Moses manifested distrust of God. "Shall we bring water?" he questioned, as if the Lord would not do what He promised. "Ye believed Me not," the Lord declared to the two brothers, "to sanctify Me in the eyes of the children of Israel." At the time when the water failed, their own faith in the fulfillment of God's promise had been shaken by the murmuring and rebellion of the people. The first generation had been condemned to perish 418 in the wilderness because of their unbelief, yet the same spirit appeared in their children. Would these also fail of receiving the promise? Wearied and disheartened, Moses and Aaron had made no effort to stem the current of popular feeling. Had they themselves manifested unwavering faith in God, they might have set the matter before the people in such a light as would have enabled them to bear this test. By prompt, decisive exercise of the authority vested in them as magistrates, they might have quelled the murmuring. It was their duty to put forth every effort in their power to bring about a better state of things before asking God to do the work for them. Had the murmuring at Kadesh been promptly checked, what a train of evil might have been prevented!

Moses viste mistillid til Gud. "Mon vi kan skaffe vand?" spurgte han, som om Herren ikke ville gøre det, han lovede. "I troede mig ikke," sagde Gud til de to brødre, "og helligede mig ikke for israelitterne." På den tid, da vandet ophørte, blev deres egen tro på Guds løftes opfyldelse rokket af folkets knurren og oprør. Det første slægtled var blevet dømt til at omkomme i ørkenen på grund af deres vantro, men den samme ånd viste sig igen i deres børn. Ville disse også gå glip af løftet? Moses og Aron var trætte og mismodige og havde ikke gjort sig nogen anstrengelse for at dæmme op for folkestemningen.