Numbers 20

1 And they came [the] people of Israel all the congregation [the] wilderness of Zin in the month first and it remained the people in Kadesh and she died there Miriam and she was buried there.

In March/April [of the next year], the Israeli people traveled/walked to the Zin Desert and (camped/set up their tents) near Kadesh [town]. While they/we were there, [Moses’/my older sister] Miriam died and was buried there.

2 And not it belonged water to the congregation and they assembled on Moses and on Aaron.

There was no water for the people to drink there, so they came to Aaron and Moses/me.

3 And it quarreled the people with Moses and they said saying and if we had died when died brothers our before Yahweh.

They complained and said, “We wish that we had died in front of Yahweh’s Sacred Tent when our fellow Israelis died!

4 And why? have you brought [the] assembly of Yahweh into the wilderness this to die there we and livestock our.

(Did you bring us, who are Yahweh’s people, into this desert to die along with our livestock?/You brought us, who are Yahweh’s people, into this desert to die along with our livestock!) [RHQ]

5 And why? have you brought up us from Egypt to bring us to the place the evil this not - a place of seed and fig tree and vine and pomegranate and [is] water there not to drink.

Why did you bring us from Egypt to this miserable place [RHQ]? There is no grain, there are no figs, no grapes, and no pomegranates here. And there is no water for us to drink!”

6 And he went Moses and Aaron from before the assembly to [the] entrance of [the] tent of meeting and they fell on faces their and it appeared [the] glory of Yahweh to them.

Aaron and Moses/I turned away from the people and went to the entrance of the Sacred Tent and prostrated themselves/ourselves on the ground. Then Yahweh appeared to them/us with his bright glory,

7 And he spoke Yahweh to Moses saying.

and he said to Moses/me,

8 Take the rod and assemble the congregation you and Aaron brother your and you will speak to the rock to eyes their and it will give water its and you will bring out for them water from the rock and you will give drink to the congregation and livestock their.

“You and Aaron must take Aaron’s walking stick with you and gather all the people together. While the people are watching, command that water will flow out of that [large] rock over there. Water for the people will flow from it; all they and all their livestock will have enough water to drink.”

9 And he took Moses the rod from to before Yahweh just as he had commanded him.

So Moses/I did what Yahweh told him/me to do. He/I took Aaron’s walking stick from the place in the Sacred Tent where it was kept.

10 And they made assemble Moses and Aaron the assembly to [the] face of the rock and he said to them listen please O rebels ¿ from the rock this will we bring out for you water.

Then Aaron and he/I summoned all the people to gather at the rock. Then Moses/I shouted to them, “All you rebellious people, listen! Is it necessary for us to give you water from this rock?”

11 And he raised Moses hand his and he struck the rock with rod his two times and they came out waters many and it drank the congregation and livestock their.

Then Moses/I raised his/my hand and [instead of speaking to the rock], he/I struck the rock two times with the walking stick. And water gushed/poured out. So all the people and their livestock drank all the water that they wanted.

12 And he said Yahweh to Moses and to Aaron because not you believed me to treat as holy me to [the] eyes of [the] people of Israel therefore not you will bring the assembly this into the land which I have given to them.

But Yahweh said to Aaron and Moses/me, “You did not believe that I could demonstrate my power to the Israeli people [and give them water without your striking the rock]. So you will not lead them into the land that I am giving to them!”

13 They [were] [the] waters of Meribah where they quarreled [the] people of Israel with Yahweh and he showed himself holy among them.

Later this place was called Meribah, [which means ‘arguing’], because there the Israeli people argued with Yahweh, and there he showed his power to them [by giving them water].

14 And he sent Moses messengers from Kadesh to [the] king of Edom thus he says brother your Israel you you know all the hardship which it has come upon us.

[While the people were] at Kadesh [town], Moses/I sent messengers to the king of Edom to tell him this: “Your relatives, the Israeli people, are sending you this message. You know the many troubles/hardships that have happened to us.

