Psalm 106:32

They angered him also at the waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes:

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(32, 33) The insurrection against Moses and Aaron at Meribah Kadesh, entailing on the Lawgiver the forfeiture for himself of entering into Canaan. (See references in the margin.)

Benson Commentary

Psalm 106:32-33. They angered him also at the waters of strife — Of which see Numbers 20:3-5. It went ill with Moses for their sakes — Or, because of them, upon occasion of their unbelief and murmuring, whereby he was provoked to speak unadvisedly, as it here follows. For though he was the meekest of all the men on the earth, yet their clamours at that time were so peevish and provoking, that his spirit was exasperated and imbittered, and he spake in a manner that did not become him; for he said, in anger, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch water out of this rock for you? He did not show that affiance in God, and that disposition to glorify him before his people, which became him in the execution of his office. This was Moses’s infirmity, and it is written for our admonition, that we may learn, when we are in the midst of provocation, to keep our mouths as with a bridle, and to take heed to our spirits, that they admit not resentments too much; for, when the spirit is provoked, it is not easy even for those that have a great deal of wisdom and grace to avoid speaking unadvisedly.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

106:13-33 Those that will not wait for God's counsel, shall justly be given up to their own hearts' lusts, to walk in their own counsels. An undue desire, even for lawful things, becomes sinful. God showed his displeasure for this. He filled them with uneasiness of mind, terror of conscience, and self-reproach. Many that fare deliciously every day, and whose bodies are healthful, have leanness in their souls: no love to God, no thankfulness, no appetite for the Bread of life, and then the soul must be lean. Those wretchedly forget themselves, that feast their bodies and starve their souls. Even the true believer will see abundant cause to say, It is of the Lord's mercies that I am not consumed. Often have we set up idols in our hearts, cleaved to some forbidden object; so that if a greater than Moses had not stood to turn away the anger of the Lord, we should have been destroyed. If God dealt severely with Moses for unadvised words, what do those deserve who speak many proud and wicked words? It is just in God to remove those relations that are blessings to us, when we are peevish and provoking to them, and grieve their spirits.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

They angered him also at the waters of strife - Numbers 20:3-13. They complained of the lack of water. They wished that they had died as others had done. They murmured against God as if he could not supply their needs. They showed an unbelieving and rebellious spirit - provoking God, and tempting Moses to in act of great impatience by their conduct. In Numbers 20:13, this is, "the waters of Meribah;" - margin, "strife." This is the meaning of the Hebrew word. The place took its name from the fact that the people there strove against the Lord and against Moses.

So that it went ill with Moses for their sakes - Evil came upon him. He was betrayed into impatience, and was tempted to use words which offended God, and prevented his being permitted to lead the people into the promised land. Numbers 20:12.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

32, 33. (Compare Nu 20:3-12; De 1:37; 3:26).

went ill with—literally, "was bad for"

Moses—His conduct, though under great provocation, was punished by exclusion from Canaan.

The Treasury of David

32 They angered him also at the waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes:

33 Because they provoked his spirit, so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips.

Psalm 106:32

"They angered him also at the waters of strife." Will they never have done? The scene changes, but the sin continues. Aforetime they had mutinied about water when prayer would soon have turned the desert into a standing pool, but now they do it again after their former experience of the divine goodness. This made the sin a double, yea a sevenfold offence, and caused the anger of the Lord to be the more intense. "So that it went ill with Moses for their sakes." Moses was at last wearied out, and began to grow angry with them, and utterly hopeless of their ever improving; can we wonder at it, for he was man and not God? After forty years bearing with them the meek man's temper gave way, and he called them rebels, and showed unhallowed anger; and therefore he was not permitted to enter the land which he desired to inherit. Truly, he had a sight of the goodly country from the top of Pisgah, but entrance was denied him, and thus it went ill with him. It was their sin Which angered him, but he had to bear the consequences; however clear it may be that others are more guilty than ourselves, we should always remember that this will not screen us, but every man must bear his own burden.

Psalm 106:33

"Because they provoked his spirit, so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips." Which seems a small sin compared with that of others, but then it was the sin of Moses, the Lord's chosen servant, who had seen and known so much of the Lord, and therefore it could not be passed by. He did not speak blasphemously, or falsely, but only hastily and without care; but this is a serious fault in a lawgiver, and especially in one who speaks for God. This passage is to our mind one of the most terrible in the Bible. Truly we serve a jealous God. Yet he is not a hard master, or austere; we must not think so, but we must the rather be jealous of ourselves, and watch that we live the more carefully, and speak the more advisedly, because we serve such a Lord. We ought also to be very careful how we treat the ministers of the gospel, lest by provoking their spirit we should drive them into any unseemly behaviour which should bring upon them the chastisement of the Lord. Little do a murmuring, quarrelsome people dream of the perils in which they involve their pastors by their untoward behaviour.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Or, because of them, upon occasion of their unbelief and murmuring, whereby he was provoked to speak unadvisedly, as it here follows.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

They angered him also at the waters of strife,.... Or, "at the waters of Meribah" (z); that is, Meribahkadesh, as it is called in Deuteronomy 32:51 to distinguish it from Meribahrephidim, where also were waters of strife or contradiction; at which the people murmured and strove with the Lord, and greatly displeased him, Exodus 17:7.

So that it went ill with Moses for their sakes; he was not suffered to go with them into the good land; though he most earnestly desired it, it could not be granted: but when he was just upon the borders of it, he is bid to go up to the mount, and take a view of it, and die; and all because of what was done at this place; see Numbers 20:12.

(z) "super aquas Meribah", Montanus; "apud Memeriba", Tigurine version; "juxta aquas Meriba", Gejerus; so Ainsworth.

