Numbers Chapter 20 verse 1 Holy Bible

Ellicott's Commentary

Ellicott's Commentary for English ReadersXX.(1) Then came . . . --It would be better to translate thus: And (or, Now) the children of Israel came (or, had come) . . ., inasmuch as the interval of time between the events related in the preceding chapters and in this chapter is unknown.In the first month.--It has been commonly supposed that the reference is to the first month of the fortieth year, when the Israelites are thought to have arrived for the second time at Kadesh. Some, however, are of opinion that the journey is the same as that which is mentioned in Numbers 12:16, and in Deuteronomy 1:19; and that the arrival at Kadesh was on the first month of the third year, i.e., the year which followed the departure from Sinai, which departure took place on the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year after the exodus.And the people abode in Kadesh.--It is evident that the sojourn in Kadesh was a protracted one, whether Kadesh did, or did not serve as the head-quarters of the people from the second or third year of the exodus until that in which they entered into the land of Canaan. See Deuteronomy 1:46, where Moses describes the length of the sojourn in Kadesh by the words "many days," the same words which he employs in Numbers 20:15 to denote the length of the sojourn in the land of Egypt. It cannot, however, be inferred from the simple use of the word which is here rendered abode that the sojourn at Kadesh at the beginning of the fortieth year was of long duration (see Judges 11:17, where the same word is used). Hence no legitimate conclusion can be drawn from the use of this word respecting the reference of the verse to an arrival at Kadesh at the beginning of the third or of the fortieth year after the exodus. (See 20:14, and Note). . . . THE LAST MARCH: FROM KADESH TO HOR (verses 1-29). Verse 1. - Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation. The latter words are emphatic here and in verse 22, and seem intended to mark the period of reassembly after the dispersion of nearly thirty eight years. Probably a portion of the tribes had visited Kadesh many times during those years, and perhaps it had never been wholly abandoned. Into the desert of Zin, i.e., if the western site be maintained for Kadesh, the Wady Murreh. See the note on Kadesh. In the first month. In the month Abib (Nisan), the vernal month, when there was "much grass" (cf. John 6:10) in places at other seasons desert, and when traveling was most easy. From comparison of Numbers 14:33; Numbers 33:38 and the sequence of the narrative, it appears to have, been the first month of the fortieth, and last year of wandering, Then it was that they reassembled in the same neighbourhood from whence they had dispersed so long before (see the note before chapter 15). And the people abode (יֵשֵׁב Septuagint, κατέμεινεν) in Kadesh. From the date given in Numbers 33:38 it would seem that they remained three or four months in Kadesh on this occasion. This delay may have been occasioned partly by the ingraining for Miriam (cf. verse 29), and partly by the necessity of awaiting answers from Edom and from Moab (see on verse 14). And Miriam died there, and was buried. Nothing could be more brief and formal than this mention of the death of one who had played a considerable part in Israel, and had perhaps wished to play a more considerable part. It can scarcely, however, be doubted that her death in the unlovely wilderness was a punishment like the death of her brothers. There is no reason whatever to suppose that she had any part in the rebellion of Kadesh, or that the sentence of death there pronounced included her; she was indeed at this time advanced in years, rut that would not in itself account for the fact that she died in exile; it is, no doubt, to the arrogance and rebellion recorded in chapter 12 that we must look for the true explanation of her untimely end. Parallel Commentaries ...HebrewIn the firstהָֽרִאשׁ֔וֹן (hā·ri·šō·wn)Article | Adjective - masculine singularStrong's 7223: First, in place, time, rankmonth,בַּחֹ֣דֶשׁ (ba·ḥō·ḏeš)Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularStrong's 2320: The new moon, a monththe wholeכָּל־ (kāl-)Noun - masculine singular constructStrong's 3605: The whole, all, any, everycongregationהָ֨עֵדָ֤ה (hā·‘ê·ḏāh)Article | Noun - feminine singularStrong's 5712: A stated assemblageof Israelיִ֠שְׂרָאֵל (yiś·rā·’êl)Noun - proper - masculine singularStrong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his descenteredוַיָּבֹ֣אוּ (way·yā·ḇō·’ū)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralStrong's 935: To come in, come, go in, gothe Wildernessמִדְבַּר־ (miḏ·bar-)Noun - masculine singular constructStrong's 4057: A pasture, a desert, speechof Zinצִן֙ (ṣin)Noun - proper - feminine singularStrong's 6790: Zin -- a desert area which included Kadesh-barnea[and]הָעָ֖ם (hā·‘ām)Article | Noun - masculine singularStrong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flockstayedוַיֵּ֥שֶׁב (way·yê·šeḇ)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularStrong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marryin Kadesh.בְּקָדֵ֑שׁ (bə·qā·ḏêš)Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singularStrong's 6946: Kadesh -- 'sacred', a place in the desertThereשָׁם֙ (šām)AdverbStrong's 8033: There, then, thitherMiriamמִרְיָ֔ם (mir·yām)Noun - proper - feminine singularStrong's 4813: Miriam -- a sister of Aaron, also a man of Judahdiedוַתָּ֤מָת (wat·tā·māṯ)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularStrong's 4191: To die, to killand was buried.וַתִּקָּבֵ֖ר (wat·tiq·qā·ḇêr)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularStrong's 6912: To interJump to PreviousAbode Arrived Body Buried Community Congregation Death Desert Died Israel Israelite Kadesh Miriam Month Rest Tents Waste Whole Wilderness Zin