20
1 The
children of Israel,
even the whole
congregation, came
into the
wilderness of Zin
in the first
month. The people
stayed in Kadesh.
Miriam died there,
and was buried
there.
2 There
was no water
for the
congregation; and
they assembled
themselves together
against Moses and
against Aaron.
3 The
people quarreled
with Moses,
and spoke, saying, “We wish
that we had
died when
our brothers died
before the LORD!
4 Why
have you brought
the LORD’s
assembly into this
wilderness, that
we should die
there, we and
our animals?
5 Why
have you made
us to come
up out of
Egypt, to bring
us in to
this evil place?
It is no
place of seed,
or of figs,
or of vines,
or of pomegranates;
neither is there
any water to
drink.”
6 Moses
and Aaron went
from the presence
of the assembly
to the door
of the Tent of
Meeting, and fell
on their faces.
The LORD’s glory
appeared to them.
7 The
LORD spoke to
Moses, saying,
8 “Take
the rod, and
assemble the
congregation, you,
and Aaron your brother,
and speak to
the rock before
their eyes, that
it pour out
its water. You
shall bring water
to them out
of the rock;
so you shall
give the
congregation and
their livestock drink.”
9 Moses
took the rod
from before the
LORD, as he
commanded him.
10 Moses
and Aaron gathered
the assembly
together before
the rock, and
he said to
them, “Hear now,
you rebels! Shall
we bring water
out of this
rock for you?”
11 Moses
lifted up his
hand, and struck
the rock with
his rod twice,
and water came
out abundantly.
The congregation
and their livestock
drank.
12 The
LORD said to
Moses and Aaron, “Because
you didn’t believe in
me, to sanctify
me in the
eyes of the
children of Israel,
therefore you
shall not bring
this assembly into
the land which I
have given them.”
13 These
are the waters
of Meribah;
because the
children of Israel
strove with the
LORD, and he
was sanctified in
them.
14 Moses
sent messengers
from Kadesh to
the king of Edom,
saying:
“Your brother Israel
says: You know
all the travail
that has happened
to us;
15 how our fathers
went down into
Egypt, and we
lived in Egypt
a long time.
The Egyptians mistreated
us and our fathers.
16 When
we cried to
the LORD, he
heard our voice,
sent an angel,
and brought us
out of Egypt.
Behold, we are
in Kadesh, a
city in the
edge of your
border.
17 “Please
let us pass
through your land.
We will not
pass through field
or through
vineyard, neither
will we drink
from the water
of the wells. We
will go along
the king’s highway.
We will not
turn away to
the right hand
nor to the
left, until we
have passed your
border.”
18 Edom said
to him, “You
shall not pass
through me, lest
I come out
with the sword
against you.”
19 The
children of Israel
said to him, “We
will go up
by the highway;
and if we
drink your water,
I and my
livestock, then I
will give its
price. Only let
me, without doing
anything else, pass
through on my
feet.”
20 He
said, “You shall
not pass through.”
Edom came out
against him with
many people, and
with a strong
hand.
21 Thus Edom
refused to give
Israel passage
through his border,
so Israel turned
away from him.
22 They
traveled from
Kadesh, and the
children of Israel,
even the whole
congregation, came
to Mount Hor.
23 The
LORD spoke to
Moses and Aaron in
Mount Hor, by
the border of
the land of Edom,
saying,
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.
25 Take Aaron
and Eleazar his
son, and bring
them up to
Mount Hor;
26 and
strip Aaron of
his garments, and
put them on Eleazar
his son. Aaron
shall be gathered,
and shall die
there.”
27 Moses
did as the
LORD commanded.
They went up onto
Mount Hor in
the sight of
all the
congregation.
28 Moses
stripped Aaron of
his garments, and
put them on Eleazar
his son. Aaron
died there on
the top of
the mountain, and
Moses and Eleazar
came down from
the mountain.
29 When
all the
congregation saw
that Aaron was
dead, they wept
for Aaron thirty
days, even all
the house of
Israel.