Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in the first month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there.
All Commentaries on Numbers 20:1 Go To Numbers 20
George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
Sin, Zin, or Tsin, nearer to Judea than the desert, where the Hebrews encamped before, Exodus xvi. 1. (Haydock)
Moses informs us of very little from the time when the people murmured at Cades-barne, in the second year, till the beginning of the 40th year of their sojournment.
In Cades. The Rabbins assert, they remained there the first time twenty-nine years, (chap. xiv. 45,) and the second, ten. (Genebrard, in the year of the world 2670.) But we do not believe they continued there above a year the first time.
Mary. St. Gregory of Nyssa, and St. Ambrose, suppose she was always a virgin, in which respect she was a figure of our blessed Lady, as well as in her name. She was probably 130 years old, as she was very discreet at the time of the birth of Moses, and employed by Providence in preserving his life, as the blessed Virgin screened our Saviour from the fury of Herod. She had the superintendence over the Hebrew women; (Exodus xv. 20.; Theodoret, in Mic. vi. 4) and hence many apply to her and her brothers those words of Zacharias, (xi. 8,) I cut off three shepherds in one month. Mary died without being permitted to enter the promised land, on account of her murmuring, chap. xii. Thus the synagogue, though proud of her prerogatives, cannot enter the land of rest. (Calmet)
There. Some place this Cades not far from the Red Sea, (ver. 20,) south of Idumea, while the other was to the north, and nearer Chanaan, being generally called Cades-barne. (Bonfrere and Cornelius a Lap ide) (Chap. xx. 16.)
In this place Mary died, four months before Aaron. (Menochius)
