Numbers 20

1 Then came the sons of Israel the whole assembly, into the desert of Zin in the first month, and the people dwelt in Kadesh, —and Miriam died there, and was buried there.

Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in the first month: and the people stayed in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there.

2 And there was no water for the assembly, —so they gathered together against Moses and against Aaron.

And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron.

3 And the people contended with Moses, —and spake saying, Would then we had died when our brethren died, before Yahweh!

And the people strived with Moses, and spoke, saying, Would God that we had died when our brothers died before the LORD!

4 Wherefore then hast thou brought the convocation of Yahweh into this desert, —to die there, we, and our cattle?

And why have you brought up the congregation of the LORD into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there?

5 And wherefore did ye cause us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us into this wretched place?—not a place of seeds, and figs, and vines and pomegranates, even water, is there none to drink.

And why have you made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in to this evil place? it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink.

6 And Moses and Aaron went in from the presence of the multitude unto the entrance of the tent of meeting, and fell upon their faces, —and the glory of Yahweh appeared unto them.

And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell on their faces: and the glory of the LORD appeared to them.

7 Then spake Yahweh unto Moses, saying:

And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

8 Take the staff and gather together the assembly, thou, and Aaron thy brother, then shall ye speak unto the cliff before their eyes and it shall give forth its waters, —so shalt thou bring forth unto them water, out of the cliff, and shalt cause the assembly, and their cattle to drink.

Take the rod, and gather you the assembly together, you, and Aaron your brother, and speak you to the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and you shall bring forth to them water out of the rock: so you shall give the congregation and their beasts drink.

9 And Moses took the staff from before Yahweh, —as he commanded him.

And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him.

10 And Moses and Aaron gathered together the convocation before the cliff, —and he said unto them: Hear I pray you ye rebels! Out of this cliff, must we bring forth for you water?

And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said to them, Hear now, you rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?

11 And Moses lifted high his hand and smote the cliff with his staff, twice, —and there came forth water in abundance, and the assembly and their cattle, did drink.

And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.

12 Then said Yahweh unto Moses and unto Aaron, Because ye believed not in me, to hallow me in the eyes of the sons of Israel, therefore, shall ye not bring in this convocation into the land which I have given unto them.

And the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, Because you believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.

13 The same, were the waters of Meribah [that is "Contention"] in that the sons of Israel contended with Yahweh, —and so he hallowed himself among them.

This is the water of Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with the LORD, and he was sanctified in them.

14 And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh, unto the king of Edom, —Thus, saith thy brother Israel, Thou thyself, knowest all the distress which befell us;

And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, Thus says your brother Israel, You know all the travail that has befallen us:

15 and how our fathers went down to Egypt, and we abode in Egypt, many days, and that the Egyptians ill-treated us, and our fathers;

How our fathers went down into Egypt, and we have dwelled in Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians vexed us, and our fathers:

16 and we made outcry unto Yahweh, and he heard our voice, and sent a messenger, and brought us forth out of Egypt, —lo! then, we, are in Kadesh, a city at the extremity of thy boundary,

And when we cried to the LORD, he heard our voice, and sent an angel, and has brought us forth out of Egypt: and, behold, we are in Kadesh, a city in the uttermost of your border:

17 Let us, we pray thee, pass through thy land—we will not pass through field or vineyard, nor will we drink the waters of a well, —by the king’s road, will we go—we will turn neither to the right hand nor to the left, until we get through thy boundary.

Let us pass, I pray you, through your country: we will not pass through the fields, or through the vineyards, neither will we drink of the water of the wells: we will go by the king’s high way, we will not turn to the right hand nor to the left, until we have passed your borders.

18 And Edom said unto him, Thou shalt not pass through my land, —lest with the sword, I come out to meet thee.

And Edom said to him, You shall not pass by me, lest I come out against you with the sword.

19 And the sons of Israel said unto him—By the highway, will we go up, and if thy waters, we should drink—I, and my cattle then would I give the price thereof, —only—it is nothing!—with my feet, would I pass through.

And the children of Israel said to him, We will go by the high way: and if I and my cattle drink of your water, then I will pay for it: I will only, without doing anything else, go through on my feet.

20 And he said, Thou shalt not pass through. And Edom came out to meet him, with a strong people, and with a firm hand.

And he said, You shall not go through. And Edom came out against him with much people, and with a strong hand.

21 Thus did Edom refuse to give Israel passage through his boundary, —and Israel turned away from him.

Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border: why Israel turned away from him.

22 Then set they forward from Kadesh, —and the sons of Israel. all the assembly, came in to Mount Hor.

And the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, journeyed from Kadesh, and came to mount Hor.

23 Then spake Yahweh unto Moses and unto Aaron in Mount Hor, —near the boundary of the land of Edom saying:

And the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron in mount Hor, by the coast of the land of Edom, saying,

24 Aaron shall be withdrawn unto his kinsfolk, for he shall not enter into the land. which I have given unto the sons of Israel, —because ye spurned my bidding, at the waters of Meribah.

Aaron shall be gathered to his people: for he shall not enter into the land which I have given to the children of Israel, because you rebelled against my word at the water of Meribah.

25 Take thou Aaron, and Eleazar his son, —and bring them up Mount Hor;

Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up to mount Hor:

26 and strip thou Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son, —and, Aaron, shall be withdrawn and shall die there.

And strip Aaron of his garments, and put them on Eleazar his son: and Aaron shall be gathered to his people, and shall die there.

27 And Moses did as Yahweh commanded, —and they went up into, Mount Hor, in sight of all the assembly.

And Moses did as the LORD commanded: and they went up into mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation.

28 And Moses stripped Aaron of his garments and put them upon Eleazar his son, and Aaron died there, in the top of the mount, —and Moses and Eleazar came down out of the mount.

And Moses stripped Aaron of his garments, and put them on Eleazar his son; and Aaron died there in the top of the mount: and Moses and Eleazar came down from the mount.

29 And all the assembly saw that Aaron was dead; and they bewailed Aaron thirty days, even all the house of Israel.

And when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, they mourned for Aaron thirty days, even all the house of Israel.