Numbers Chapter 20

“Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, etc.] Not immediately after the transaction of the above things, recorded in the preceding chapters; as the sending of the spies into the land of Canaan, and their report of it; the business of Korah, and the giving of several laws respecting the priesthood, and the purification of the people; but thirty eight years after: nor was this the congregation that came out of Egypt; their carcasses, by this time, had fallen in the wilderness, as had been threatened, excepting some few, so that this was a new generation: what passed during this time we have…”

“THE DEATH OF MIRIAM. (Num. 20:1-29) Then came the children of Israel . . . into the desert of Zin in the first month--that is, of the fortieth year (compare Num 20:22-23, with Num 33:38). In this history only the principal and most important incidents are recorded, those confined chiefly to the first or second and the last years of the journeyings in the wilderness, thence called Et-Tih. Between Num 19:22 and Num 20:1 there is a long and undescribed interval of thirty-seven years. the people abode in Kadesh--supposed to be what is now known as Ain-el-Weibeh, three springs surrounded by palms. (See on Num 13:26).…”

“Numbers 20:0 and Numbers 21:0 narrate the journey of the people from Kadesh round Mount Seir to the heights of Pisgah, near the Jordan, and the various incidents connected with that journey (compare Numbers 33:37-41). This formed the third and last stage of the progress of Israel from Sinai to Canaan, and took place in the fortieth year of the Exodus. The incidents are apparently not narrated in a strictly chronological order (see Numbers 21:1). The leading purpose of Numbers 20:0 seems to be to narrate the loss by the people of their original leaders before their entrance into the land of promise. Even the whole…”

“Then - To wit, after many stations and long journeys here omitted, but particularly described, Num. 33:1-49. Zin - A place near the land of Edom, distinct and distant from that Sin, Exo 16:1. The first month - Of the fortieth year, as is evident, because the next station to this was in mount Hor, where Aaron died, who died in the fifth month of the fortieth year, Num 33:38. Moses doth not give us an exact journal of all occurrences in the wilderness, but only of those which were most remarkable, and especially of those which happened in the first and second, and in the fortieth year. Miriam died - Four months…”

“20:1The number of years since leaving Egypt is not specified, but Aaron’s death (20:22-29) took place in Israel’s fortieth year in the wilderness (33:36-39). • Miriam died: All in her generation shared this fate (14:26-30), including Moses and Aaron (20:2-13, 22-29).”

“An, Ex, Is, 40 Then: This was the first month of the fortieth year after the departure from Egypt. (Compare Num 33:38, with Num 20:28 of this chapter and Deu 1:3.) This year was the last of their journeyings, for from the going out of the spies ( Num 13:1) unto this time, was about thirty-eight years. Deu 1:22, Deu 1:23, Deu 2:14 into: Num 13:21, Num 27:14, Num 33:36; Deu 32:51 Kadesh: This Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin, is different from Kadesh-barnea, lying in, or adjoining to the wilderness of Paran, about eight leagues south of Hebron. (See note on Num 34:3, Num 34:4. Jos 15:1, Jos 15:3.) Kadesh is called…”

“Assembling of the Congregation at Kadesh. - In the first month the children of Israel came into the desert of Zin, i.e., in the fortieth year of their wanderings, at the commencement of which "the whole congregation" assembled together once more in the very same place where the sentence had been passed thirty-seven years and a half before, that they should remain in the desert for forty years, until the rebellious generation had died out. The year is not mentioned in Num 20:1, but, according to Num 14:32., it can only be the year with which the forty years of the sentence that they should die out in the…”