Moses Strikes the Rock

YEAR after year passes-10 years, 20 years, 30 years, 39 years! And the Israelites are still in the wilderness.  But all these years Jehovah takes care of his people. He feeds them with manna. He leads them during the day with a pillar of cloud, and by night with a pillar of fire. And all during these years their clothes don't wear out and their feet don't get sore.

It is now the first month of the 40th year since leaving Egypt.  The Israelites again camp at Ka'desh.  This is where the 12 spies were sent to spy out the land of Ca'naan nearly 40 years before. Moses' sister Mir'i-am dies at Ka'desh. And as before, this is trouble here. 

The people can't find any water. So they complain to Moses: 'It would have been better if we had died. Why did you bring us out of Egypt into this terrible place where nothing will grow? There are no grain, no figs, no grapes, no pomegranates.  There isn't even any water to drink.'

When Moses and Aaron go to the tabernacle to pray, Jehovah tells Moses:  "Gather the people together.  Then in front of them all speak to that rock over there.  Enough water will come out of it for people and all their animals.'

Next time: Conclusion of Moses Strikes the Rock

From the jw.org publications