Numbers 20:1
New International Version
In the first month the whole Israelite community arrived at the Desert of Zin, and they stayed at Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried.

New Living Translation
In the first month of the year, the whole community of Israel arrived in the wilderness of Zin and camped at Kadesh. While they were there, Miriam died and was buried.

English Standard Version
And the people of Israel, the whole congregation, came into the wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh. And Miriam died there and was buried there.

Berean Standard Bible
In the first month, the whole congregation of Israel entered the Wilderness of Zin and stayed in Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried.

King James Bible
Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in the first month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there.

New King James Version
Then the children of Israel, the whole congregation, came into the Wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh; and Miriam died there and was buried there.

New American Standard Bible
Then the sons of Israel, the whole congregation, came to the wilderness of Zin in the first month; and the people stayed at Kadesh. Now Miriam died there and was buried there.

NASB 1995
Then the sons of Israel, the whole congregation, came to the wilderness of Zin in the first month; and the people stayed at Kadesh. Now Miriam died there and was buried there.

NASB 1977
Then the sons of Israel, the whole congregation, came to the wilderness of Zin in the first month; and the people stayed at Kadesh. Now Miriam died there and was buried there.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then the sons of Israel, the whole congregation, came to the wilderness of Zin in the first month; and the people stayed at Kadesh. And Miriam died there and was buried there.

Amplified Bible
Then the Israelites, the whole congregation, came into the Wilderness of Zin in the first month [in the fortieth year after leaving Egypt]. And the people lived in Kadesh. Miriam died there and was buried there.

Christian Standard Bible
The entire Israelite community entered the Wilderness of Zin in the first month, and they settled in Kadesh. Miriam died and was buried there.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The entire Israelite community entered the Wilderness of Zin in the first month, and they settled in Kadesh. Miriam died and was buried there.

American Standard Version
And the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, came into the wilderness of Zin in the first month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there.

Contemporary English Version
The people of Israel arrived at the Zin Desert during the first month and set up camp near the town of Kadesh. It was there that Miriam died and was buried.

English Revised Version
And the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, came into the wilderness of Zin in the first month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
In the first month the whole community of Israel came into the Desert of Zin, and they stayed at Kadesh. Miriam died and was buried there.

Good News Translation
In the first month the whole community of Israel came to the wilderness of Zin and camped at Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried.

International Standard Version
The entire community of the Israelis entered the Zin wilderness during the first month. The people stayed in Kadesh. Miriam died and was buried there.

Majority Standard Bible
In the first month, the whole congregation of Israel entered the Wilderness of Zin and stayed in Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried.

NET Bible
Then the entire community of Israel entered the wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh. Miriam died and was buried there.

New Heart English Bible
The children of Israel, even the whole congregation, came into the wilderness of Zin in the first month: and the people stayed in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there.

Webster's Bible Translation
Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in the first month; and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there.

World English Bible
The children of Israel, even the whole congregation, came into the wilderness of Zin in the first month. The people stayed in Kadesh. Miriam died there, and was buried there.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And the sons of Israel, all the congregation, come [into] the wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people abide in Kadesh; and Miriam dies there and is buried there.

Young's Literal Translation
And the sons of Israel come in, -- all the company -- to the wilderness of Zin, in the first month, and the people abide in Kadesh, and Miriam dieth there, and is buried there.

Smith's Literal Translation
And the sons of Israel will come, all the assembly, to the desert of Zin, in the first month; and the people will dwell in Kadesh; and Miriam will die there and be buried there.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the children of Israel, and all the multitude came into the desert of Sin, in the first month: and the people abode in Cades. And Mary died there, and was buried in the same place.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And the sons of Israel, and the entire multitude, went into the desert of Sin, in the first month. And the people stayed at Kadesh. And Miriam died there, and she was buried in the same place.

New American Bible
The Israelites, the whole community, arrived in the wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed at Kadesh. It was here that Miriam died, and here that she was buried.

