Numbers 27:12-14
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Even though Moses is about to die and can't enter the land, God allows him to see it from a high mountain. This isn't just a consolation prize; it's God's affirmation that His promises are real, even if the journey to them involves unexpected turns.
The LORD said to Moses, “Go up into this mountain of Abarim and see the land that I have given to the people of Israel. When you have seen it, you also shall be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was, because you rebelled against my word in the wilderness of Zin when the congregation quarreled, failing to uphold me as holy at the waters before their eyes.” (These are the waters of Meribah of Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.)
English Standard Version (ESV)
Just after God has addressed the inheritance laws for the daughters of Zelophehad, showing they can inherit land, He tells Moses he must ascend Mount Abarim to see the Promised Land. This instruction comes with a solemn reminder that Moses himself will not enter the land due to his past rebellion at the waters of Meribah. Therefore, this command grants Moses a final, poignant glimpse of the land he led Israel to, a land he will see but not inhabit.
Moses stands on the cusp of destiny, but his journey is about to end. What does it mean to see the promised land but not enter it?
This command is given to Moses at a pivotal moment. After decades of leading Israel, he is told to ascend Mount Abarim, a mountain range overlooking the Jordan River.
The Reason for the Ascent
This isn't just a scenic overlook; it's a specific, divine instruction. Moses is being allowed to see the land that God promised to Abraham and his descendants. It's a land flowing with milk and honey, the culmination of God's covenant promises.
A Leader's Legacy
While the Israelites will soon cross the Jordan and conquer Canaan under Joshua's leadership, Moses' role as the lawgiver and wilderness guide concludes here. He sees the destination, the inheritance for the people he has led, but his personal journey ends on this mountainside.
Why is the great lawgiver, Moses, denied entry into the very land he led a nation towards?
The context for this command is crucial. Just a few verses later (Numbers 27:13-14), God explicitly links Moses' exclusion to his past rebellion:
'For when you rebelled against my word at the prompting of the congregation, you did not uphold my holiness before their eyes at the waters.'
The Waters of Meribah
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This refers to the incident at Meribah in the wilderness of Zin (Numbers 20:1-13). When the people thirsted, God instructed Moses to speak to the rock to bring forth water. Instead, in frustration, Moses struck the rock twice, saying, 'Hear now, you rebels: must we bring water for you out of this rock?'
God's Holiness Magnified
By striking the rock instead of speaking to it, Moses failed to 'sanctify' or uphold God's holiness before the people. His action implied that he (or the leaders) had the power to produce water, rather than God. This disobedience, though perhaps unintentional in its severity, had profound consequences for Moses' own inheritance.
Understand the original words
asaph · Hebrew Verb
A euphemism for death, reflecting the ancient Israelite view that death was a transition to join one's ancestors in the afterlife or Sheol, emphasizing the communal nature of life even after death.
marah · Hebrew Verb
An act of willful defiance or resistance against divine authority or instructions. It signifies a breaking of the relationship and trust established by God.
edah · Hebrew Noun
A collective body of God's people summoned for a specific purpose, often emphasizing their status as a unified covenant community before the Lord.
qadash · Hebrew Verb
To treat as set apart, distinct, or uniquely divine; failing to uphold this means to treat God as common or to diminish His singular majesty and authority in the sight of others.
This command to Moses comes shortly after he is told he will not enter the Promised Land himself due to his disobedience. It highlights a profound moment of obedience and a glimpse of the reward for faithfulness, even when personal entry is barred.
c. 1406 BC
Israelites Arrive at Moab
After 38 years of wandering in the wilderness following the Exodus, the Israelites arrive in the plains of Moab, across the Jordan River from Canaan. This sets the stage for their final preparations before entering the Promised Land.
c. 1406 BC
Moses Strikes the Rock
At Meribah, Moses, in anger, strikes the rock instead of speaking to it as God commanded, resulting in God's decree that Moses will not enter the Promised Land.
c. 1406 BC
Daughters of Zelophehad's Plea
The daughters of Zelophehad, whose father died without sons, petition Moses for their inheritance. God grants their request, establishing a precedent for female inheritance rights.
c. 1406 BC— this verse
Moses Ascends Mount Abarim
The LORD instructs Moses to ascend Mount Abarim (specifically Mount Nebo, part of the Abarim range) to see the Promised Land. This is a bittersweet moment as Moses is allowed to view the land he led his people to, but will not enter.
c. 1406 BC
Moses Appoints Joshua
Following God's command to ascend Mount Abarim, Moses formally appoints Joshua as his successor, commissioning him to lead Israel into the land.
c. 1406 BC
Moses Dies
Moses ascends Mount Nebo, views the land of Canaan from the summit, and dies there at the age of 120, as the LORD had decreed.
This passage directly quotes God's instruction to Moses to see the land from Mount Pisgah, fulfilling the command given here in Numbers 27:12.
Deuteronomy 32:49This verse repeats the command for Moses to ascend Mount Nebo, one of the Abarim mountains, to see the land before he dies.
Deuteronomy 34:1This passage describes the fulfillment of the command, showing Moses ascending Mount Nebo and seeing the land, directly following the instruction in Numbers.
Hebrews 11:13This New Testament passage speaks of those who 'saw the promises from afar,' which resonates with Moses' experience of seeing the Promised Land but not entering it, highlighting faith's perspective.
Numbers 20:12This earlier verse records the reason Moses would not enter the Promised Land ('because you did not believe me'), providing the crucial context for why he could only see it from a distance here.
bensonNumbers 27:12: "And the LORD said unto Moses, Get thee up into this mount Abarim, and see the land which I have given unto the children of Israel."
Numbers 27:12 . Abarim — The whole tract of mountains was called Abarim, whereof one of the highest was called Nebo, and the top of that Pisgah.
calvinNumbers 27:12-14: "And the LORD said unto Moses, Get thee up into this mount Abarim, and see the land which I have given unto the children of Israel."
For ye rebelled against my commandment in the desert of Zin, in the strife of the congregation, to sanctify me at the water before their eyes: that is the water of Meribah in Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin.
Quandoquidem rebelles fuistis ori meo in deserto Sin, in jurgio congregationls, ut sanctificaretis me in aquis coram oculis eorum.…
Even though Moses is about to die and can't enter the land, God allows him to see it from a high mountain. This isn't just a consolation prize; it's God's affirmation that His promises are real, even if the journey to them involves unexpected turns.
Just after God has addressed the inheritance laws for the daughters of Zelophehad, showing they can inherit land, He tells Moses he must ascend Mount Abarim to see the Promised Land. This instruction comes with a solemn reminder that Moses himself will not enter the land due to his past rebellion at the waters of Meribah. Therefore, this command grants Moses a final, poignant glimpse of the land he led Israel to, a land he will see but not inhabit.
Just after God has addressed the inheritance laws for the daughters of Zelophehad, showing they can inherit land, He tells Moses he must ascend Mount Abarim to see the Promised Land. This instruction comes with a solemn reminder that Moses himself will not enter the land due to his past rebellion at the waters of Meribah. Therefore, this command grants Moses a final, poignant glimpse of the land he led Israel to, a land he will see but not inhabit.
"The LORD said to Moses, “Go up into this mountain of Abarim and see the land that I have given to the people of Israel. When you have seen it, you also shall be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was, because you rebelled again…" — Even though Moses is about to die and can't enter the land, God allows him to see it from a high mountain. This isn't just a consolation prize; it's God's affirmation that His promises are real, even…
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Last reviewed October 2026
