Numbers 20:8 web — "Take the rod, and assemble the congregation, you, and Aaron your brother, and speak to the rock before their eyes, tha…

World English Bible

""Take the rod, and assemble the congregation, you, and Aaron your brother, and speak to the rock before their eyes, that it give forth its water; and you shall bring forth to them water out of the rock; so you shall give the congregation and their livestock drink.""

— Numbers 20:8, World English Bible

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Numbers 20:8 in Other Translations

6 versions All translations
  • KJV

    “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.”

  • ASV

    “Take the rod, and assemble the congregation, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes, that it give forth its water; and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock; so thou shalt give the congregation and their cattle drink. ”

  • NET

    ““Take the staff and assemble the community, you and Aaron your brother, and then speak to the rock before their eyes. It will pour forth its water, and you will bring water out of the rock for them, and so you will give the community and their beasts water to drink.””

  • DRB

    “Take the rod, and assemble the people together, thou and Aaron thy brother, and speak to the rock before them, and it shall yield waters. And when thou hast brought forth water out of the rock, all the multitude and their cattle shall drink.”

  • BBE

    “Take the rod, you and Aaron, your brother, and make all the people come together, and before their eyes give orders to the rock to give out its water; and so make water come out of the rock for them, and give the people and their cattle drink.”

  • KJVA

    “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.”

Numbers 20 — Context

5

Why have you made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in to 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

Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the door of the Tent of Meeting, and fell on their faces: and the glory of Yahweh appeared to them.

7

Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

8

"Take the rod, and assemble the congregation, you, and Aaron your brother, and speak to the rock before their eyes, that it give forth its water; and you shall bring forth to them water out of the rock; so you shall give the congregation and their livestock drink."

9

Moses took the rod from before Yahweh, as he commanded him.

10

Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, "Hear now, you rebels; shall we bring you water out of this rock for you?"

11

Moses lifted up his hand, and struck the rock with his rod twice: and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their livestock.

Numbers 20:8 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Numbers 20:8 say?
Numbers 20:8 in the World English Bible reads: “"Take the rod, and assemble the congregation, you, and Aaron your brother, and speak to the rock before their eyes, that it give forth its water; and you shall bring forth to them water out of the rock; so you shall give the congregation and their livestock drink."”
Where is Numbers 20:8 in the Bible?
Numbers 20:8 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Numbers, chapter 20, verse 8.
Who wrote Numbers?
Numbers is traditionally attributed to Moses (traditional). It was written c. 1446–1406 BC.
What is the book of Numbers about?
Numbers records Israel's forty years of wilderness wandering — two censuses (hence the name), rebellions, the failure at Kadesh-Barnea, and the slow journey to the plains of Moab. It is a sober portrait of human unbelief and God's patient faithfulness across a generation.
What are the major themes of Numbers?
Numbers explores themes including Wilderness, Faithfulness, Rebellion, Guidance, Provision. These themes shape the meaning and context of Numbers 20:8.
What translation should I read Numbers 20:8 in?
Numbers 20:8 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize Numbers 20:8?
Numbers 20:8 reads (WEB): “"Take the rod, and assemble the congregation, you, and Aaron your brother, and speak to the rock before their eyes, that it give forth its water; and you shall bring forth to them water out of the rock; so you shall give the congregation and their livestock drink."” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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