The Waters of Meribah

Numbers 20

² _d Now there was no water for the congregation; _e so they gathered together against Moses and Aaron. ³ And the people _f contended with Moses and spoke, saying: "If only we had died _g when our brethren died before the LORD! ⁴ _h "Why have you brought up the assembly of the LORD into this wilderness, that we and our animals should die here? ⁵ "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." ⁶ So Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the door of the tabernacle of meeting, and _i they ₁ fell on their faces. And _j the glory of the LORD appeared to them. ⁷ Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ⁸ _k "Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation together. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water; thus _l you shall bring water for them out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their animals." ⁹ So Moses took the rod _m from before the LORD as He commanded him.

1. Cross References
   Exodus 17:1
   Then all the congregation of the children of Israel set out on their journey from the Wilderness of Sin, according to the commandment of the LORD, and camped in Rephidim; but there was no water for the people to drink.
   
2. Cross References
   Numbers 16:19
   And Korah gathered all the congregation against them at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. Then the glory of the LORD appeared to all the congregation.
   Numbers 16:42
   Now it happened, when the congregation had gathered against Moses and Aaron, that they turned toward the tabernacle of meeting; and suddenly the cloud covered it, and the glory of the LORD appeared.
   
3. Cross References
   Exodus 17:2
   Therefore the people contended with Moses, and said, "Give us water, that we may drink." So Moses said to them, "Why do you contend with me? Why do you tempt the LORD?
   Numbers 14:2
   And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, "If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness!
   
4. Cross References
   Numbers 11:1
   Now when the people complained, it displeased the LORD; for the LORD heard it, and His anger was aroused. So the fire of the LORD burned among them, and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp.
   Numbers 11:33
   But while the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, the wrath of the LORD was aroused against the people, and the LORD struck the people with a very great plague.
   Numbers 14:37
   Those very men who brought the evil report about the land, died by the plague before the LORD.
   Numbers 16:31 - 35
   Now it came to pass, as he finished speaking all these words, that the ground split apart under them.
   Numbers 16:49
   Now those who died in the plague were fourteen thousand seven hundred, besides those who died in the Korah incident.
   
5. Cross References
   Exodus 17:3
   And the people thirsted there for water, and the people complained against Moses, and said, "Why is it you have brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?
   
6. Cross References
   Numbers 14:5
   Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.
   Numbers 16:4
   So when Moses heard it, he fell on his face.
   Numbers 16:22
   Then they fell on their faces, and said, "O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and You be angry with all the congregation?
   Numbers 16:45
   Get away from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment." And they fell on their faces.
   
7. Cross References
   Numbers 14:10
   And all the congregation said to stone them with stones. Now the glory of the LORD appeared in the tabernacle of meeting before all the children of Israel.
   
8. Cross References
   Exodus 4:17
   "And you shall take this rod in your hand, with which you shall do the signs."
   Exodus 4:20
   Then Moses took his wife and his sons and set them on a donkey, and he returned to the land of Egypt. And Moses took the rod of God in his hand.
   Exodus 17:5
   And the LORD said to Moses, "Go on before the people, and take with you some of the elders of Israel. Also take in your hand your rod with which you struck the river, and go.
   Exodus 17:6
   Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink." And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.
   
9. Cross References
   Nehemiah 9:15
   You gave them bread from heaven for their hunge...
   Psalms 78:15
   He split the rocks in the wilderness, And gave ...
   Psalms 78:16
   He also brought streams out of the rock, And ca...
   Psalms 105:41
   He opened the rock, and water gushed out; It ra...
   Isaiah 43:20
   The beast of the field will honor Me, The jacka...
   Isaiah 48:21
   And they did not thirst When He led them throug...
   1 Corinthians 10:4
   And all drank the same spiritual drink. For the...
   
10. Cross References
    Numbers 17:10
    And the LORD said to Moses, "Bring Aaron's rod back before the Testimony, to be kept as a sign against the rebels, that you may put their complaints away from Me, lest they die.