Endnote 18 – Why Moses Could Not Enter The Promised Land

In Numbers 20:1–13 the entire family is finished off: Miriam, their sister, died and was buried at Kadesh (verse 1). Locating Miriam’s death at Meribath-Kadesh could be a play on words, for her name, miryaµm (true meaning uncertain), could be punningly translated “their rebellion,” chiming with meri³Æ (rebellion) (Numbers 17:25) and moµri³Æm (rebels) (Numbers 20:10).