15 And they went down ancestors our Egypt towards and we dwelt in Egypt days many and they did harm to us Egypt and to ancestors our.

You know that our ancestors went down to Egypt. You know that they stayed there for many years. They suffered because the [rulers of] Egypt caused them to become their slaves [and to work very hard].

16 And we cried out to Yahweh and he heard voice our and he sent an angel and he brought out us from Egypt and here! we [are] in Kadesh city of [the] outskirt[s] of territory your.

“But when they called out to Yahweh, he heard them and sent an angel who brought them out of Egypt. Now we have set up our tents here at Kadesh, a town at the border of your land.

17 Let us pass please in land your not we will pass in a field and in a vineyard and not we will drink water of a well [the] way of the king we will go not we will turn aside right and left until that we will pass through territory your.

Please allow us to travel through your country. We will [be careful to] not walk through your fields and your vineyards. We will not even drink water from your wells. As we travel, we will stay on the king’s highway, [the main road that goes from the south to the north], and we will not leave that road until we have crossed the border [of your country in the north].”

18 And it said to him Edom not you will pass in me lest with the sword I should come out to meet you.

But the king of Edom refused. He replied, “Stay out of my country! If you try [to enter it], I will [send my army to] attack you!”

19 And they said to him [the] people of Israel on the highway we will go up and if waters your we will drink I and livestock my and I will give price their only there not [is] a thing on feet my let me pass through.

The Israeli messengers replied, “[If we travel through your country], we will stay on the main road. If we and any of our livestock drink any of your water, we will pay for it. We want only to travel through your country. We do not want anything else.”

20 And it said not you will pass through and it came out Edom to meet him with a people massive and with a hand strong.

But the king replied, “No! Stay out of our country! We will not [allow you] to travel through our land!” Then he sent the strongest soldiers in his army to prevent the Israelis [from entering his country].

21 And it refused - Edom to permit Israel to pass in territory its and it turned aside Israel from on it.

So, because [the king of] Edom refused to allow the Israelis to travel through his country, the Israelis turned [and traveled a different way].

22 And they set out from Kadesh and they came [the] people of Israel all the congregation Hor the mountain.

The Israeli people left Kadesh. They went to Hor Mountain,

23 And he said Yahweh to Moses and to Aaron at Hor the mountain on [the] border of [the] land of Edom saying.

[which is at the border of Edom]. While they were there, Yahweh said to Aaron and Moses/me,

24 He will be gathered Aaron to people his for not he will go into the land which I have given to [the] people of Israel on that you rebelled against mouth my to [the] waters of Meribah.

“It is time for Aaron to die [EUP]. He will not enter the land that I am giving to you Israelis, because the two of you disobeyed me [when I told you to speak to the rock to cause] the water [to flow] at Meribah.

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

Now you, Moses, take Aaron and his son Eleazar up on Hor Mountain.

26 And strip off Aaron garments his and you will clothe with them Eleazar son his and Aaron he will be gathered and he will die there.

There you must remove Aaron’s robes [that he wears when he does the work of a priest], and put them on his son, Eleazar. Aaron will die up there.”

27 And he did Moses just as he had commanded Yahweh and they went up to Hor the mountain to [the] eyes of all the congregation.

So Moses/I did what Yahweh commanded. The three of them/us climbed up Hor Mountain, while all the Israeli people watched.

28 And he stripped off Moses Aaron garments his and he clothed with them Eleazar son his and he died Aaron there at [the] top of the mountain and he went down Moses and Eleazar from the mountain.

At the top of the mountain, Moses/I took off the robes that Aaron wore [while he did the work of a priest] and put them on Eleazar. Then Aaron died there on the top of the mountain, and Eleazar and Moses/I went back down.

29 And they saw all the congregation that he had died Aaron and they wept for Aaron thirty day[s] all [the] house of Israel.

When the Israeli people realized that Aaron had died, they all mourned for him for 30 days.