New Revised Standard Version
The Israelites, the whole congregation, came into the wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh. Miriam died there, and was buried there.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
THEN came the children of Israel, the whole congregation, into the wilderness of Zin in the first month; and the people abode in Rakim; and Miriam died there, and was buried there.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the children of Israel came, the entire assembly to the wilderness of Tsin, in the first month, and the people stayed in Rakem, and Maryam died there and she was buried there.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, came into the wilderness of Zin in the first month; and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, came into the wilderness of Sin, in the first month, and the people abode in Cades; and Mariam died there, and was buried there.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Water from the Rock
1In the first month, the whole congregation of Israel entered the Wilderness of Zin and stayed in Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried. 2Now there was no water for the congregation, so they gathered against Moses and Aaron.…

Cross References
Exodus 17:1-7
Then the whole congregation of Israel left the Desert of Sin, moving from place to place as the LORD commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. / So the people contended with Moses, “Give us water to drink.” “Why do you contend with me?” Moses replied. “Why do you test the LORD?” / But the people thirsted for water there, and they grumbled against Moses: “Why have you brought us out of Egypt—to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?” ...

Numbers 33:36-37
They set out from Ezion-geber and camped at Kadesh in the Wilderness of Zin. / They set out from Kadesh and camped at Mount Hor, on the outskirts of the land of Edom.

Deuteronomy 32:51
For at the waters of Meribah-kadesh in the Wilderness of Zin, both of you broke faith with Me among the Israelites by failing to treat Me as holy in their presence.

Psalm 106:32-33
At the waters of Meribah they angered the LORD, and trouble came to Moses because of them. / For they rebelled against His Spirit, and Moses spoke rashly with his lips.

Exodus 15:22-27
Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea, and they went out into the Desert of Shur. For three days they walked in the desert without finding water. / And when they came to Marah, they could not drink the water there because it was bitter. (That is why it was named Marah.) / So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?” ...

Numbers 12:1-16
Then Miriam and Aaron criticized Moses because of the Cushite woman he had married, for he had taken a Cushite wife. / “Does the LORD speak only through Moses?” they said. “Does He not also speak through us?” And the LORD heard this. / Now Moses was a very humble man, more so than any man on the face of the earth. ...

Numbers 27:12-14
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go up this mountain of the Abarim range and see the land that I have given the Israelites. / After you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was; / for when the congregation contended in the Wilderness of Zin, both of you rebelled against My command to show My holiness in their sight regarding the waters.” Those were the waters of Meribah in Kadesh, in the Wilderness of Zin.

Deuteronomy 1:46
For this reason you stayed in Kadesh for a long time—a very long time.

Deuteronomy 34:8
The Israelites grieved for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days, until the time of weeping and mourning for Moses came to an end.

Joshua 24:33
Eleazar son of Aaron also died, and they buried him at Gibeah, which had been given to his son Phinehas in the hill country of Ephraim.

Hebrews 3:16-19
For who were the ones who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? / And with whom was God angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? / And to whom did He swear that they would never enter His rest? Was it not to those who disobeyed? ...

1 Corinthians 10:4
and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.

John 4:6-14
Since Jacob’s well was there, Jesus, weary from His journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour. / When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” / (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) ...

John 7:37-39
On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and called out in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. / Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said: ‘Streams of living water will flow from within him.’” / He was speaking about the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive. For the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet been glorified.

Jude 1:5
Although you are fully aware of this, I want to remind you that after Jesus had delivered His people out of the land of Egypt, He destroyed those who did not believe.


Treasury of Scripture

Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in the first month: and the people stayed in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there.

Then.

Deuteronomy 1:22,23
And ye came near unto me every one of you, and said, We will send men before us, and they shall search us out the land, and bring us word again by what way we must go up, and into what cities we shall come…

Deuteronomy 2:14
And the space in which we came from Kadeshbarnea, until we were come over the brook Zered, was thirty and eight years; until all the generation of the men of war were wasted out from among the host, as the LORD sware unto them.

into

Numbers 13:21
So they went up, and searched the land from the wilderness of Zin unto Rehob, as men come to Hamath.

