< Numbers 20 >

1 The children of Israel, even the whole congregation, came into the wilderness of Zin in the first month. The people stayed in Kadesh. 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 There was no water for the congregation; and they assembled themselves 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 The people quarreled with Moses, and spoke, saying, “We wish that we had died when our brothers 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 Why have you brought Yahweh’s assembly into this wilderness, that we should die there, we and our animals?
And why have you brought up the congregation of the LORD into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there?
5 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.”
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 Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the door of the Tent of Meeting, and fell on their faces. Yahweh’s glory appeared to 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 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
8 “Take the rod, and assemble the congregation, you, and Aaron your brother, and speak to the rock before their eyes, that it pour out its water. You shall bring water to them out of the rock; so you shall give the congregation and their livestock 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 Moses took the rod from before Yahweh, as he commanded him.
And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him.
10 Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels! Shall we bring water out of this rock for you?”
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 Moses lifted up his hand, and struck the rock with his rod twice, and water came out abundantly. The congregation and their livestock drank.
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 Yahweh said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you didn’t believe in me, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given 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 These are the waters of Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with Yahweh, and he was sanctified in them.
This is the water of Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with the LORD, and he was sanctified in them.
14 Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, saying: “Your brother Israel says: You know all the travail that has happened to 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 how our fathers went down into Egypt, and we lived in Egypt a long time. The Egyptians mistreated 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 When we cried to Yahweh, he heard our voice, sent an angel, and brought us out of Egypt. Behold, we are in Kadesh, a city in the edge of your border.
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 “Please let us pass through your land. We will not pass through field or through vineyard, neither will we drink from the water of the wells. We will go along the king’s highway. We will not turn away to the right hand nor to the left, until we have passed your border.”
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 Edom said to him, “You shall not pass through me, lest I come out with the sword against you.”
And Edom said to him, You shall not pass by me, lest I come out against you with the sword.
19 The children of Israel said to him, “We will go up by the highway; and if we drink your water, I and my livestock, then I will give its price. Only let me, without doing anything else, pass through on my feet.”
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 He said, “You shall not pass through.” Edom came out against him with many people, and with a strong 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 Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border, so Israel turned away from him.
Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border: why Israel turned away from him.
22 They traveled from Kadesh, and the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, came to Mount Hor.
And the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, journeyed from Kadesh, and came to mount Hor.
23 Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron in Mount Hor, by the border 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 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 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 Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up to Mount Hor;
Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up to mount Hor:
26 and strip Aaron of his garments, and put them on Eleazar his son. Aaron shall be gathered, 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 Moses did as Yahweh commanded. They went up onto Mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation.
And Moses did as the LORD commanded: and they went up into mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation.
28 Moses stripped Aaron of his garments, and put them on Eleazar his son. Aaron died there on the top of the mountain, and Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain.
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 When all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, they wept for 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.

< Numbers 20 >