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Scripture: The text alone. Study: The verses explained. Original: The Hebrew and Greek, and the tradition.

Numberschapter 20

29 verses · Moses, by tradition · 15th to 13th century BC · The Law

Original Language

Numbers 20— Hebrew word study · with the Hebrew tradition

In Jewish life

Jewish practice and Jewish teaching both have something to say about Numbers 20. Three things follow: where it is read, what is done because of it, and how the rabbis have taught it. The purpose is to inform a Christian reader what Jews believe and how Judaism was and is practised.

The reading

Weekly portion 39 of 54

חֻקַּת Chukat, Numbers 19:1 to 22:1

Read with it: Judges 11:1 to 11:33.

The verse numbers here are the ones a Hebrew Bible carries, which differ from an English Bible by a verse or two in several places. The Sephardi reading is named only where this site records a difference; communities vary beyond what is listed. What these books are, and how a Christian reader meets them →

Where the rabbis cite this chapter

6 rows sit beside their verses in the text, on 5 verses of this chapter. No row that speaks to the chapter as a whole is recorded. Every quote links to its full source.

Texts and citation data: Sefaria (sefaria.org); excerpts follow each version’s license, and every passage opens at its source.

How to read a word below: the Hebrewword, then how it sounds, then what it means, then its number in Strong’s concordance, a widely used lookup this site follows (H for Hebrew and Aramaic, G for Greek). Square brackets hold a word the English supplies that the Hebrew does not, angle brackets mark the Hebrew’s own grammatical elements that English renders as separate words, and the mark ס or פ is where the Hebrew manuscripts end a paragraph.

Numbers 20:10· Hebrew and glosses: STEP Bible

וַיַּקְהִ֜לוּvaiyakhiluand they made assembleH6950מֹשֶׁ֧הmoshehMosesH4872וְאַהֲרֹ֛ןveaharonand AaronH175אֶת־ʾet-<obj.>H853הַקָּהָ֖לhakahalthe assemblyH6951אֶל־ʾel-toH413פְּנֵ֣יpenei[the] face ofH6440הַסָּ֑לַעhasala'the rockH5553וַיֹּ֣אמֶרvaiyomerand he saidH559לָהֶ֗םlahemto <the> themשִׁמְעוּ־shimu-listenH8085נָא֙na'pleaseH4994הַמֹּרִ֔יםhamorimO rebelsH4784הֲמִן־hamin-¿ fromH4480הַסֶּ֣לַעhasela'the rockH5553הַזֶּ֔הhazeh<the> thisH2088נוֹצִ֥יאnotzi'will we bring outH3318לָכֶ֖םlakhemfor <the> youמָֽיִם׃mayimwaterH4325

Ramban on Numbers 20:10

RambanSpain, 1194–1270· Commentary
ARE WE TO BRING YOU FORTH WATER OUT OF THIS ROCK? Far be it and [G-d] forbid that [we should explain this] as a question indicating impossibility! For Moses our teacher, who was trusted in all G-d’s house, 160 See above,:7.

Read it in full at Sefaria · Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976

Onkelos Numbers 20:10

Targum
Moshe and Aharon assembled the community before the rock; [Moshe] said to them, “Listen, you rebels! Can we extract water from this rock for you?”

Read it in full at Sefaria · Metsudah Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009 [with Onkelos translation]

Numbers 20:11· Hebrew and glosses: STEP Bible

וַיָּ֨רֶםvaiyaremand he raisedH7311מֹשֶׁ֜הmoshehMosesH4872אֶת־ʾet-<obj.>H853יָד֗וֹyadohand hisH3027וַיַּ֧ךְvaiyakhand he struckH5221אֶת־ʾet-<obj.>H853הַסֶּ֛לַעhasela'the rockH5553בְּמַטֵּ֖הוּbematehuwith rod hisH4294פַּעֲמָ֑יִםpaamayimtwo timesH6471וַיֵּצְאוּ֙vaiyetzeuand they came outH3318מַ֣יִםmayimwatersH4325רַבִּ֔יםrabimmanyH7227וַתֵּ֥שְׁתְּvateshetand it drankH8354הָעֵדָ֖הhaedahthe congregationH5712וּבְעִירָֽם׃ סuveiramand livestock theirH1165

Rashi on Numbers 20:11

RashiFrance, 1040–1105· Commentary
פעמים [HE SMOTE THE ROCK] TWICE, because at the first attempt it did not bring forth more than a few drops, for God had not bidden him smite it, but He had said, (v. 8) “and ye shall speak to the rock”. They had, indeed, spoken, but to a different rock (not that which God had intended) and it had not given forth water.

Read it in full at Sefaria · Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934

Numbers 20:13· Hebrew and glosses: STEP Bible

הֵ֚מָּהhemahtheyH1992מֵ֣יmei[were] [the] waters ofH4325מְרִיבָ֔הmerivahMeribahH4809אֲשֶׁר־ʾasher-whereH834רָב֥וּravuthey quarreledH7378בְנֵֽי־venei-[the] people ofH1121יִשְׂרָאֵ֖לyisraelIsraelH3478אֶת־ʾet-withH854יְהוָ֑הyahwehYahwehH3068וַיִּקָּדֵ֖שׁvaiyikadeshand he showed himself holyH6942בָּֽם׃ סbamamong <the> them

Ramban on Numbers 20:13

RambanSpain, 1194–1270· Commentary
AND HE WAS SANCTIFIED IN THEM — “in that Moses and Aaron died on account of them [i.e., the waters of Meribah ].

Read it in full at Sefaria · Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976

Edom refuses Israel passage14

Numbers 20:14· Hebrew and glosses: STEP Bible

וַיִּשְׁלַ֨חvaiyishlachand he sentH7971מֹשֶׁ֧הmoshehMosesH4872מַלְאָכִ֛יםmalakhimmessengersH4397מִקָּדֵ֖שׁmikadeshfrom KadeshH6946אֶל־ʾel-toH413מֶ֣לֶךְmelekh[the] king ofH4428אֱד֑וֹםʾedomEdomH123כֹּ֤הkohthusH3541אָמַר֙ʾamarhe saysH559אָחִ֣יךָʾachikhabrother yourH251יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לyisraelIsraelH3478אַתָּ֣הʾatahyouH859יָדַ֔עְתָּyada'tayou knowH3045אֵ֥תʾet<obj.>H853כָּל־kol-allH3605הַתְּלָאָ֖הhatelaahthe hardshipH8513אֲשֶׁ֥רʾasherwhichH834מְצָאָֽתְנוּ׃metzaatenuit has come upon usH4672

Ramban on Numbers 20:14

RambanSpain, 1194–1270· Commentary
Scripture did not mention the king’s name, because there was no necessity to do so. It did, however, mention Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites, by name, because they were famous for their strength, and they had a name among. See II Samuel:18.

Read it in full at Sefaria · Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976

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