Numbers 20:23

Verse

Berean Standard Bible

And at Mount Hor, near the border of the land of Edom, the LORD said to Moses and Aaron,

American Standard Version (1901)

And Jehovah spake unto Moses and Aaron in mount Hor, by the border of the land of Edom, saying,

Bible in Basic English

And at Mount Hor, at the edge of the land of Edom, the Lord said to Moses and Aaron,

Free Bible Version

At Mount Hor, near the border with the country of Edom, the Lord told Moses and Aaron,

King James (Authorized) Version

And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in mount Hor, by the coast of the land of Edom, saying,

One Unity Resource Bible

Adonai spoke to Moses [Drawn out] and Aaron [Light-bringer] in Mount Hor, by the border of the land of Edom [Red], saying,

Translation for Translators

which is at the border of Edom. While they were there, Yahweh said to Aaron and Moses/me,

Unlocked Literal Bible

Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron at Mount Hor, on Edom's border. He said,

Noah Webster Bible

And the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron in mount Hor, by the coast of the land of Edom, saying,

World English Bible

Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron in Mount Hor, by the border of the land of Edom, saying,

Young's Literal Translation

and Jehovah speaketh unto Moses and unto Aaron in mount Hor, on the border of the land of Edom, saying,

Context

The Death of Aaron

²²After they had set out from Kadesh, the whole congregation of Israel came to Mount Hor.²³And at Mount Hor, near the border of the land of Edom, the LORD said to Moses and Aaron,²⁴“Aaron will be gathered to his people; he will not enter the land that I have given the Israelites, because both of you rebelled against My command at the waters of Meribah.

Summary

This verse marks the end of Aaron's life as God instructs Moses to take Aaron and his son Eleazar up Mount Hor. Aaron is to be stripped of his priestly garments and pass his position as high priest to his son before he dies on the mountain. This transition of leadership from father to son symbolizes the continuity of the priesthood and the faithfulness of God's covenant promises. It also serves as a reminder of the consequences of disobedience, as Aaron was not allowed to enter the Promised Land due to his earlier failure at Meribah.

Commentary

John Gill

John Gill Bible Commentary

Aaron shall be gathered unto his people,.... That is, shall die, for this phrase is a periphrasis of death, and is used in common both of good and bad men, and designs death in general, without regard to persons and places men go to at death: for he shall not enter into the land which I have given unto the children of Israel; the land of Canaan; and Aaron the priest, and so Moses the lawgiver, not being suffered to enter into that land, show the weakness and imperfection of the law, and of the Levitical priesthood, and the insufficiency of them, and of obedience to them to bring men to, and give them an entrance into the heavenly glory; that is done by another person, the antitype of Joshua, even Jesus: because ye rebelled against my word at the water of Meribah; that is, you Moses and Aaron; their unbelief is called a rebelling against the word of the Lord, for which it was threatened them, that they should not bring the people of Israel into the land of Canaan, and now the threatening begins to take place, see Num 20:12.