Chapter 20 Did God kill or punish Aaron for Moses's mistake?

[mystic]

Since God had told both Aaron and Moses to speak to the rock but Moses struck the rock instead, did God punish Aaron for this and by seeing him up to the mountain where he died, did God take Aaron's life?

[alon]

Dec 31, 2020 5:19:22 GMT -8 mystic said:

Since God had told both Aaron and Moses to speak to the rock but Moses struck the rock instead, did God punish Aaron for this and by seeing him up to the mountain where he died, did God take Aaron's life?

Numbers 20:24 (ESV) “Let Aaron be gathered to his people, for he shall not enter the land that I have given to the people of Israel, because you rebelled against my command at the waters of Meribah.

Every detail is not recorded in scripture. What we do know about A’aron is that throughout the ministry of Moshe A’aron was a compromising influence. Recall he bent to the will of the people and made the Golden Calf, for instance. We are not told specifically in that instance that he repented of it, but we can surmise that he did, else he would have died then.

God says the reason he died in Num 20 was rebellion at Meribah, yet we were not told his part of that rebellion in the account of the incident at Meribah. But God does not punish us for others sin unless we had some part in that sin. So again, we can surmise from what we are told that he did play some part in the sin of Moshe at Meribah.

My guess: Moshe had just lost his sister, yet here were these people he was tasked with leading grumbling and complaining again. His patience already worn thin, he allowed his anger to take hold (he had a temper, again evidenced by his breaking the tablets after learning of the Calf), and instead of speaking to the rock as instructed he struck it twice. This ruined the metaphoric instruction God was trying to give. A’aron, instead of helping to calm the people, or at least isolate Moshe from the people long enough to regain composure may have himself complained to Moshe.

That is just one possible scenario, but since we are not told it is only speculation based on things we are told about both men. What we do know based on the character of God- His sense of justice- A'aron did play some part in the disobedience at Meribah.