Numbers 20

1 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.

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.

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

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

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

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

4 (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]

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

5 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!”

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.

6 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,

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.

7 and he said to Moses/me,

Then spake Yahweh unto Moses, saying:

8 “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.”

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.

9 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.

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

10 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?”

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?

11 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.

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.

12 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!”

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.

13 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].

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.

14 [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.

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;

15 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].

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;

16 “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.

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,

17 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].”

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.

18 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!”

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

19 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.”

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.

20 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].

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

24 “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.

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.

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

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

26 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.”

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

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

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

28 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.

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.

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

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