Liber Numeri 20
1 Veneruntque filii Israel, et omnis multitudo in desertum Sin, mense primo: et mansit populus in Cades. Mortuaque est ibi Maria, et sepulta in eodem loco.
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 Cumque indigeret aqua populus, convenerunt adversum Moysen et Aaron:
There was no water for the people to drink there, so they came to Aaron and Moses/me.
3 et versi in seditionem, dixerunt: Utinam periissemus inter fratres nostros coram Domino.
They complained and said, “We wish that we had died in front of Yahweh’s Sacred Tent when our fellow Israelis died!
4 Cur eduxistis Ecclesiam Domini in solitudinem, ut et nos et nostra iumenta moriamur?
(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 Quare nos fecistis ascendere de Aegypto, et adduxistis in locum istum pessimum, qui seri non potest, qui nec ficum gignit, nec vineas, nec malogranata, insuper et aquam non habet ad bibendum?
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 Ingressusque Moyses et Aaron, dimissa multitudine, in tabernaculum foederis, corruerunt proni in terram, clamaveruntque ad Dominum, atque dixerunt: Domine Deus audi clamorem huius populi, et aperi eis thesaurum tuum fontem aquae vivae, ut satiati, cesset murmuratio eorum. Et apparuit gloria Domini super eos.
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 Locutusque est Dominus ad Moysen, dicens:
and he said to Moses/me,
8 Tolle virgam, et congrega populum, tu et Aaron frater tuus, et loquimini ad petram coram eis, et illa dabit aquas. Cumque eduxeris aquam de petra, bibet omnis multitudo et iumenta eius.
“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 Tulit igitur Moyses virgam, quae erat in conspectu Domini, sicut praeceperat ei,
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 congregata multitudine ante petram, dixitque eis: Audite rebelles et increduli: Num de petra hac vobis aquam poterimus eiicere?
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 Cumque elevasset Moyses manum, percutiens virga bis silicem, egressae sunt aquae largissimae, ita ut populus biberet et iumenta.
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 Dixitque Dominus ad Moysen et Aaron: Quia non credidistis mihi, ut sanctificaretis me coram filiis Israel, non introducetis hos populos in terram, quam dabo eis.
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 Haec est aqua contradictionis, ubi iurgati sunt filii Israel contra Dominum, et sanctificatus est in eis.
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 Misit interea nuncios Moyses de Cades ad regem Edom, qui dicerent: Haec mandat frater tuus Israel: Nosti omnem laborem qui apprehendit nos,
[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 quo modo descenderint patres nostri in Aegyptum, et habitaverimus ibi multo tempore, afflixerintque nos Aegyptii, et patres nostros:
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 et quo modo clamaverimus ad Dominum, et exaudierit nos, miseritque angelum, qui eduxerit nos de Aegypto. Ecce in urbe Cades, quae est in extremis finibus tuis, positi,
“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 obsecramus ut nobis transire liceat per terram tuam. Non ibimus per agros, nec per vineas, non bibemus aquas de puteis tuis, sed gradiemur via publica, nec ad dexteram nec ad sinistram declinantes, donec transeamus terminos tuos.
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 Cui respondit Edom: Non transibis per me, alioquin armatus occurram tibi.
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 Dixeruntque filii Israel: Per tritam gradiemur viam: et si biberimus aquas tuas nos et pecora nostra, dabimus quod iustum est: nulla erit in pretio difficultas, tantum velociter transeamus.
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 At ille respondit: Non transibitis. Statimque egressus est obvius, cum infinita multitudo, et manu forti,
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 nec voluit acquiescere deprecanti, ut concederet transitum per fines suos. quam ob rem divertit ab eo Israel.
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 Cumque castra movissent de Cades, venerunt in montem Hor, qui est in finibus terrae Edom:
The Israeli people left Kadesh. They went to Hor Mountain,
23 ubi locutus est Dominus ad Moysen:
[which is at the border of Edom]. While they were there, Yahweh said to Aaron and Moses/me,
24 Pergat, inquit, Aaron ad populos suos: non enim intrabit Terram, quam dedi filiis Israel, eo quod incredulus fuerit ori meo, ad Aquas contradictionis.
“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 Tolle Aaron et filium eius cum eo, et duces eos in montem Hor.
Now you, Moses, take Aaron and his son Eleazar up on Hor Mountain.
26 Cumque nudaveris patrem veste sua, indues ea Eleazarum filium eius: Aaron colligetur, et morietur ibi.
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 Fecit Moyses ut praeceperat Dominus: et ascenderunt in montem Hor coram omni multitudine.
So Moses/I did what Yahweh commanded. The three of them/us climbed up Hor Mountain, while all the Israeli people watched.
28 Cumque Aaron spoliasset vestibus suis, induit eis Eleazarum filium eius. Illo mortuo in montis supercilio, descendit cum Eleazaro.
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 Omnis autem multitudo videns occubuisse Aaron, flevit super eo triginta diebus per cunctas familias suas.
When the Israeli people realized that Aaron had died, they all mourned for him for 30 days.