Numbers 27:14
For ye rebelled against my commandment in the desert of Zin, in the strife of the congregation, to sanctify me at the water before their eyes: that is the water of Meribah in Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.

Numbers 33:36
And they removed from Eziongaber, and pitched in the wilderness of Zin, which is Kadesh.

Kadesh.

Numbers 20:16
And when we cried unto the LORD, he heard our voice, and sent an angel, and hath brought us forth out of Egypt: and, behold, we are in Kadesh, a city in the uttermost of thy border:

Psalm 29:8
The voice of the LORD shaketh the wilderness; the LORD shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh.

Miriam

Numbers 12:1,10,15
And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman…

Numbers 26:59
And the name of Amram's wife was Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, whom her mother bare to Levi in Egypt: and she bare unto Amram Aaron and Moses, and Miriam their sister.

Exodus 2:4,7
And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him…

Jump to Previous
Abode Arrived Body Buried Community Congregation Death Desert Died Israel Israelite Kadesh Miriam Month Rest Tents Waste Whole Wilderness Zin
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Abode Arrived Body Buried Community Congregation Death Desert Died Israel Israelite Kadesh Miriam Month Rest Tents Waste Whole Wilderness Zin
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














In the first month
This phrase sets the chronological context for the events that follow. The "first month" likely refers to the month of Nisan, which is significant in the Jewish calendar as it marks the beginning of the religious year. Historically, this period is associated with the Exodus from Egypt, a foundational event for the Israelites. The timing underscores a new phase in their journey, symbolizing renewal and the continuation of God's promises.

the whole congregation of Israel
This phrase emphasizes the unity and collective identity of the Israelites. The Hebrew word for "congregation" is "עֵדָה" (edah), which conveys a sense of assembly or gathering. It highlights the communal nature of their journey and the shared experiences and responsibilities of the people as they follow God's guidance through the wilderness.

entered the Wilderness of Zin
The "Wilderness of Zin" is a geographical location that represents a place of testing and reliance on God. The Hebrew root for "Zin" (צִן) suggests a thorny or challenging environment, reflecting the harsh conditions the Israelites faced. This wilderness journey is symbolic of the spiritual trials and growth that occur when God's people are led through difficult circumstances.

and the people stayed at Kadesh
"Kadesh" is a significant location in the Israelites' journey, often associated with pivotal events. The name "Kadesh" (קָדֵשׁ) means "holy" or "sacred," indicating its importance as a place of divine encounters and decisions. Historically, Kadesh was a major oasis, providing necessary resources for the Israelites. Spiritually, it represents a place of decision and potential, where the Israelites are called to trust in God's provision.

There Miriam died and was buried
Miriam's death marks the end of an era for the Israelites. As a prophetess and leader, Miriam played a crucial role in the Exodus narrative. Her passing signifies a transition for the community, as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. The mention of her burial underscores the respect and honor given to her as a key figure in Israel's history. Her life and death serve as a reminder of God's faithfulness and the legacy of those who lead His people.

XX.

(1) Then came . . . --It would be better to translate thus: And (or, Now) the children of Israel came (or, had come) . . ., inasmuch as the interval of time between the events related in the preceding chapters and in this chapter is unknown.

In the first month.--It has been commonly supposed that the reference is to the first month of the fortieth year, when the Israelites are thought to have arrived for the second time at Kadesh. Some, however, are of opinion that the journey is the same as that which is mentioned in Numbers 12:16, and in Deuteronomy 1:19; and that the arrival at Kadesh was on the first month of the third year, i.e., the year which followed the departure from Sinai, which departure took place on the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year after the exodus.

