Numbers 20:9

Num 20:9 And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him.

Ver. 9. And Moses took the rod.] The same rod that once smote the river, to destroy the Egyptians. The same word is a savour of life to believers, and of death to unbelievers. {2Co 2:16}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock,.... To which they were directed, and were to speak unto; before this they gathered not only the elders of the people, but as many of the congregation as could be well assembled together:

and he said unto them; Moses, who was bid to take the rod, and was the principal person concerned in this affair:

hear now, ye rebels; such their fathers had been, and such they now were, a rebellious generation ever since they were known by him; not only rebellious against him their chief magistrate, but against the Lord himself, murmuring against him, being discontented and disobedient, see Deu 9:23,

must we fetch you water out of this rock? not only signifying their unworthiness of having such a miracle wrought for them, and as showing some degree of reluctance to attempt it, but as expressing diffidence about it; not of the power of God to bring water out of the rock, but of his will to do it for such a rebellious people; or else their unreasonableness to expect any such thing should be done for them: when they were so wicked, how could they think that such a miracle should be wrought for them? so the Targum of Jonathan,"out of this rock is it possible for us to fetch out water for you?''so Aben Ezra, have we power to bring out water to you from it? This was said in a passion, as the manner of speaking shows; see Psa 106:32 many of the congregation as could be well assembled together:

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

i.e. Out of the tabernacle.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

9. The rod from before the Lord — This wonderful instrument was doubtless, most sacredly kept in the tabernacle. Aaron’s rod was kept in the ark of the covenant, (Heb_9:4;) hence it is reasonable to suppose that the rod of Moses was also carefully kept in the holy place. From the words “before the Lord,” some suppose that Aaron’s rod was used on this occasion. It does not seem probable that Moses would have used the symbol of the priestly power. The rod implies the most distinguished rod, which was that of Moses.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

From before the Lord - Out of the tabernacle.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Moses then took the rod "from before Jehovah," - i.e., the rod with which he had performed miracles in Egypt (Exo 17:5), and which was laid up in the sanctuary, not Aaron's rod which blossomed (Num 17:10), - and collected the congregation together before the rock, and said to them, "Hear, ye rebels, shall we fetch you water out of this rock?" He then smote the rock twice with his rod, whereupon much water came out, so that the congregation and their cattle had water to drink.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)