27:14 For20 in the wilderness of Zin when the community rebelled against me, you21 rebelled against my command22 to show me as holy23 before their eyes over the water—the water of Meribah in Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.”
sn Using the basic meaning of the word קָדַשׁ (qadash, “to be separate, distinct, set apart”), we can understand better what Moses failed to do. He was supposed to have acted in a way that would have shown God to be distinct, different, holy. Instead, he gave the impression that God was capricious and hostile—very human. The leader has to be aware of what image he is conveying to the people.