Numbers 20

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

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

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

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

3 And the people strove with Moses, and spoke, saying, O that we had died when our brethren died before the LORD!

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

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

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

5 And why have ye made us come up from Egypt, to bring us 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.

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!”

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

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.

7 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

And the LORD said to Moses,

8 Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye to the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth its water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give water to the congregation and their beasts.

“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.”

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

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

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

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?”

11 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.

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.

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

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.”

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

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

14 And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, Thus saith thy brother Israel, Thou knowest all the travail that hath befallen us:

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,

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

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

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

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.

17 Let us pass, I pray thee, through thy 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 highway, we will not turn to the right hand nor to the left, until we have passed thy borders.

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.”

18 And Edom said to him, Thou shalt not pass by me, lest I come out against thee with the sword.

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

19 And the children of Israel said to him, We will go by the highway: and if I and my cattle drink of thy water, then I will pay for it: I will only, without doing any thing else, go through on my feet.

“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.”

20 And he said, Thou shalt not go through. And Edom came out against him with many people, and with a strong hand.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

24 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 ye rebelled against my word at the water of Meribah.

“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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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