What Does Numbers 20:13 Mean in the King James?
This is the water of Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with the LORD, and he was sanctified in them.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The verse names the water for the people’s contention, then locates the LORD’s set-apartness among those who contend.
THE MEANING
Your contention with the LORD is named plainly here; in that same encounter, the LORD is set apart among the people. The verse holds both together: conflict is real, and it does not erase the LORD’s distinctness.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that the LORD’s set-apartness can be seen only after conflict disappears; here, it is disclosed amid contention.
THE ROOT
רָבוּ
rāḇû
GROWS FROM
ריב
r-y-b
To contend, strive, or bring a dispute.
“strove / Meribah” in this verse is rāḇû. The verse repeats one root: the people רָבוּ (rāḇû, they contended), and the water is named מְרִיבָה (Merivah, contention). What English separates into an action and a place name remains joined in Hebrew, keeping the conflict audible in the name.
ALSO GROWS
rāḇû: They disputed or strove.
רָבוּ
This is the people’s action in the verse, from the same root as the place name.
Merivah: A name meaning contention or dispute.
מְרִיבָה
The place carries the people’s conflict in its name.
וַיִּקָּדֵשׁ
vayyiqqādēš
GROWS FROM
קדש
q-d-sh
To be set apart, distinct, or sacred.
“was sanctified” in this verse is vayyiqqādēš. The verb comes from קדש (q-d-sh, to be set apart): the LORD is shown as distinct among the people. The verse leaves the contention visible while locating that set-apartness within the same encounter.
ALSO GROWS
qādôš: Set apart, distinct, sacred.
קָדוֹשׁ
It names the quality expressed when the LORD is sanctified among the people.
qōdeš: Holiness or what is set apart.
קֹדֶשׁ
It shows that the verse’s “sanctified” belongs to a family of words about distinctness.
miqdāš: A sanctuary or set-apart place.
מִקְדָּשׁ
The sanctuary is another branch of the same root, joining set-apartness to a place where it is encountered.
THE PATTERN
The LORD’s set-apartness becomes visible in relationship with people, including amid conflict and pressure.
And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the LORD, saying, Is the LORD among us, or not?I will accept you with your sweet savour, when I bring you out from the people, and gather you out of the countries wherein ye have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you before the heathen.But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:THE THREAD
And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the LORD, saying, Is the LORD among us, or not?The name מְרִיבָה (Merivah, contention) comes from ריב (rîḇ, to contend), the same root heard in Numbers’ רָבוּ (rāḇû, they contended). Exodus records the question “Is the LORD among us, or not?”; Numbers says he is set apart among them within that very conflict.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us