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
And the sons of Israel, all the congregation, come [into] the wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people abide in Kadesh; and Miriam dies there and is buried there.
2 cumque indigeret aqua populus coierunt adversum Mosen et Aaron
And there has been no water for the congregation, and they are assembled against Moses and against Aaron,
3 et versi in seditionem dixerunt utinam perissemus inter fratres nostros coram Domino
and the people strive with Moses and speak, saying, “And oh that we had expired when our brothers expired before YHWH!
4 cur eduxistis ecclesiam Domini in solitudinem ut et nos et nostra iumenta moriantur
And why have you brought in the assembly of YHWH to this wilderness to die there, we and our beasts?
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
And why have you brought us up out of Egypt to bring us to this evil place? [It is] not a place of seed, and fig, and vine, and pomegranate; and there is no water to drink.”
6 ingressusque Moses et Aaron dimissa multitudine tabernaculum foederis corruerunt proni in terram et apparuit gloria Domini super eos
And Moses and Aaron go in from the presence of the assembly to the opening of the Tent of Meeting and fall on their faces, and the glory of YHWH is seen by them.
7 locutusque est Dominus ad Mosen dicens
And YHWH speaks to Moses, saying,
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 rod and assemble the congregation—you and your brother Aaron—and you have spoken to the rock before their eyes, and it has given its water, and you have brought out water to them from the rock, and have watered the congregation and their beasts.”
9 tulit igitur Moses virgam quae erat in conspectu Domini sicut praeceperat ei
And Moses takes the rod from before YHWH as He has commanded him,
10 congregata multitudine ante petram dixitque eis audite rebelles et increduli num de petra hac vobis aquam poterimus eicere
and Moses and Aaron assemble the assembly to the front of the rock, and he says to them, “Now hear, O rebels, do we bring out water to you from this rock?”
11 cumque elevasset Moses manum percutiens virga bis silicem egressae sunt aquae largissimae ita ut et populus biberet et iumenta
And Moses lifts up his hand and strikes the rock with his rod twice; and much water comes out, and the congregation drinks, and their beasts [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
And YHWH says to Moses and to Aaron, “Because you have not believed in Me to sanctify Me before the eyes of the sons of Israel, therefore you do not bring in this assembly to the land which I have given to them.”
13 haec est aqua Contradictionis ubi iurgati sunt filii Israhel contra Dominum et sanctificatus est in eis
These [are] the waters of Meribah, because the sons of Israel have “striven” with YHWH, and He is sanctified among them.
14 misit interea nuntios Moses de Cades ad regem Edom qui dicerent haec mandat frater tuus Israhel nosti omnem laborem qui adprehendit nos
And Moses sends messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, “Thus said your brother Israel: You have known all the travail which has found us,
15 quomodo descenderint patres nostri in Aegyptum et habitaverimus ibi multo tempore adflixerintque nos Aegyptii et patres nostros
that our fathers go down to Egypt, and we dwell in Egypt [for] many days, and the Egyptians do evil to us and to our fathers;
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
then we cry to YHWH, and He hears our voice, and sends a Messenger, and is bringing us out of Egypt; and behold, we [are] in Kadesh, a city [in] the extremity of your border.
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 let us pass over through your land; we do not pass over through a field or through a vineyard, nor do we drink waters of a well; we go the way of the king, we do not turn aside [to] the right or left until we pass over your border.”
18 cui respondit Edom non transibis per me alioquin armatus occurram tibi
And Edom says to him, “You do not pass over through me, lest I come out to meet you with the sword.”
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
And the sons of Israel say to him, “We go in the highway, and if we drink of your waters—I and my livestock—then I have given their price; only, let me pass over on my feet, nothing [more].”
20 at ille respondit non transibis statimque egressus est obvius cum infinita multitudine et manu forti
And he says, “You do not pass over”; and Edom comes out to meet him with many people and with a strong hand;
21 nec voluit adquiescere deprecanti ut concederet transitum per fines suos quam ob rem devertit ab eo Israhel
and Edom refuses to permit Israel to pass over through his border, and Israel turns aside from off him.
22 cumque castra movissent de Cades venerunt in montem Or qui est in finibus terrae Edom
And the sons of Israel, all the congregation, journey from Kadesh and come to Mount Hor,
23 ubi locutus est Dominus ad Mosen
and YHWH speaks to Moses and to Aaron in Mount Hor, on the border of the land of Edom, saying,
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 is gathered to his people, for he does not go into the land which I have given to the sons of Israel, because that you provoked My mouth at the waters of Meribah.
25 tolle Aaron et filium eius cum eo et duces eos in montem Or
Take Aaron and his son Eleazar, and cause them to go up Mount Hor,
26 cumque nudaveris patrem veste sua indues ea Eleazarum filium eius et Aaron colligetur et morietur ibi
and strip Aaron of his garments, and you have clothed his son Eleazar [with] them, and Aaron is gathered, and dies there.”
27 fecit Moses ut praeceperat Dominus et ascenderunt in montem Or coram omni multitudine
And Moses does as YHWH has commanded, and they go up to Mount Hor before the eyes of all the congregation,
28 cumque Aaron spoliasset vestibus suis induit eis Eleazarum filium eius illo mortuo in montis supercilio descendit cum Eleazaro
and Moses strips Aaron of his garments, and clothes his son Eleazar with them, and Aaron dies there on the top of the mountain; and Moses comes down—Eleazar also—from the mountain,
29 omnis autem multitudo videns occubuisse Aaron flevit super eo triginta diebus per cunctas familias suas
and all the congregation sees that Aaron has expired, and all the house of Israel laments Aaron [for] thirty days.
