reaction of the entire congregation to Aaron’s death, providing the immediate and significant consequence of the earlier events. Culturally, prolonged mourning periods for significant leaders were common in the ancient Near East, with a 30-day period indicating a profound national loss and respect, especially for one who held the unique office of high priest and had served since the Exodus.
Numbers 20 29 Word analysis
- When all the congregation: This refers to kol ha-edah (כָּל־הָעֵדָה֙), emphasizing the unity and universality of the observation. It was not just a segment but the entire assembled body of Israel, indicating the national scope and impact of Aaron's death and the deep reverence for the priestly office.
- saw: The Hebrew vayir'u (וַיִּרְאוּ) signifies direct visual perception and understanding, not merely hearing a report. The people literally saw the outcome of God's command regarding Aaron’s demise and the transition of the high priesthood, confirming the divine orchestration of events.
- that Aaron was dead: ki met (כִּי מֵת) - This marks the definitive end of Aaron's earthly life and ministry. It highlights the mortality even of God's chosen and highly-regarded servants, serving as a reminder of the perishable nature of human life and leadership.
- they mourned for Aaron: The Hebrew vayivku (וַיִּבְכּ֤וּ), means "and they wept." It denotes a deep, collective expression of sorrow and lamentation. Their mourning was a genuine response to the loss of a pivotal spiritual leader who had been instrumental in their journey from Egypt.
- thirty days: sheloshim yom (שְׁלֹשִׁים֙ י֖וֹם) specifies the duration. This extended period signifies a particularly significant and intense time of communal grief, typically reserved for national leaders or deeply impactful losses (as seen again for Moses in Deut 34:8). It reflects both their personal grief and the structured, collective acknowledgment of a major spiritual and leadership transition in their wilderness journey. This period allowed for full emotional processing and ritual observances of mourning.
- even all the house of Israel: kol beit Yisrael (כֹּל֙ בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל). This phrase reiterates and reinforces the previous "all the congregation," confirming that the mourning was a complete national observance, uniting every tribe and family in their lament for their departed High Priest.
Numbers 20 29 Bonus section
The communal mourning for Aaron served multiple purposes. It was a tangible demonstration of unity within the Israelite nation, rallying around a shared experience of loss and reverence for God's appointed offices. The act of public mourning could also serve as an acknowledgment of God's just decrees, teaching humility and respect for divine commands even through a difficult event. The seamless transition of the high priesthood from Aaron to Eleazar immediately before Aaron's death, formalized by the symbolic transfer of garments, prefigured the orderly nature of God's kingdom and appointments. While Aaron's earthly priesthood passed away, it points forward to the permanent, unchanging high priesthood of Christ (as expounded in Hebrews), who does not die but continues forever, offering an eternal intercession for His people.
Numbers 20 29 Commentary
Numbers 20:29 concludes a significant passage marked by divine judgment, orderly transition, and communal sorrow. Aaron, the first high priest and Moses's brother, dies on Mount Hor as a direct consequence of his lack of faith at Meribah. Despite his sin and its costly consequence, the entire congregation of Israel engaged in a national mourning for him over thirty days. This prolonged and collective period of lament underscores Aaron's immense spiritual and leadership stature in the community. His death symbolized the passing of the original generation, a tangible marker that the old era was ending and new leadership was rising for the entry into the Promised Land. The orderly transfer of his priestly garments to Eleazar, before his death and observed by the people, demonstrated God’s meticulous planning for the continuation of the priesthood, an institution vital to Israel's covenant relationship. The people's mourning, therefore, was not only for Aaron the man but also an acknowledgment of the sovereign hand of God at work, fulfilling His word concerning judgment and simultaneously ensuring the continuity of His redemptive plan for His people. This verse subtly contrasts human mortality and divine eternal purpose.