Geneva Study Bible

They angered him also at the waters of strife, so that it went ill with {t} Moses for their sakes:

(t) If so notable a prophet of God does not escape punishment, though others provoked him to sin, how much more will they be subject to God's judgment, who cause God's children to sin?

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

32. They angered him] Another Deuteronomic word (Deuteronomy 9:7-8; Deuteronomy 9:22). The object of the verb is not expressed, but is certainly not Moses but Jehovah as in Psalm 106:29.

at the waters of strife] Rather, of Meribah (Numbers 20:13). The word became a proper name (Psalm 95:8).

so that it went ill &c.] The people’s unbelief was the cause of the impatience and presumption, for which Moses was punished by exclusion from Canaan. Cp. Deuteronomy 1:37; Deuteronomy 3:26.

32, 33. A seventh sin; the murmuring at Meribah (Numbers 20:1-13). It is perhaps placed last as a climax, because in this case Moses was involved by Israel’s sin. The faith and patience of the leader who had endured so long gave way at last.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 32. - They angered him also at the waters of strife; or, "at the waters of Meribah" (Revised Version, Kay, Cheyne); comp. Numbers 20:2, 10, 13. So that it went ill with Moses for their sakes. Moses was not punished for the people's sin, but for his own sin (Numbers 20:10-12), to which theirs led. The expression, "for their sakes," is used loosely (comp. Deuteronomy 1:37; Deuteronomy 3:26). Psalm 106:32

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

The fact to which the poet refers in Psalm 106:24, viz., the rebellion in consequence of the report of the spies, which he brings forward as the fourth principal sin, is narrated in Numbers 13, Numbers 14. The appellation ארץ חמדּה is also found in Jeremiah 3:19; Zechariah 7:14. As to the rest, the expression is altogether Pentateuchal. "They despised the land," after Numbers 14:31; "they murmured in their tents," after Deuteronomy 1:27; "to lift up the land" equals to swear, after Exodus 6:8; Deuteronomy 32:40; the threat להפּיל, to make them fall down, fall away, after Numbers 14:29, Numbers 14:32. The threat of exile is founded upon the two great threatening chapters, Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 28:1; cf. more particularly Leviticus 26:33 (together with the echoes in Ezekiel 5:12; Ezekiel 12:14, etc.), Deuteronomy 28:64 (together with the echoes in Jeremiah 9:15; Ezekiel 22:15, etc.). Ezekiel 20:23 stands in a not accidental relationship to Psalm 106:26.; and according to that passage, וּלהפיל is an error of the copyist for וּלהפיץ (Hitzig).

Now follows in Psalm 106:28-31 the fifth of the principal sins, viz., the taking part in the Moabitish worship of Baal. The verb נצמד (to be bound or chained), taken from Numbers 25:3, Numbers 25:5, points to the prostitution with which Baal Per, this Moabitish Priapus, was worshipped. The sacrificial feastings in which, according to Numbers 25:2, they took part, are called eating the sacrifices of the dead, because the idols are dead beings (nekroi', Wisd. 13:10-18) as opposed to God, the living One. The catena on Revelation 2:14 correctly interprets: τὰ τοῖς εἰδώλοις τελεσθέντα κρέα.

(Note: In the second section of Aboda zara, on the words of the Mishna: "The flesh which is intended to be offered first of all to idols is allowed, but that which comes out of the temple is forbidden, because it is like sacrifices of the dead," it is observed, fol. 32b: "Whence, said R. Jehuda ben Bethra, do I know that that which is offered to idols (תקרובת לעבדה זרה) pollutes like a dead body? From Psalm 106:28. As the dead body pollutes everything that is under the same roof with it, so also does everything that is offered to idols." The Apostle Paul declares the objectivity of this pollution to be vain, cf. more particularly 1 Corinthians 10:28.)

The object of "they made angry" is omitted; the author is fond of this, cf. Psalm 106:7 and Psalm 106:32. The expression in Psalm 106:29 is like Exodus 19:24. The verb עמד is chosen with reference to Numbers 17:13. The result is expressed in Psalm 106:30 after Numbers 25:8, Numbers 25:18., Numbers 17:13. With פּלּל, to adjust, to judge adjustingly (lxx, Vulgate, correctly according to the sense, ἐξιλάσατο), the poet associates the thought of the satisfaction due to divine right, which Phinehas executed with the javelin. This act of zeal for Jahve, which compensated for Israel's unfaithfulness, was accounted unto him for righteousness, by his being rewarded for it with the priesthood unto everlasting ages, Numbers 25:10-13. This accounting of a work for righteousness is only apparently contradictory to Genesis 15:5.: it was indeed an act which sprang from a constancy in faith, and one which obtained for him the acceptation of a righteous man for the sake of this upon which it was based, by proving him to be such.

In Psalm 106:32, Psalm 106:33 follows the sixth of the principal sins, viz., the insurrection against Moses and Aaron at the waters of strife in the fortieth year, in connection with which Moses forfeited the entrance with them into the Land of Promise (Numbers 20:11., Deuteronomy 1:37; Deuteronomy 32:51), since he suffered himself to be carried away by the persevering obstinacy of the people against the Spirit of God (המרה mostly providing the future for מרה, as in Psalm 106:7, Psalm 106:43, Psalm 78:17, Psalm 78:40, Psalm 78:56, of obstinacy against God; on את־רוּחו cf. Isaiah 63:10) into uttering the words addressed to the people, Numbers 20:10, in which, as the smiting of the rock which was twice repeated shows, is expressed impatience together with a tinge of unbelief. The poet distinguishes, as does the narrative in Numbers 20, between the obstinacy of the people and the transgression of Moses, which is there designated, according to that which lay at the root of it, as unbelief. The retrospective reference to Numbers 27:14 needs adjustment accordingly.