Liber Numeri 20
1 veneruntque filii Israhel et omnis multitudo in desertum Sin mense primo et mansit populus in Cades mortuaque est ibi Maria et sepulta in eodem loco
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 cumque indigeret aqua populus coierunt adversum Mosen et Aaron
However, there was no water there for anyone to drink, so the people gathered to confront Moses and Aaron.
3 et versi in seditionem dixerunt utinam perissemus inter fratres nostros coram Domino
They argued with Moses, saying, “If only we'd died with our relatives in the Lord's presence!
4 cur eduxistis ecclesiam Domini in solitudinem ut et nos et nostra iumenta moriantur
Why have you brought the Lord's people into this desert just so we and our livestock can die here?
5 quare nos fecistis ascendere de Aegypto et adduxistis in locum istum pessimum qui seri non potest qui nec ficum gignit nec vineas nec mala granata insuper et aquam non habet ad bibendum
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 ingressusque Moses et Aaron dimissa multitudine tabernaculum foederis corruerunt proni in terram et apparuit gloria Domini super eos
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 locutusque est Dominus ad Mosen dicens
The Lord told Moses,
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
“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 tulit igitur Moses virgam quae erat in conspectu Domini sicut praeceperat ei
Moses picked up the walking stick that was kept in the Lord's presence, as he had been ordered.
10 congregata multitudine ante petram dixitque eis audite rebelles et increduli num de petra hac vobis aquam poterimus eicere
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 cumque elevasset Moses manum percutiens virga bis silicem egressae sunt aquae largissimae ita ut et populus biberet et iumenta
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 dixitque Dominus ad Mosen et Aaron quia non credidistis mihi ut sanctificaretis me coram filiis Israhel non introducetis hos populos in terram quam dabo eis
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 haec est aqua Contradictionis ubi iurgati sunt filii Israhel contra Dominum et sanctificatus est in eis
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 misit interea nuntios Moses de Cades ad regem Edom qui dicerent haec mandat frater tuus Israhel nosti omnem laborem qui adprehendit nos
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 quomodo descenderint patres nostri in Aegyptum et habitaverimus ibi multo tempore adflixerintque nos Aegyptii et patres nostros
Our forefathers went to Egypt and we lived there for a long time. The Egyptians treated us and our forefathers badly,
16 et quomodo clamaverimus ad Dominum et exaudierit nos miseritque angelum qui eduxerit nos de Aegypto ecce in urbe Cades quae est in extremis finibus tuis positi
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 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 dextram nec ad sinistram declinantes donec transeamus terminos tuos
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 cui respondit Edom non transibis per me alioquin armatus occurram tibi
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 dixeruntque filii Israhel 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
“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 at ille respondit non transibis statimque egressus est obvius cum infinita multitudine et manu forti
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 nec voluit adquiescere deprecanti ut concederet transitum per fines suos quam ob rem devertit ab eo Israhel
Since the king of Edom refused to allow Israel to travel through his territory, the Israelites had to turn back.
22 cumque castra movissent de Cades venerunt in montem Or qui est in finibus terrae Edom
The Israelites all left Kadesh and traveled to Mount Hor.
23 ubi locutus est Dominus ad Mosen
At Mount Hor, near the border with the country of Edom, the Lord told Moses and Aaron,
24 pergat inquit Aaron ad populos suos non enim intrabit terram quam dedi filiis Israhel eo quod incredulus fuerit ori meo ad aquas Contradictionis
“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 tolle Aaron et filium eius cum eo et duces eos in montem Or
Have Aaron and his son Eleazar join you and climb up Mount Hor together.
26 cumque nudaveris patrem veste sua indues ea Eleazarum filium eius et Aaron colligetur et morietur ibi
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 fecit Moses ut praeceperat Dominus et ascenderunt in montem Or coram omni multitudine
Moses did as the Lord ordered: They climbed up Mount Hor in full view of all the Israelites.
28 cumque Aaron spoliasset vestibus suis induit eis Eleazarum filium eius illo mortuo in montis supercilio descendit cum Eleazaro
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 omnis autem multitudo videns occubuisse Aaron flevit super eo triginta diebus per cunctas familias suas
When the people realized that Aaron had died, they all mourned for him for thirty days.
