What Does Numbers 20:8 Mean in the King James?
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.
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 rock is treated as a giver with water of its own, and speech is the point of contact with its provision.
THE MEANING
Here, you face what looks like a closed rock beside a thirsty assembly, and the command is to speak to it. The rock gives its own waters, enough for people and beasts alike. The verse places spoken address at the threshold of provision contained in what looks unyielding.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The belief that what looks sealed has nothing to give is unsettled here: the rock itself gives water enough for people and animals.
THE ROOT
וְדִבַּרְתֶּם
vedibbartem
GROWS FROM
דבר
davar
To speak; the same root also carries the sense of a word or matter.
English separates “speak” from “word” and “matter,” while Hebrew holds them in one root-family. The verse places spoken address at the threshold of material provision without separating the word from the matter it addresses.
ALSO GROWS
davar: Word, matter, thing
דָּבָר
This branch shows that the root of “speak” also names a matter or thing, joining spoken address and the rock’s material waters in one word-family.
dibbur: Speech, speaking
דִּבּוּר
This noun keeps the focus on speech itself, the stated point of contact with the rock.
וְנָתַן
venatan
GROWS FROM
נתן
natan
To give, set, or place.
“give” in this verse is venatan. The verse describes the rock as giving its waters, not merely as a surface from which water appears. The root also carries the sense of setting or placing, so the water becomes provision laid before the whole gathered community.
ALSO GROWS
mattanah: Gift
מַתָּנָה
This branch shows the root’s connection to what is given; the rock’s water is presented as provision for the people and their beasts.
netinah: Giving
נְתִינָה
This branch names the act of giving itself, echoing the verse’s description of the rock as the source that gives water.
THE PATTERN
Under God’s provision, rock that appears closed becomes a source of water for the thirsty.
Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint;And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.THE THREAD
He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.Numbers 20:8 and Psalm 78:16 use the same Hebrew word, סֶלַע (sela, rock). Psalm 78 expands the image: streams come from that rock-word and run down like rivers.
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