20:1 In the first month the whole Israelite community arrived at the Desert of Zin, and they stayed at Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried.
20:2 Now there was no water for the community, and the people gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron.
20:3 They quarreled with Moses and said, “If only we had died when our brothers fell dead before the LORD!
20:4 Why did you bring the LORD’S community into this desert, that we and our livestock should die here?
20:5 Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates. And there is no water to drink!”
20:6 Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and fell facedown, and the glory of the LORD appeared to them.
20:7 The LORD said to Moses,
20:8 “Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink.”
20:9 So Moses took the staff from the LORD’S presence, just as he commanded him.
20:10 He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?”
20:11 Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.
20:12 But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.”
20:13 These were the waters of Meribah, where the Israelites quarreled with the LORD and where he showed himself holy among them.
20:14 Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, saying: “This is what your brother Israel says: You know about all the hardships that have come upon us.
20:15 Our forefathers went down into Egypt, and we lived there many years. The Egyptians mistreated us and our fathers,
20:16 but when we cried out to the LORD, he heard our cry and sent an angel and brought us out of Egypt. “Now we are here at Kadesh, a town on the edge of your territory.
20:17 Please let us pass through your country. We will not go through any field or vineyard, or drink water from any well. We will travel along the king’s highway and not turn to the right or to the left until we have passed through your territory.”
20:18 But Edom answered: “You may not pass through here; if you try, we will march out and attack you with the sword.”
20:19 The Israelites replied: “We will go along the main road, and if we or our livestock drink any of your water, we will pay for it. We only want to pass through on foot–nothing else.”
20:20 Again they answered: “You may not pass through.” Then Edom came out against them with a large and powerful army.
20:21 Since Edom refused to let them go through their territory, Israel turned away from them.
20:22 The whole Israelite community set out from Kadesh and came to Mount Hor.
20:23 At Mount Hor, near the border of Edom, the LORD said to Moses and Aaron,
20:24 “Aaron will be gathered to his people. He will not enter the land I give the Israelites, because both of you rebelled against my command at the waters of Meribah.
20:25 Get Aaron and his son Eleazar and take them up Mount Hor.
20:26 Remove Aaron’s garments and put them on his son Eleazar, for Aaron will be gathered to his people; he will die there.”
20:27 Moses did as the LORD commanded: They went up Mount Hor in the sight of the whole community.
20:28 Moses removed Aaron’s garments and put them on his son Eleazar. And Aaron died there on top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain,
20:29 and when the whole community learned that Aaron had died, the entire house of Israel mourned for him thirty days.
20:1 Then the children of Israel, the whole assembly, came to the wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed at Kadesh; and Miriam died there and was buried there.
20:2 And there was no water for the assembly, and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron.
20:3 And the people contended with Moses and spoke, saying, If only we had expired when our brothers expired before Jehovah!
20:4 Why then have you brought the congregation of Jehovah into this wilderness for us and our livestock to die there?
20:5 Why then did you bring us up out of Egypt, to bring us to this wretched place? It is not a place of grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, and there is not even water to drink.
20:6 And Moses and Aaron went from before the congregation to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting and fell upon their faces, and the glory of Jehovah appeared to them.
20:7 Then Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying,
20:8 Take the rod, and gather the assembly, you and Aaron your brother, and speak to the rock before their eyes, so that it yields its water. Thus you shall bring forth water for them out of the rock and give the assembly and their livestock something to drink.
20:9 And Moses took the rod from before Jehovah, as He had commanded him.
20:10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said to them, Listen now, you rebels: Shall we bring forth water for you out of this rock?
20:11 Then Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his rod twice; and abundant water came forth, and the assembly and their livestock drank.
20:12 And Jehovah said to Moses and Aaron, Because you did not believe in Me, to sanctify Me in the sight of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.
20:13 These are the waters of Meribah, where the children of Israel contended with Jehovah, and He was sanctified among them.
20:14 Now Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom: Thus says your brother Israel, You know all the hardship that has befallen us;
20:15 How our fathers went down to Egypt, and we dwelt in Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians ill-treated us and our fathers;
20:16 And when we cried to Jehovah, He heard our voice and sent an Angel and brought us forth out of Egypt; and now we are in Kadesh, a city on the edge of your border.
20:17 Please let us pass through your land. We will not pass through field or through vineyard, nor will we drink water from any well; we will go along the King’s Highway, not turning aside to the right or to the left, until we pass through your territory.
20:18 But Edom said to him, You shall not pass through my territory, or else I will come out against you with the sword.
20:19 Then the children of Israel said to him, We will go up by the highway, and if I and my livestock drink some of your water, then I will pay its price. Allow me only this one thing, to pass through on foot.
20:20 However he said, You shall not pass through. And Edom came out against him with a large number of people and with a mighty hand.
20:21 So Edom refused to give Israel passage through his territory, and Israel turned away from him.
20:22 Now when they journeyed from Kadesh, the children of Israel, the whole assembly, came to Mount Hor.
20:23 Then Jehovah spoke to Moses and to Aaron at Mount Hor, on the border of the land of Edom, saying,
20:24 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.
20:25 Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up Mount Hor;
20:26 And strip Aaron of his garments and put them upon Eleazar his son; so Aaron will be gathered to his people, and will die there.
20:27 So Moses did just as Jehovah had commanded, and they went up Mount Hor in the sight of the whole assembly.
20:28 And when Moses had stripped Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son, Aaron died there on the top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain.
20:29 And when the whole assembly saw that Aaron had expired, all the house of Israel wept for Aaron thirty days.