Numbers 20:9
New International Version
So Moses took the staff from the LORD’s presence, just as he commanded him.

New Living Translation
So Moses did as he was told. He took the staff from the place where it was kept before the LORD.

English Standard Version
And Moses took the staff from before the LORD, as he commanded him.

Berean Standard Bible
So Moses took the staff from the LORD’s presence, just as he had been commanded.

King James Bible
And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him.

New King James Version
So Moses took the rod from before the LORD as He commanded him.

New American Standard Bible
So Moses took the staff from before the LORD, just as He had commanded him;

NASB 1995
So Moses took the rod from before the LORD, just as He had commanded him;

NASB 1977
So Moses took the rod from before the LORD, just as He had commanded him;

Legacy Standard Bible
So Moses took the rod from before Yahweh, just as He had commanded him;

Amplified Bible
So Moses took the rod from before the LORD, just as He had commanded him;

Christian Standard Bible
So Moses took the staff from the LORD’s presence just as he had commanded him.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
So Moses took the staff from the LORD’s presence just as He had commanded him.

American Standard Version
And Moses took the rod from before Jehovah, as he commanded him.

Contemporary English Version
Moses obeyed and took his stick from the sacred tent.

English Revised Version
And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Moses took his staff out of [the tent in] the LORD's presence as he had been commanded.

Good News Translation
Moses went and got the stick, as the LORD had commanded.

International Standard Version
So Moses took the rod in the LORD's presence, just as he had commanded.

Majority Standard Bible
So Moses took the staff from the LORD?s presence, just as he had been commanded.

NET Bible
So Moses took the staff from before the LORD, just as he commanded him.

New Heart English Bible
Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him.

World English Bible
Moses took the rod from before Yahweh, as he commanded him.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Moses takes the rod from before YHWH as He has commanded him,

Young's Literal Translation
And Moses taketh the rod from before Jehovah, as He hath commanded him,

Smith's Literal Translation
And Moses will take the rod from before Jehovah, as he commanded him.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Moses therefore took the rod, which was before the Lord, as he had commanded him,

Catholic Public Domain Version
Therefore, Moses took the rod, which was in the sight of the Lord, just as he had instructed him.

New American Bible
So Moses took the staff from its place before the LORD, as he was ordered.

New Revised Standard Version
So Moses took the staff from before the LORD, as he had commanded him.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Moshe took the rod from before LORD JEHOVAH as He commanded him.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as He commanded him.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Moses took his rod which was before the Lord, as the Lord commanded.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Water from the Rock
8“Take the staff and assemble the congregation. You and your brother Aaron are to speak to the rock while they watch, and it will pour out its water. You will bring out water from the rock and provide drink for the congregation and their livestock.” 9So Moses took the staff from the LORD’s presence, just as he had been commanded. 10Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly in front of the rock, and Moses said to them, “Listen now, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?”…

Cross References
Exodus 17:5-6
And the LORD said to Moses, “Walk on ahead of the people and take some of the elders of Israel with you. Take along in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. / Behold, I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. And when you strike the rock, water will come out of it for the people to drink.” So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel.

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.

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.

Exodus 4:17
But take this staff in your hand so you can perform signs with it.”

Exodus 7:19-20
And the LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt—over their rivers and canals and ponds and all the reservoirs—that they may become blood.’ There will be blood throughout the land of Egypt, even in the vessels of wood and stone.” / Moses and Aaron did just as the LORD had commanded; in the presence of Pharaoh and his officials, Aaron raised the staff and struck the water of the Nile, and all the water was turned to blood.

Exodus 14:16
And as for you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground.

Exodus 17:9
So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on the hilltop with the staff of God in my hand.”

Numbers 17:10
The LORD said to Moses, “Put Aaron’s staff back in front of the Testimony, to be kept as a sign for the rebellious, so that you may put an end to their grumbling against Me, lest they die.”

Numbers 27:14
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.

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.

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? ...