And the people abode in Kadesh.--It is evident that the sojourn in Kadesh was a protracted one, whether Kadesh did, or did not serve as the head-quarters of the people from the second or third year of the exodus until that in which they entered into the land of Canaan. See Deuteronomy 1:46, where Moses describes the length of the sojourn in Kadesh by the words "many days," the same words which he employs in Numbers 20:15 to denote the length of the sojourn in the land of Egypt. It cannot, however, be inferred from the simple use of the word which is here rendered abode that the sojourn at Kadesh at the beginning of the fortieth year was of long duration (see Judges 11:17, where the same word is used). Hence no legitimate conclusion can be drawn from the use of this word respecting the reference of the verse to an arrival at Kadesh at the beginning of the third or of the fortieth year after the exodus. (See 20:14, and Note). . . . THE LAST MARCH: FROM KADESH TO HOR (verses 1-29). Verse 1. - Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation. The latter words are emphatic here and in verse 22, and seem intended to mark the period of reassembly after the dispersion of nearly thirty eight years. Probably a portion of the tribes had visited Kadesh many times during those years, and perhaps it had never been wholly abandoned. Into the desert of Zin, i.e., if the western site be maintained for Kadesh, the Wady Murreh. See the note on Kadesh. In the first month. In the month Abib (Nisan), the vernal month, when there was "much grass" (cf. John 6:10) in places at other seasons desert, and when traveling was most easy. From comparison of Numbers 14:33; Numbers 33:38 and the sequence of the narrative, it appears to have, been the first month of the fortieth, and last year of wandering, Then it was that they reassembled in the same neighbourhood from whence they had dispersed so long before (see the note before chapter 15). And the people abode (יֵשֵׁב Septuagint, κατέμεινεν) in Kadesh. From the date given in Numbers 33:38 it would seem that they remained three or four months in Kadesh on this occasion. This delay may have been occasioned partly by the ingraining for Miriam (cf. verse 29), and partly by the necessity of awaiting answers from Edom and from Moab (see on verse 14). And Miriam died there, and was buried. Nothing could be more brief and formal than this mention of the death of one who had played a considerable part in Israel, and had perhaps wished to play a more considerable part. It can scarcely, however, be doubted that her death in the unlovely wilderness was a punishment like the death of her brothers. There is no reason whatever to suppose that she had any part in the rebellion of Kadesh, or that the sentence of death there pronounced included her; she was indeed at this time advanced in years, rut that would not in itself account for the fact that she died in exile; it is, no doubt, to the arrogance and rebellion recorded in chapter 12 that we must look for the true explanation of her untimely end.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
In the first
הָֽרִאשׁ֔וֹן (hā·ri·šō·wn)
Article | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7223: First, in place, time, rank

month,
בַּחֹ֣דֶשׁ (ba·ḥō·ḏeš)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2320: The new moon, a month

the whole
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

congregation
הָ֨עֵדָ֤ה (hā·‘ê·ḏāh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5712: A stated assemblage

of Israel
יִ֠שְׂרָאֵל (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

entered
וַיָּבֹ֣אוּ (way·yā·ḇō·’ū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

the Wilderness
מִדְבַּר־ (miḏ·bar-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4057: A pasture, a desert, speech

of Zin
צִן֙ (ṣin)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 6790: Zin -- a desert area which included Kadesh-barnea

[and]
הָעָ֖ם (hā·‘ām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

stayed
וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב (way·yê·šeḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry

in Kadesh.
בְּקָדֵ֑שׁ (bə·qā·ḏêš)
Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 6946: Kadesh -- 'sacred', a place in the desert

There
שָׁם֙ (šām)
Adverb
Strong's 8033: There, then, thither

Miriam
מִרְיָ֔ם (mir·yām)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 4813: Miriam -- a sister of Aaron, also a man of Judah

died
וַתָּ֤מָת (wat·tā·māṯ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 4191: To die, to kill

and was buried.
וַתִּקָּבֵ֖ר (wat·tiq·qā·ḇêr)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 6912: To inter


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OT Law: Numbers 20:1 The children of Israel even the whole (Nu Num.)
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