The Meaning of Numbers 20:4 Explained

Numbers 20:4

KJV: And why have ye brought up the congregation of the LORD into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there?

YLT: and why have ye brought in the assembly of Jehovah unto this wilderness to die there, we and our beasts?

Darby: And why have ye brought the congregation of Jehovah into this wilderness, that we should die there, we and our beasts?

ASV: And why have ye brought the assembly of Jehovah into this wilderness, that we should die there, we and our beasts?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And why have ye brought up  the congregation  of the LORD  into this wilderness,  that we and our cattle  should die  there? 

What does Numbers 20:4 Mean?

Context Summary

Numbers 20:1-13 - The Sin Of Moses And Aaron
Again the people, as the long years of their Wilderness life drew to an end, gathered around the Tabernacle at Kadesh. Again the murmuring spirit broke out, as it had done forty years before. To the end we shall be liable to the outbreak of the old sins; and can never relax our vigilance or sheathe the sword.
Moses was to speak to the rock, not smite it. See Exodus 17:6. The Rock of Ages was smitten only once. "It is appointed unto men once to die," and "Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many." It is now only needful for the soul to speak to Him, though in the lowest and most faltering accents, to elicit streams of help and salvation.
It was lack of faith that led Moses to smite the rock twice. Speaking seemed too slight an effort for the production of such a marvel! He forgot that neither rod nor speech effected the result, but the power of God that wrought through and with him. See 1 Corinthians 3:4. "She only touched the hem of His garment!" Matthew 9:20. [source]

Chapter Summary: Numbers 20

1  The children of Israel come to Zin, where Miriam dies
2  They murmur for want of water
7  Moses smiting the rock, brings forth water at Meribah
14  Moses at Kadesh desires passage through Edom, which is denied him
22  At Mount Hor Aaron resigns his place to Eleazar, and dies

What do the individual words in Numbers 20:4 mean?

and why have you brought up - the assembly of Yahweh into wilderness this that should die here we and our animals
וְלָמָ֤ה הֲבֵאתֶם֙ אֶת־ קְהַ֣ל יְהוָ֔ה אֶל־ הַמִּדְבָּ֖ר הַזֶּ֑ה לָמ֣וּת ؟ שָׁ֔ם אֲנַ֖חְנוּ וּבְעִירֵֽנוּ

וְלָמָ֤ה  and  why 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interrogative
Root: לָמָּה 
Sense: what, how, of what kind.
הֲבֵאתֶם֙  have  you  brought  up 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
קְהַ֣ל  the  assembly 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: קָהָל  
Sense: assembly, company, congregation, convocation.
יְהוָ֔ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֶל־  into 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
הַמִּדְבָּ֖ר  wilderness 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִדְבָּר 
Sense: wilderness.
הַזֶּ֑ה  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
לָמ֣וּת  that  should  die 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.
؟ שָׁ֔ם  here 
Parse: Adverb
Root: שָׁם  
Sense: there, thither.
וּבְעִירֵֽנוּ  and  our  animals 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common plural
Root: בְּעִיר  
Sense: beasts, cattle.