Place Old Testament
Meribah
Also known as -kadesh =ESV, NIV; strife in, Kadesh =KJV
Meribah-kadesh, a place where Moses disobeyed God by striking the rock to bring forth water (Numbers 20:13, 24; 27:14; Deu.32.51; Psalm 81:7; 106:32; Ezk.47.19; 48:28). Mentioned in 8 verses across 4 books, first at Numbers 20:13.
Why it matters. A place where Moses disobeyed God
- Location
- 30.688, 34.495 (approximate, within about 2 km)
Coordinates from STEPBible TIPNR (palopenmaps.org link). Approximate; not independently verified.
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-30 by the FaithGraph team
About Meribah
Meribah-kadesh, also known as Meribah, was a location in the wilderness where the Israelites quarreled with Moses, and Moses disobeyed God (Numbers 20:13). The people complained about the lack of water, and God instructed Moses to speak to the rock to bring forth water. However, Moses struck the rock twice with his staff, and water came out abundantly (Numbers 20:7-11). Because Moses and Aaron did not trust and honor God in the sight of the Israelites, they were not allowed to enter the Promised Land (Numbers 20:12; 27:14; Deu.32.51). The incident at Meribah-kadesh is remembered as a time when the Israelites rebelled against God and Moses (Psalm 81:7; 106:32). In Ezekiel's vision of the future boundaries of Israel, Meribah-kadesh is mentioned as a point on the southern border (Ezk.47.19; 48:28).
Description from STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0, lightly reformatted. This is background reference material, not Scripture and not a FaithGraph editorial claim.
Connections
No reviewed connections yet.
Appears in Scripture
Named in 8 verses across 4 books. Occurrence data from STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0); references only, no translation text.