The Free Thinkers guide to the Bible

Part 3 #2 The Waters of Meribah

The authority of Moses Vs the authority of Moses and Aaron

Welcome back to the Free Thinkers guide to the bible. I created this series so that ‘anyone’ can explore and understand the bible. You don’t need to be a biblical scholar; all you need is a desire to see what is written. I will present to you several biblical examples and demonstrate the process of sifting the accounts to reveal the hidden. This process is very similar to archeology, where the layers are excavated and analyzed. Just not the dirty part, though you will be digging up some dirt along the way.

Warning:

The series unfolds like a story in a book. Please study the content in the order it is presented in order to have the best experience. (The study series begins with Part 1 #1 – The Flood)

Preface

Welcome to the third portion of the study. In this portion we will build upon the knowledge we acquired in the first two studies. We have found that there are at least two distinct authors and a superb redactor(s) that has created, edited and merged accounts and stories in the books of Genesis, Exodus and Numbers. In the second study we highlighted accounts that diminished or promoted Moses and Aaron.

The focus of this study is on the accounts that contrast the leadership of Moses against the leadership of Moses and Aaron.

In our second example we return to the two accounts of the same event written by different authors. The first version is in Numbers, with its counterpart residing in the book of Exodus. These are the accounts of the “Bringing water from the rock”.

The Waters of Meribah/Massah and Meribah

Before beginning, read Numbers chapter 20:1 – 13 and Exodus 17:1-7, Look for anything out of the ordinary and Jot down any questions that come to mind.

The Waters of Meribah “A”

Num 20:2 And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. 3 And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying, would God that we had died when our brethren died before the LORD! (יהוה) 4 and why have ye brought up the congregation of the LORD (יהוה) into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there? 5 And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place? It is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink. 6 And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell upon their faces: and the glory of the LORD (יהוה) appeared unto them. 7 And the LORD (יהוה) spake unto Moses, saying, 8 Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink. 9 And Moses took the rod from before the LORD (יהוה), as he commanded him.

Moses Strikes the Rock twice

Num 20:10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock? 11 And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.

12 And the LORD (יהוה) spake unto Moses and Aaron, because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them. 13 This is the water of Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with the LORD (יהוה), and he was sanctified in them.

Observations:

In this account we see Moses as the leader and intercessor. Aaron is acting in a secondary leadership position and sharing the brunt of the complaining of the children of Israel.

We read that the people gathered themselves together against Moses and Aaron. Moses and Aaron prostrated together at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. Moses and Aaron gathered the people together and The Creator spoke to Moses and Aaron.

Note: Moses was instructed to take “the rod” and speak to the rock before the people. Moses took “his rod” and struck the rock twice.

Note: The priestly keywords “Glory” (כּבוד - kâbôd) H3519 and “Sanctified” (קדשׁ - qâdash) H6942 are used in this account.

One story, two accounts The Waters of Massah and Meribah “B”

Water from the Rock

Exo 17:1 And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the LORD (יהוה), and pitched in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drink. 2 Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the LORD? (יהוה) 3 And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst? 4 And Moses cried unto the LORD (יהוה), saying, what shall I do unto this people? They be almost ready to stone me. 5 And the LORD (יהוה) said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go. 6 Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7 And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the LORD (יהוה), saying, Is the LORD (יהוה) among us, or not?

Observations:

In this account we read that the people complained to Moses because they needed water.

Moses calls out to the Creator. The Creator tells Moses to gather the elders of the people and take the rod that he struck the river with and strike the rock, and he did as he was instructed.

Deuteronomy nine refers to this location…

Deu 9:22 And at Taberah, and at Massah, and at Kibrothhattaavah, ye provoked the LORD to wrath.

Comparisons:

Account “A” features Moses and Aaron

Account “B” features Moses alone

Analysis

With the differences between the accounts you need to ask yourself; What if one of the accounts is an original and the other is an addition? You need to use the skills you have learned to answer this question.

Account “A” portrays Aaron in a secondary leadership role to Moses. WHY go to all the trouble to create another account that elevates Aaron and makes Moses out to be rebellious against the Creator?

Which account makes more sense given the information we have accumulated?

I will leave you to ponder this question. We will surely have answered it by the end of the series.

This is the third and final sifting of the Waters of Meribah accounts. We have gathered a lot of useful information from them.

Please continue on with us in the series… Part 3 #3 - The Plagues