Numbers 20

1 And the sons of Israel come in, — all the company — to the wilderness of Zin, in the first month, and the people abide in Kadesh, and Miriam dieth there, and is buried there.

It was during the first month of the year that all the Israelites arrived in the Desert of Zin and set up camp in Kadesh. (This was where Miriam died and was buried.)

2 And there hath been no water for the company, and they are assembled against Moses, and against Aaron,

However, there was no water there for anyone to drink, so the people gathered to confront Moses and Aaron.

3 and the people strive with Moses, and speak, saying, 'And oh that we had expired when our brethren expired before Jehovah!

They argued with Moses, saying, “If only we'd died with our relatives in the Lord's presence!

4 and why have ye brought in the assembly of Jehovah unto this wilderness to die there, we and our beasts?

Why have you brought the Lord's people into this desert just so we and our livestock can die here?

5 and why hast thou brought us up out of Egypt to bring us in unto this evil place? no place of seed, and fig, and vine, and pomegranate; and water there is none to drink.

Why did you lead us out of Egypt to come to this awful place? Nothing grows here—no grain or figs or vines or pomegranates. And there's no water to drink!”

6 And Moses and Aaron go in from the presence of the assembly unto the opening of the tent of meeting, and fall on their faces, and the honour of Jehovah is seen by them.

Moses and Aaron left the people and went to entrance of the Tent of Meeting. There they fell facedown on the ground, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them.

7 And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying,

The Lord told Moses,

8 'Take the rod, and assemble the company, thou and Aaron thy brother; and ye have spoken unto the rock before their eyes, and it hath given its water, and thou hast brought out to them water from the rock, and hast watered the company, and their beasts.'

“Take the walking stick and have the people gather around you. As they watch, you and your brother Aaron will order the rock and it will pour out water. You will bring water from the rock so the people and their livestock can drink.”

9 And Moses taketh the rod from before Jehovah, as He hath commanded him,

Moses picked up the walking stick that was kept in the Lord's presence, as he had been ordered.

10 and Moses and Aaron assemble the assembly unto the front of the rock, and he saith to them, 'Hear, I pray you, O rebels, from this rock do we bring out to you water?'

Moses and Aaron had everyone gather in front of the rock. Moses said to them, “Listen, you bunch of rebels! Do we have to bring water out of this rock for you?”

11 and Moses lifteth up his hand, and smiteth the rock with his rod twice; and much water cometh out, and the company drink, also their beasts.

Then Moses picked up the walking stick and hit the rock twice. Streams of water gushed out so that the people and their livestock could drink.

12 And Jehovah saith unto Moses, and unto Aaron, 'Because ye have not believed in Me to sanctify Me before the eyes of the sons of Israel, therefore ye do not bring in this assembly unto the land which I have given to them.'

But the Lord told Moses and Aaron, “Because you didn't trust me enough to demonstrate how holy I am to the Israelites, you will not be the ones to lead them into the country I've given them.”

13 These [are] waters of Meribah, because the sons of Israel have 'striven' with Jehovah, and He is sanctified upon them.

The place where the Israelites argued with the Lord was called the waters of Meribah, and was where he revealed his holiness to them.

14 And Moses sendeth messengers from Kadesh unto the king of Edom, 'Thus said thy brother Israel, Thou — thou hast known all the travail which hath found us;

Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, telling him, “This is what your brother Israel says. You know all about the difficulties we've faced.

15 that our fathers go down to Egypt, and we dwell in Egypt many days, and the Egyptians do evil to us and to our fathers;

Our forefathers went to Egypt and we lived there for a long time. The Egyptians treated us and our forefathers badly,

16 and we cry unto Jehovah, and He heareth our voice, and sendeth a messenger, and is bringing us out of Egypt; and lo, we [are] in Kadesh, a city [in] the extremity of thy border.

so we called out to the Lord for help, and he heard our cries. He sent an angel and led us out of Egypt. Listen, now we are in Kadesh, a town on the border of your territory.

17 Let us pass over, we pray thee, through thy land; we pass not over through a field, or through a vineyard, nor do we drink waters of a well; the way of the king we go, we turn not aside — right or left — till that we pass over thy border.'

Please allow us to travel through your country. We won't cross any of your fields or vineyards, or drink water from any of your wells. We will stay on the King's Highway; we won't turn off either to the right or to the left until we have passed through your country.”

18 And Edom saith unto him, 'Thou dost not pass over through me, lest with sword I come out to meet thee.'

But the king of Edom replied, “You are forbidden to travel through our country, otherwise we will come out and stop you by force.”

19 And the sons of Israel say unto him, 'In the highway we go, and if of thy waters we drink — I and my cattle — then I have given their price; only (it is nothing) on my feet I pass over.'

“We'll keep to the main road,” the Israelites persisted. “If we or our livestock drink your water, we'll pay you for it. That's all we want—just to pass through on foot.”

20 And he saith, 'Thou dost not pass over;' and Edom cometh out to meet him with much people, and with a strong hand;

But the king of Edom insisted, “You are forbidden to travel through our country!” He came out with his large and powerful army to meet the Israelites head-on.

21 and Edom refuseth to suffer Israel to pass over through his border, and Israel turneth aside from off him.

Since the king of Edom refused to allow Israel to travel through his territory, the Israelites had to turn back.

22 And the sons of Israel, the whole company, journey from Kadesh, and come in unto mount Hor,

The Israelites all left Kadesh and traveled to Mount Hor.

23 and Jehovah speaketh unto Moses and unto Aaron in mount Hor, on the border of the land of Edom, saying,

At Mount Hor, near the border with the country of Edom, the Lord told Moses and Aaron,

24 'Aaron is gathered unto his people, for he doth not go in unto the land which I have given to the sons of Israel, because that ye provoked My mouth at the waters of Meribah.

“Aaron will shortly join his forefathers in death. He will not enter the country I have given the Israelites, because you both disobeyed my command at the waters of Meribah.

25 'Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and cause them to go up mount Hor,

Have Aaron and his son Eleazar join you and climb up Mount Hor together.

26 and strip Aaron of his garments, and thou hast clothed [with] them Eleazar his son, and Aaron is gathered, and doth die there.'

Take off Aaron's priestly clothes and put them on his son Eleazar. Aaron is going to die there and join his forefathers in death.”

27 And Moses doth as Jehovah hath commanded, and they go up unto mount Hor before the eyes of all the company,

Moses did as the Lord ordered: They climbed up Mount Hor in full view of all the Israelites.

28 and Moses strippeth Aaron of his garments, and clotheth with them Eleazar his son, and Aaron dieth there on the top of the mount; and Moses cometh down — Eleazar also — from the mount,

Moses removed the priestly clothes that Aaron was wearing and put them on Aaron's son Eleazar. Aaron died there, on the top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar went back down.

29 and all the company see that Aaron hath expired, and they bewail Aaron thirty days — all the house of Israel.

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