1 T hen the children of Israel, the whole congregation, came into the Wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh; and 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 N ow there was no water for the congregation; so they gathered 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 spoke, saying: “If only 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 W hy have you brought up the assembly of the Lord into this wilderness, that we and our animals should die here?

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 to this evil place? It is not a place of grain or figs or vines or pomegranates; nor is there any 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 S o Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the door of the tabernacle of meeting, and they fell on their faces. And 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 T hen the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

The Lord said to Moses,

8 “ Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation together. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water; thus you shall bring water for them out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their animals.”

“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 gathered the assembly together before the rock; and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring 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 his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals 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 T hen the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children 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 his was the water of Meribah, because the children of Israel contended with the Lord, and He was hallowed among them. Passage Through Edom Refused

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

14 N ow Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom. “Thus says your brother Israel: ‘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 h ow our fathers went down to Egypt, and we dwelt in Egypt a long time, and the Egyptians afflicted 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 W hen we cried out to the Lord, He heard our voice and sent the Angel and brought us up out of Egypt; now here we are in Kadesh, a city on the edge of your border.

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 country. We will not pass through fields or vineyards, nor will we drink water from 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 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 T hen Edom said to him, “You shall not pass through my land, 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 S o the children of Israel said to him, “We will go by the Highway, and if I or my livestock drink any of your water, then I will pay for it; let me only pass through on foot, nothing more. ”

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 T hen he said, “You shall not pass through.” So Edom came out against them with many men 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 give Israel passage through his territory; so Israel turned away from him. Death of Aaron

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

22 N ow the children of Israel, the whole congregation, journeyed from Kadesh and came to Mount Hor.

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

23 A nd the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron in 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 shall be gathered to his people, for he shall not enter the land which I have given to the children of Israel, because you rebelled against My word at the water 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 a nd strip Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son; for Aaron shall be gathered to his people and 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 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 M oses stripped Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son; and Aaron died there on the top of the mountain. 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 N ow when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, all the house of Israel mourned 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.