1 T hen the sons of Israel, the whole congregation, came to the wilderness of Zin in the first month; and the people stayed at Kadesh. Now Miriam died there 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 T here was no water for the congregation, and they assembled themselves against Moses and Aaron.

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

3 T he people thus contended with Moses and spoke, saying, “ If only we had perished when our brothers perished before the Lord!

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

4 W hy then have you brought the Lord’s assembly into this wilderness, for us and our beasts to die here?

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

5 W hy have you made us come up from Egypt, to bring us in to this wretched place? It is not a place of grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, nor is there 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 came in from the presence of the assembly to the doorway 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 spoke to Moses, saying, The Water of Meribah

The Lord said to Moses,

8 “ Take the rod; and you and your brother Aaron assemble the congregation and speak to the rock before their eyes, that it may yield its water. You shall thus bring forth water for them out of the rock and let the congregation and their beasts 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, just as He had commanded him;

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

10 a nd Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly before the rock. And he said to them, “ Listen now, you rebels; shall we bring forth water for you 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 T hen Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation and their beasts drank.

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 B ut the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “ Because you have not believed Me, to treat Me as holy in the sight of the sons of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly 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 hose were the waters of Meribah, because the sons of Israel contended with the Lord, and He proved 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 F rom Kadesh Moses then sent messengers to the king of Edom: “Thus your brother Israel has said, ‘You know all the hardship that has befallen 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 t hat our fathers went down to Egypt, and we stayed in Egypt a long time, and the Egyptians treated us and our fathers badly.

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 out to the Lord, He heard our voice and sent an angel and brought us out from Egypt; now behold, we are at Kadesh, a town on the edge of your territory.

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 P lease let us pass through your land. We will not pass through field or through vineyard; we will not even drink water from a well. We will go along the king’s highway, not turning to the right or left, until we pass through your territory.’”

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 E dom, however, said to him, “You shall not pass through us, or I will come out with the sword against you.”

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

19 A gain, the sons of Israel said to him, “We will go up by the highway, and if I and my livestock do drink any of your water, then I will pay its price. Let me only pass through on my feet, 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 he said, “ You shall not pass through.” And Edom came out against him with a heavy force and with 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 allow Israel to pass 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 N ow when they set out from Kadesh, the sons of Israel, the whole congregation, came to Mount Hor. Death of Aaron

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

23 T hen the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron at Mount Hor by the border of the land of Edom, saying,

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

24 “ Aaron will be gathered to his people; for he shall not enter the land which I have given to the sons of Israel, because you rebelled against My command 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 his son Eleazar and bring them up to Mount Hor;

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

26 a nd strip Aaron of his garments and put them on his son Eleazar. So Aaron will be gathered to his people, and will 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 S o Moses did just as the Lord had commanded, and they went up to 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 fter Moses had stripped Aaron of his garments and put them on his son Eleazar, Aaron died there on the mountain top. Then 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 had died, all the house of Israel wept for Aaron thirty days.

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