1 A nd the Israelites, the whole congregation, came into the Wilderness of Zin in the first month. And the people dwelt in Kadesh. Miriam died and was buried there.

Then all the people of Israel came to the Desert of Zin in the first month. And the people stayed at Kadesh. Miriam died there and was buried.

2 N ow there was no water for the congregation, and they assembled together against Moses and Aaron.

Now there was no water for the people, and they gathered together against Moses and Aaron.

3 A nd the people contended with Moses, and said, Would that we had died when our brethren died before the Lord!

The people complained to Moses, saying, “If only we had died when our brothers died before the Lord!

4 A nd why have you brought up the congregation of the Lord into this wilderness, that we should die here, we and our livestock?

Why have you brought the Lord’s people into this desert, for us and our animals to die here?

5 A nd why have you made us come up out of Egypt to bring us into this evil place? It is no place of grain or of figs or of vines or of pomegranates. And there is no water to drink.

Why have you made us come up from Egypt, to bring us into this bad place? It is not a place of grain, or figs, or vines, or pomegranates. And there is no water to drink.”

6 T hen Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the door of the Tent of Meeting and fell on their faces. Then the glory of the Lord appeared to them.

Then Moses and Aaron went from the people to the door of the meeting tent, and bowed to the ground. They saw the shining-greatness of the Lord.

7 A nd the Lord said to Moses,

The Lord said to Moses,

8 T ake the rod, and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and tell the rock before their eyes to give forth its water, and you shall bring forth to them water out of the rock; so you shall give the congregation and their livestock drink.

“Take the special stick. You and your brother Aaron gather the people together. Speak to the rock in front of them and it will give its water. So you will bring water out of the rock for them. Let the people and their animals drink.”

9 S o Moses took the rod from before the Lord, as He commanded him.

So Moses took the special stick from before the Lord, just as He had told him.

10 A nd Moses and Aaron assembled the congregation before the rock and Moses said to them, Hear now, you rebels; must we bring you water out of this rock?

Moses and Aaron gathered the people in front of the rock. And he said to them, “Listen now, you people who go against the Lord. Should we bring water for you out of this rock?”

11 A nd Moses lifted up his hand and with his rod he smote the rock twice. And the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their livestock.

Then Moses lifted up his hand and hit the rock twice with his stick, and more than enough water came out. The people and their animals drank.

12 A nd the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, Because you did not believe in (rely on, cling to) Me to sanctify Me in the eyes of the Israelites, you therefore shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.

But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you have not believed Me and honored Me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, you will not bring these people into the land I have given them.”

13 T hese are the waters of Meribah, where the Israelites contended with the Lord and He showed Himself holy among them.

These were the waters of Meribah because the people of Israel complained against the Lord, and He proved Himself holy among them.

14 A nd Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, saying, Thus says your kinsman Israel: You know all the adversity and birth pangs that have come upon us:

Moses sent men from Kadesh to the king of Edom, saying, “This is what your brother Israel has said: ‘You know all the troubles we have had.

15 H ow our fathers went down to Egypt; we dwelt there a long time, and the Egyptians dealt evilly with us and our fathers.

Our fathers went down to Egypt, and we lived in Egypt a long time. The Egyptians were bad in the way they acted toward us.

16 B ut when we cried to the Lord, He heard us and sent an angel and brought us forth out of Egypt. Now behold, we are in Kadesh, a city on your country’s edge.

But we cried out to the Lord. He heard our voice and sent an angel and brought us out from Egypt. Now look, we are at Kadesh, a town at the side of your country.

17 L et us pass, I pray you, through your country. We will not pass through field or vineyard, or drink of the water of the wells. We will go along the king’s highway; we will not turn aside to the right hand or to the left until we have passed your borders.

We ask you to let us pass through your land. We will not pass through field or vines. We will not even drink water from a well. We will go on the king’s road and will not turn to the right or left, until we pass through your country.’”

18 B ut Edom said to him, You shall not go through, lest I come out against you with the sword.

But Edom said to him, “You must not pass through, or I will come out with the sword against you.”

19 A nd the Israelites said to him, We will go by the highway, and if I and my livestock drink of your water, I will pay for it. Only let me pass through on foot, nothing else.

The people of Israel said to him, “We will go up by the straight road. If I and my animals do drink any of your water, then I will pay for it. Let me only pass through on my feet, nothing else.”

20 B ut Edom said, You shall not go through. And Edom came out against Israel with many people and a strong hand.

But Edom said, “You must not pass through.” And Edom came out against him with many men and much strength.

21 T hus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his territory, so Israel turned away from him.

Edom would not let Israel pass through his country. So Israel turned away from him.

22 T hey journeyed from Kadesh, and the Israelites, even the whole congregation, came to Mount Hor.

When they traveled from Kadesh, all the people of Israel came to Mount Hor.

23 A nd the Lord said to Moses and Aaron at Mount Hor, on the border of the land of Edom,

The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron at Mount Hor by the side of the land of Edom, saying,

24 A aron shall be gathered to his people. For he shall not enter the land which I have given to the Israelites, because you both rebelled against My instructions at the waters of Meribah.

“Aaron will be buried with his people. For he will not go into the land I have given to the people of Israel, because you went against what I told you to do at the waters of Meribah.

25 T ake Aaron and Eleazar his son and bring them up to Mount Hor.

Take Aaron and his son Eleazar, and bring them up to Mount Hor.

26 S trip Aaron of his vestments and put them on Eleazar his son, and Aaron shall be gathered to his people, and shall die there.

Take the clothing off Aaron and put them on his son Eleazar. Aaron will die there and be buried with his people.”

27 A nd Moses did as the Lord commanded; and they went up Mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation.

Moses did just as the Lord had told him. They went up to Mount Hor before the eyes of all the people.

28 A nd Moses stripped Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son. And Aaron died there on the mountain top; and Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain.

After Moses had taken the clothing off Aaron and put them on his son Eleazar, Aaron died there on the mountain top. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain.

29 W hen all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, they wept and mourned for him thirty days, all the house of Israel.

When all the people saw that Aaron had died, all the house of Israel cried in sorrow for Aaron thirty days.