The Meaning of Numbers 20:1 Explained

Numbers 20:1

KJV: 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.

YLT: 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.

Darby: And the children of Israel, the whole assembly, came into the wilderness of Zin, in the first month; and the people abode at Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Numbers 20:1 Mean?

Study Notes

first month
i.e. April.

Context Summary

Numbers 20:1-13 - The Sin Of Moses And Aaron
Again the people, as the long years of their Wilderness life drew to an end, gathered around the Tabernacle at Kadesh. Again the murmuring spirit broke out, as it had done forty years before. To the end we shall be liable to the outbreak of the old sins; and can never relax our vigilance or sheathe the sword.
Moses was to speak to the rock, not smite it. See Exodus 17:6. The Rock of Ages was smitten only once. "It is appointed unto men once to die," and "Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many." It is now only needful for the soul to speak to Him, though in the lowest and most faltering accents, to elicit streams of help and salvation.
It was lack of faith that led Moses to smite the rock twice. Speaking seemed too slight an effort for the production of such a marvel! He forgot that neither rod nor speech effected the result, but the power of God that wrought through and with him. See 1 Corinthians 3:4. "She only touched the hem of His garment!" Matthew 9:20. [source]

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in Numbers 20:1 mean?

And came the sons of Israel whole the congregation into the Wilderness of Zin in the month first and stayed the people in Kadesh and died there Miriam and was buried there
וַיָּבֹ֣אוּ בְנֵֽי־ יִ֠שְׂרָאֵל כָּל־ הָ֨עֵדָ֤ה מִדְבַּר־ צִן֙ בַּחֹ֣דֶשׁ הָֽרִאשׁ֔וֹן וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב הָעָ֖ם בְּקָדֵ֑שׁ וַתָּ֤מָת שָׁם֙ מִרְיָ֔ם וַתִּקָּבֵ֖ר שָֽׁם

וַיָּבֹ֣אוּ  And  came 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
בְנֵֽי־  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִ֠שְׂרָאֵל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
כָּל־  whole 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
הָ֨עֵדָ֤ה  the  congregation 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עֵדָה  
Sense: congregation, gathering.
מִדְבַּר־  into  the  Wilderness 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מִדְבָּר 
Sense: wilderness.
צִן֙  of  Zin 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: צִן  
Sense: name given to a portion of the desert tract between the Dead Sea and Arabah on the east in which Kadesh-barnea was located.
בַּחֹ֣דֶשׁ  in  the  month 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֹדֶשׁ  
Sense: the new moon, month, monthly.
הָֽרִאשׁ֔וֹן  first 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רִאשֹׁון  
Sense: first, primary, former.
וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב  and  stayed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
הָעָ֖ם  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
בְּקָדֵ֑שׁ  in  Kadesh 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: קָדֵשׁ  
Sense: a city in the extreme south of Judah.
וַתָּ֤מָת  and  died 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.
מִרְיָ֔ם  Miriam 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִרְיָם  
Sense: elder sister of Moses and Aaron.
וַתִּקָּבֵ֖ר  and  was  buried 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: קָבַר  
Sense: to bury.