Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also? can he provide flesh for his people?
Parallel translations
- WEB Behold, he struck the rock, so that waters gushed out, and streams overflowed. Can he give bread also? Will he provide meat for his people?”
- BSB When He struck the rock, water gushed out and torrents raged. But can He also give bread or supply His people with meat?”
- NKJV Behold, He struck the rock, So that the waters gushed out, And the streams overflowed. Can He give bread also? Can He provide meat for His people?”
- NASB “Behold, He struck the rock so that waters gushed out, And streams were overflowing; Can He also provide bread? Will He prepare meat for His people?”
- NLT Yes, he can strike a rock so water gushes out, but he can’t give his people bread and meat.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
They acknowledged God's miracle at the rock yet doubted He could give bread and meat. Partial faith that limits God is still unbelief.
Overview
Recalling the water struck from the rock, the people still questioned whether God could supply food. Their logic was backward: the One who gives water can surely give bread. Paul identifies that wilderness rock with Christ (1 Corinthians 10:4), the true and inexhaustible source of provision for His people.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- Num 20:11And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.
- Num 11:21–23And Moses said, The people, among whom I am, are six hundred thousand footmen; and thou hast said, I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month.
- Gen 18:12–14Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?
- Ps 78:41Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.
- Num 11:18And say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow, and ye shall eat flesh: for ye have wept in the ears of the LORD, saying, Who shall give us flesh to eat? for it was well with us in Egypt: therefore the LORD will give you flesh, and ye shall eat.
- Exod 17:6–7Behold, 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.
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 78:20 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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