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CHAPTER 20: The Second Gathering Of Israel In Kadesh - The Sin Of
Moses And Aaron - Embassy To Edom -Death Of Aaron -Retreat Of Israel
From The Borders Of Edom -Attack By The Canaanitish KingOf Arad
Numbers 20; 21:1-3
IT was indeed most fitting that, at the end of the thirty-seven years wanderings, Israel
should oncemore gather at Kadesh. There they had been scattered, when the evil
report which the spies hadbrought led to their unbelief and rebellion; and thence had
the old generation carried, as it were, itssentence of death back into the wilderness, till
during these long and weary years its full terms hadbeen exhausted. And now a new
generation was once more at Kadesh. From the very spot wherethe old was broken off
was the fresh start to be made. God is faithful to His purpose; He neverbreaks off. If
the old was interrupted, it had been by man's unbelief and rebellion, not by failure
onthe part of God; and when He resumed His work, it was exactly where it had been
so broken off.And man also must return to where he has departed from God, and to
where sentence has beenpronounced against him, before he enters on his new journey
to the Land of Promise. But whatsolemn thoughts might not have been expected in
this new generation, as they once more stoodready to resume their journeying on the
spot where that of their fathers had been arrested. As Hehad sanctified His Name in
Kadesh by judgment, would they now sanctify it by their faith and willingobedience?
Besides Joshua and Caleb, to whom entrance into the land had been specially
promised, only threeof the old generation still remained. These were Miriam, Moses,
and Aaron. And now, just at thecommencement of this fresh start, as if the more
solemnly to remind them of the past, Miriam, whohad led the hymn of thanksgiving
and triumph on their first entering the desert, (Exodus 15:31) wastaken away. Only
Moses and Aaron were now left - weary, wayworn pilgrims, to begin a newjourney
with new pilgrims, who had to learn afresh the dealings of Jehovah. And this may help
us tounderstand what happened at the very outset of their pilgrimage. Israel was in
Kadesh, or rather inthe desert of Zin, the name Kadesh applying probably to the whole
district as well as to a speciallocality. So large a number of people gathered in one
place would naturally soon suffer from want ofwater. Let it also be remembered, that
that generation knew of the wonders of the Lord chiefly bythe hearing of the ear, but
of His judgments by what they had seen of death sweeping away all whohad come out
of Egypt. In the hardness of their hearts it now seemed to them as if the
prospectbefore them were hopeless, and they destined to suffer the same fate as their
fathers. Something ofthis unbelieving despair appears in their cry, "Would God that
we had died when our brethren diedbefore Jehovah" (Numbers 20:3) - that is, by
Divine judgment, during these years of wandering. Theremembrance of the past with
its disappointments seems to find expression in their complaints (20:5).It is as if they
contrasted the stay of their nation in Egypt, and the hopes awakened on leaving it,
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