The great Moses, who previously had hidden himself from Pharaoh and had withdrawn into Midian for fear of him when he received the commandment Return into Egypt,^[1] did not fear to do so. And again, when he was bidden to go up into the mountain Abarim and die, he delayed not through cowardice but even joyfully proceeded there.

Let’s take a look at this text too: Climb the mountain and die. The bodily death of Moses stood for the death of his doubting, but on the mountain. What marvelous mysteries! When this has been definitely explained and understood, how much sweeter it is to the taste than manna! Doubting was born at the rock, died on the mountain.

[Moses] touched the rock with his rod with doubt and thus distinguished this miracle from the rest, in which he had not doubted. He thus offended, thus deserved to hear that he should die without entering into the land of promise. For being disturbed by the murmurs of an unbelieving people, he did not hold fast that confidence which he ought to have held.