Hebrews 4:2
For we also received the good news just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, since they did not share the faith of those who comprehended it.

John 4:10-14
Jesus answered, “If you knew the gift of God and who is asking you for a drink, you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” / “Sir,” the woman replied, “You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where then will You get this living water? / Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us this well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock?” ...

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.

1 Corinthians 10:1-2
I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud, and that they all passed through the sea. / They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.


Treasury of Scripture

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

Numbers 17:10
And the LORD said unto Moses, Bring Aaron's rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not.

Jump to Previous
Commanded Lord's Orders Presence Rod Staff
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Commanded Lord's Orders Presence Rod Staff
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














So Moses took the staff
The staff is a symbol of authority and leadership, often associated with God's power. Moses' staff had been used in previous miracles, such as parting the Red Sea (Exodus 14:16) and bringing water from the rock at Horeb (Exodus 17:5-6). It represents God's provision and guidance for Israel.

from the LORD’s presence
The phrase indicates the sacredness of the staff, which was kept in the presence of the LORD, likely in the Tabernacle. This setting underscores the holiness and divine origin of the instructions given to Moses. The Tabernacle was the dwelling place of God among His people, signifying His continual presence and covenant relationship with Israel.

just as he had been commanded
This highlights Moses' obedience to God's instructions, a recurring theme in his leadership. Obedience to God's commands is a central tenet in the narrative of Israel's journey. However, in the broader context of Numbers 20, Moses' later actions deviate from God's command, leading to significant consequences. This phrase emphasizes the importance of following God's word precisely, a principle echoed throughout Scripture (1 Samuel 15:22).

Persons / Places / Events
1. Moses
The leader of the Israelites, chosen by God to deliver His people from Egypt and guide them through the wilderness. In this passage, Moses is acting in obedience to God's command.

2. The LORD's Presence
Refers to the sacred space where God’s presence dwelt among the Israelites, often associated with the Tabernacle. The staff Moses took was kept here, signifying its divine authority and purpose.

3. The Staff
A symbol of God's power and authority, previously used by Moses to perform miracles, such as parting the Red Sea and bringing water from a rock.

4. The Israelites
The people of God, who were journeying through the wilderness towards the Promised Land. They were often characterized by their complaints and lack of faith.

5. The Wilderness of Zin
The geographical setting of this event, a desert area where the Israelites faced significant challenges, including a lack of water.
Teaching Points
Obedience to God's Commands
Moses' action of taking the staff as commanded demonstrates the importance of obedience to God's instructions. Believers are called to trust and obey God's Word, even when circumstances are challenging.

Symbolism of the Staff
The staff represents God's authority and power. In our lives, we must recognize and submit to God's authority, trusting in His power to guide and provide for us.

God's Provision in Difficult Times
Just as God provided water for the Israelites in the wilderness, He provides for our needs. We should trust in His provision and remain faithful, even in times of scarcity or trial.

Learning from Past Mistakes
The Israelites' repeated complaints and lack of faith serve as a warning. We should learn from their mistakes and strive to cultivate a heart of gratitude and trust in God.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
So Moses
מֹשֶׁ֛ה (mō·šeh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4872: Moses -- a great Israelite leader, prophet and lawgiver

took
וַיִּקַּ֥ח (way·yiq·qaḥ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3947: To take

the staff
הַמַּטֶּ֖ה (ham·maṭ·ṭeh)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4294: A staff, rod, shaft, branch, a tribe

from the LORD’s
יְהוָ֑ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

presence,
מִלִּפְנֵ֣י (mil·lip̄·nê)
Preposition-m, Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct
Strong's 6440: The face

just as
כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר (ka·’ă·šer)
Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

He had commanded.
צִוָּֽהוּ׃ (ṣiw·wā·hū)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6680: To lay charge (upon), give charge (to), command, order


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OT Law: Numbers 20:9 Moses took the rod from before Yahweh (Nu Num.)
Numbers 20:8
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