Numbers 20 5

Numbers 20:5 kjv

And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place? it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink.

Numbers 20:5 nkjv

And why have you made us come up out of Egypt, to bring us to this evil place? It is not a place of grain or figs or vines or pomegranates; nor is there any water to drink."

Numbers 20:5 niv

Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates. And there is no water to drink!"

Numbers 20:5 esv

And why have you made us come up out of Egypt to bring us to this evil place? It is no place for grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, and there is no water to drink."

Numbers 20:5 nlt

Why did you make us leave Egypt and bring us here to this terrible place? This land has no grain, no figs, no grapes, no pomegranates, and no water to drink!"

Numbers 20 verses

Numbers 20 5 Meaning

Numbers 20:5 articulates the Israelites' bitter complaint against Moses and Aaron regarding their situation in the wilderness of Zin. It reflects their deep dissatisfaction, ingratitude, and lack of faith in God's ongoing provision. They accuse their leaders of bringing them out of the seemingly "good" land of Egypt into a "bad" place – a barren desert devoid of the agricultural produce (grain, figs, vines, pomegranates) that signify prosperity and comfort, and crucially, lacking the most basic necessity: water for drinking. This complaint highlights their desire for the comforts of their past servitude over the hardships of the present journey towards divine promise.

Numbers 20 5 Context

Numbers chapter 20 describes a significant period in Israel's wilderness journey, occurring near the end of their forty years. They arrive in the Wilderness of Zin, and it is here that Miriam, Moses's sister, dies. The immediate background to verse 5 is a severe lack of water for the congregation, prompting a familiar pattern of intense grumbling against Moses and Aaron, much like earlier instances in the Exodus narrative. Their memory of divine deliverance from Egypt has faded, replaced by immediate discomfort and a selective longing for the past. This act of rebellion, particularly the people's direct blame and implied accusation against God's leadership, precipitates the pivotal event where Moses, instructed to speak to the rock, strikes it instead. This results in God's judgment that neither Moses nor Aaron will enter the Promised Land due to their failure to hallow Him. The people's complaint in verse 5 encapsulates the spirit of unbelief and provocation that characterized much of their wilderness wandering.

Numbers 20 5 Word analysis

• And why (וְלָמָה - V'lamah): This conjunction and interrogative word express a strong accusatory and bitter complaint. It is not an innocent question seeking understanding, but a rhetorical outburst of dissatisfaction, implicitly blaming their leaders for their plight. It mirrors earlier complaints where their misery fuels their questioning of divine leadership.
• have you brought us up (הֶעֱלִיתֻנוּ - he'alitunu): The verb highlights Moses and Aaron's role in their exodus. The accusation attributes the entire journey and their current distress solely to the leaders, removing God from their calculus and expressing a wish that they had remained in Egypt.
• out of Egypt (מִמִּצְרָיִם - mimmitzrayim): Egypt, the land of their slavery, is here paradoxically framed as a place of former comfort and plenty, contrasting sharply with their current "misery." This reveals their spiritual amnesia and ingratitude for the profound liberation God had granted them.
• to bring us (לְהָבִיא אֹתָנוּ - l'havi otanu): This phrasing implies a malicious or ill-conceived intention on the part of Moses and Aaron, rather than obedience to God's command. It suggests their suffering is a deliberate consequence of their leaders' actions.
• to this evil place? (אֶל הַמָּקוֹם הָרָע הַזֶּה - el ha'maqom ha'ra hazzeh): The word ra' (רָע) here signifies "bad," "calamitous," "unpleasant," or "unfruitful," rather than morally corrupt. They perceive the wilderness as a harmful, detrimental environment. This is a profound mischaracterization from a human perspective; from God's perspective, it was the testing ground, a place for spiritual growth and dependence on Him. Their labeling it "evil" reflects their profound ingratitude and complete misreading of God's redemptive plan.
• It is not a place of grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, (לֹא מְקוֹם זֶרַע וּתְאֵנָה וְגֶפֶן וְרִמּוֹן - lo mekom zera ut'enah v'gefen v'rimmon): This litany describes specific types of agricultural produce. These are typical crops found in a fertile land like Egypt or the promised land of Canaan, known for its "seven species" (Deut 8:8). Their absence signifies a lack of prosperity and a dire contrast to the abundant blessings expected in the Promised Land. This list reveals their earthly perspective, valuing tangible, natural abundance above spiritual sustenance or God's supernatural provision.
  • grain (זֶרַע - zera): Staple crop, essential for bread.
  • figs (תְּאֵנָה - t'enah): A sweet, commonly consumed fruit.
  • vines (גֶּפֶן - gefen): Producing grapes, source of food and wine, a symbol of blessing.
  • pomegranates (רִמּוֹן - rimmon): A highly valued fruit in the ancient Near East, symbolizing fertility and abundance.
• and there is no water to drink (וּמַיִם אַיִן לִשְׁתּוֹת - u'mayim ayin lishtot): This final complaint is the most immediate and dire. The lack of water represents an existential threat in the desert. While the previous list expresses a lack of comfort and agricultural blessing, the lack of water signifies impending death. This practical, desperate need underlies their entire outburst and previous laments in the wilderness. It’s the breaking point that sparks the immediate crisis and Moses’s fateful action.

Numbers 20 5 Bonus section

The specific listing of fruits—figs, vines, pomegranates—echoes the descriptive language used for the bountiful Promised Land (Deut 8:8). By stating the absence of these items, the people are highlighting the perceived lack of "blessing" and contrast their present condition with both the remembered abundance of Egypt and the promised abundance of Canaan. This complaint is not just about lack, but about divine failure in their eyes to provide what they believed they were owed. It's a deep-seated grievance implying that God, through His chosen leaders, had led them into a worse situation than their former bondage. This constant focus on immediate gratification and material well-being, coupled with a complete disregard for God's larger redemptive plan and His daily manna and cloud/fire pillar, became a persistent test of Moses's patience and ultimately led to the judgment upon Moses himself for mishandling God's instructions in response to this rebellion.

Numbers 20 5 Commentary

Numbers 20:5 encapsulates the pervasive unbelief and ingratitude of the Israelites during their wilderness sojourn. Their lament, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to bring us to this evil place?," reveals a selective memory that romanticized the captivity in Egypt, viewing it as preferable to the present trials. The catalog of missing provisions—grain, figs, vines, pomegranates—and, most critically, water, highlights their material desires over their spiritual freedom and divine calling. Their perception of the wilderness as "evil" demonstrates a failure to trust God's presence and provision even in hardship. Despite repeated demonstrations of God's power and faithfulness, including Manna, Quail, and water from the rock, their faith remained tethered to earthly comforts. This perpetual cycle of grumbling serves as a warning against hardening one's heart against God's purposes during periods of discomfort, and a reminder that true spiritual growth often occurs through dependence on God in perceived scarcity, rather than through earthly abundance.