Numbers 20

1 In the first month, the whole congregation of Israel entered the Wilderness of Zin and stayed in Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried.

So the people of Israel, the whole community, went into the wilderness of Zin in the first month; they stayed at Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried.

2 Now there was no water for the congregation, so they gathered against Moses and Aaron.

There was no water for the community, so they assembled together against Moses and Aaron.

3 The people quarreled with Moses and said, “If only we had perished with our brothers before the LORD!

The people complained against Moses. They said, “It would have been better if we had died when our fellow Israelites died in front of Yahweh!

4 Why have you brought the LORD’s assembly into this wilderness for us and our livestock to die here?

Why have you brought Yahweh's community into this wilderness to die here, we and our animals?

5 Why have you led us up out of Egypt to bring us to this wretched place? It is not a place of grain, figs, vines, or pomegranates—and there is no water to drink!”

Why did you make us come up out of Egypt to bring us to this horrible place? Here there is no seed, figs, vines, or pomegranates, and there is no water to drink.”

6 Then Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. They fell facedown, and the glory of the LORD appeared to them.

So Moses and Aaron went away from in front of the assembly. They went to the entrance of the tent of meeting and lay facedown. There Yahweh's brilliant glory appeared to them.

7 And the LORD said to Moses,

Yahweh spoke to Moses and said,

8 “Take the staff and assemble the congregation. You and your brother Aaron are to speak to the rock while they watch, and it will pour out its water. You will bring out water from the rock and provide drink for the congregation and their livestock.”

“Take the staff and assemble the community, you, and Aaron your brother. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and command it to flow with water. You will produce water for them out of that rock, and you must give it to the community and their cattle to drink.”

9 So Moses took the staff from the LORD’s presence, just as he had been commanded.

Moses took the staff from before Yahweh, as Yahweh had commanded him to do.

10 Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly in front of the rock, and Moses said to them, “Listen now, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?”

Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock. Moses said to them, “Listen now, you rebels. Must we bring water out of this rock for you?”

11 Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff, so that a great amount of water gushed out, and the congregation and their livestock were able to drink.

Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff, and much water came out. The community drank, and their cattle drank.

12 But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust Me to show My holiness in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.”

Then Yahweh said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust me or honor me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, you will not bring this assembly into the land I have given them.”

13 These were the waters of Meribah, where the Israelites quarreled with the LORD, and He showed His holiness among them.

This place was called the waters of Meribah because the people of Israel had quarreled with Yahweh there, and he showed himself to them as holy.

14 From Kadesh, Moses sent messengers to tell the king of Edom, “This is what your brother Israel says: You know all the hardship that has befallen us,

Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom: Your brother Israel says this: “You know all the difficulties that have happened to us.

15 how our fathers went down to Egypt, where we lived many years. The Egyptians mistreated us and our fathers,

You know that our ancestors went down to Egypt and lived in Egypt a long time. The Egyptians treated us harshly and also our ancestors.

16 and when we cried out to the LORD, He heard our voice, sent an angel, and brought us out of Egypt. Now look, we are in Kadesh, a city on the edge of your territory.

When we called out to Yahweh, he heard our voice and sent an angel and brought us out of Egypt. Look, we are in Kadesh, a city on the border of your land.

17 Please let us pass through your land. We will not cut through any field or vineyard, or drink water from any well. We will stay on the King’s Highway; we will not turn to the right or to the left until we have passed through your territory.”

I am asking you to let us pass through your land. We will not pass through field or vineyard, nor will we drink the water in your wells. We will go along the king's highway. We will not turn aside to the right hand or to the left until we have passed your border.”

18 But Edom answered, “You may not travel through our land, or we will come out and confront you with the sword.”

But the king of Edom replied to him, “You may not pass through here. If you do, I will come with the sword to attack you.”

19 “We will stay on the main road,” the Israelites replied, “and if we or our herds drink your water, we will pay for it. There will be no problem; only let us pass through on foot.”

Then the people of Israel said to him, “We will go along the highway. If we or our livestock drink your water, we will pay for it. Just let us walk through on foot, without doing anything else.”

20 But Edom insisted, “You may not pass through.” And they came out to confront the Israelites with a large army and a strong hand.

But the king of Edom replied, “You may not pass through.” So the king of Edom came against Israel with a strong hand with many soldiers.

21 So Edom refused to allow Israel to pass through their territory, and Israel turned away from them.

The king of Edom refused to allow Israel to cross over their border. Because of this, Israel turned away from the land of Edom.

22 After they had set out from Kadesh, the whole congregation of Israel came to Mount Hor.

So the people journeyed from Kadesh. The people of Israel, the whole community, came to Mount Hor.

23 And at Mount Hor, near the border of the land of Edom, the LORD said to Moses and Aaron,

Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron at Mount Hor, on Edom's border. He said,

24 “Aaron will be gathered to his people; he will not enter the land that I have given the Israelites, because both of you rebelled against My command at the waters of Meribah.

“Aaron must be gathered to his people, for he will not enter the land that I have given to the people of Israel. This is because you both rebelled against my word at the waters of Meribah.

25 Take Aaron and his son Eleazar and bring them up Mount Hor.

Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up to Mount Hor.

26 Remove Aaron’s priestly garments and put them on his son Eleazar. Aaron will be gathered to his people and will die there.”

Take Aaron's priestly garments off him and put them on Eleazar his son. Aaron must die and be gathered to his people there.”

27 So Moses did as the LORD had commanded, and they climbed Mount Hor in the sight of the whole congregation.

Moses did as Yahweh commanded. They went up Mount Hor in the sight of all the community.

28 After Moses had removed Aaron’s garments and put them on his son Eleazar, Aaron died there on top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain.

Moses took Aaron's priestly garments off him and put them on Eleazar his son. Aaron died there on the top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down.

29 When the whole congregation saw that Aaron had died, the entire house of Israel mourned for him thirty days.

When all the community saw that Aaron was dead, the entire nation wept for Aaron for thirty days.