“They angered him also at the waters of strife , so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes:”
My Notes
What Does Psalms 106:32 Mean?
This verse describes the incident at Meribah (the waters of strife) where Israel's anger and rebellion caused consequences not just for themselves but for Moses. "It went ill with Moses for their sakes"—Moses suffered because of their sin. Specifically, Moses was provoked to speak rashly (as Psalm 106:33 explains), striking the rock instead of speaking to it as God commanded, and was therefore barred from entering the Promised Land.
The phrase "for their sakes" assigns shared responsibility. Israel's rebellion created the conditions that led to Moses' failure. This doesn't absolve Moses—he made his own choice. But the people's provocation was the catalyst. Sin in a community doesn't stay contained. It creates pressure that causes others to stumble.
The tragedy is compound: Israel's greatest leader, who had faithfully served for forty years, was denied the promised land because a moment of rage—provoked by the very people he'd sacrificed everything for—led him to misrepresent God. The people's sin cost Moses his dream.
Reflection Questions
- 1.Have you ever seen a leader fail because the people they led wore them down? What responsibility did the community bear?
- 2.If you're a leader, what pressure from others has pushed you closest to a 'Meribah moment'? How do you protect yourself?
- 3.If you're a follower, how might your resistance or complaining be affecting the people who lead you?
- 4.Moses' one moment of rage cost him the Promised Land. How do you guard against the accumulated pressure of others' sin pushing you to a breaking point?
Devotional
Moses didn't enter the Promised Land because of what Israel did to him. Not entirely—he made his own mistake. But the verse is clear: it went ill with Moses for their sakes. Their rebellion provoked him. Their anger pressured him. Their constant complaining wore him down until, in one exhausted, rage-filled moment, he hit the rock instead of speaking to it. And that one moment cost him everything.
This verse is a sobering reminder that your sin doesn't stay in your lane. When you rebel, complain, and make life difficult for the people leading you, their failures become partly your responsibility. Moses carried Israel on his back for forty years, and Israel's weight broke him at Meribah. The people who drove their leader to failure still got to enter the Promised Land. Moses didn't.
If you're in a position of leadership—parenting, managing, pastoring, mentoring—this verse acknowledges the impossible weight you carry. You're responsible for your own responses, yes. But you're also operating under pressure created by other people's choices. And sometimes that pressure causes you to snap in ways you never would have on your own. That's not an excuse. But it's an acknowledgment.
If you're in a position of following—being led, being parented, being guided—this verse asks you to consider: what is your behavior costing your leaders? Is your constant resistance wearing them down? Are you creating conditions that make it harder for them to lead well? Your leaders aren't invulnerable. Your words and actions affect them more than you know.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
They angered him also at the waters of strife,.... Or, "at the waters of Meribah" (z); that is, Meribahkadesh, as it is…
They angered him also at the waters of strife - Num 20:3-13. They complained of the lack of water. They wished that they…
This is an abridgment of the history of Israel's provocations in the wilderness, and of the wrath of God against them…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture