Verse 10
10. Hear now, ye rebels Moses, as a legislator, had a right to address the seditious as rebels, and to suppress and punish them. In a proclamation made to this effect, this style of address would be admissible: “Disperse, ye rebels.” But on this occasion the execution of law is not contemplated, hence the epithet “rebels” seems to be a violation of the law of love. “Charity suffereth long and is kind.”
Must we fetch you water The word must is not Hebrew, nor is the we emphatic: “Shall we bring water for you?” The strain of uncharitable depreciation is still kept up. Kennicott translates it, “ Can we,” etc. This is admissible, since the future tense is often used for the potential mood, which is wanting in the Hebrew. (See Nord., Gram., § 993.) This shows the unbelief in the heart of Moses, with which Jehovah charges him in Numbers 20:12.
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