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Numbers 20 · Grade 4

When Leaders Fail

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Read and Think

Numbers 20 jumps near the end of the forty years. At Kadesh, Miriam died. Then the new generation complained like their parents. They wished they had died and asked why Moses brought them to a place with no water.

God told Moses to take the rod and speak to the rock in front of everyone. Instead, Moses called the people rebels and struck the rock twice. God was gracious, and water poured out. But God said Moses and Aaron had not believed Him or shown His holiness to the people.

Even great leaders must obey God exactly. Moses and Aaron would not enter the land. Edom, Israel's relative nation, refused to let them pass. Aaron died on Mount Hor after his priestly clothes were placed on Eleazar. God's work continued with the next generation.

Show What You Know

  1. Who died at Kadesh?

  2. How was Moses' action different from God's command?

  3. What did God say Moses and Aaron failed to do?

  4. What happened to Aaron's priestly clothes?

Word Bank Fill-In

Use the word bank to fill in each blank.

KadeshGodMosesrockwater
  1. At , Miriam died.
  2. They wished they had died and asked why Moses brought them to a place with no .
  3. God told Moses to take the rod and speak to the in front of everyone.
  4. Instead, called the people rebels and struck the rock twice.
  5. was gracious, and water poured out.

Think About It

  1. Why do you think obeying God exactly matters, even for leaders?

  2. How does God show grace even when people fail?

Memory Verse

Yahweh said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you didn’t believe in me, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.”

Numbers 20:12 (WEB)

Copy It

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for giving what I need. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

  • Why must leaders obey God carefully?
  • How is Jesus like water for our souls?

Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org. © 2026 The Daily Rooted. Free to print and copy for church and home use; not for resale. Original line art.