Numbers 20

1Then the sons of Israel, the whole congregation, came into the wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed at Kadesh. Miriam died there and was buried there.

2There was no water for the congregation, and they assembled against Moses and against Aaron.

3And the people quarreled with Moses and said, “If only we had perished when our brothers perished before Yahweh!”

4And why have you brought the assembly of Yahweh into this wilderness, that we and our livestock should die there?

5And why have you brought us up out of Egypt to bring us into this evil place? It is not a place of grain, or figs, or vines, or pomegranates, and there is no water to drink.

6Then Moses and Aaron came from before the assembly to the entrance of the tent of meeting and fell on their faces, and the glory of Yahweh appeared to them.

7And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

8Take the staff, and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will give its water. Then you shall bring out water for them from the rock and give drink to the congregation and to their livestock.

9So Moses took the staff from before Yahweh, just as he had commanded him.

10Then Moses and Aaron assembled the assembly before the rock, and he said to them, “Listen now, you rebels: shall we bring out water for you from this rock?”

11Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice, and abundant water came out, and the congregation drank, along with their livestock.

12And Yahweh said to Moses and to Aaron, “Because you did not believe me, to treat me as holy before the eyes of the sons of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.”

13These are the waters of Meribah, where the sons of Israel quarreled with Yahweh, and he showed himself holy among them.

14Then Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom: “Thus says your brother Israel: You know all the hardship that has come upon us.”

15And our fathers went down to Egypt, and we lived in Egypt many days, and the Egyptians treated us and our fathers badly.

16And we cried out to Yahweh, and he heard our voice and sent an angel and brought us out of Egypt. And look, we are in Kadesh, a city at the edge of your border.

17Please let us pass through your land. We will not pass through field or vineyard, and we will not drink water from a well. We will go by the king’s road; we will not turn to the right or to the left until we have passed through your border.

18But Edom said to him, “You shall not pass through me, lest I come out against you with the sword.”

19And the sons of Israel said to him, “We will go up on the highway, and if I and my livestock drink your water, then I will pay its price. Let me only pass through on foot, nothing more.”

20But he said, “You shall not pass through.” And Edom came out to meet him with a large force and with a strong hand.

21But Edom refused to let Israel pass through his territory, so Israel turned away from him.

22And they set out from Kadesh, and the sons of Israel, the whole congregation, came to Mount Hor.

23And Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron at Mount Hor, on the border of the land of Edom, saying,

24Aaron will be gathered to his people, because he will not enter the land that I have given to the sons of Israel, because you rebelled against my command at the waters of Meribah.

25Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up Mount Hor.

26Strip Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son. Then Aaron will be gathered to his people and die there.

27Moses did as Yahweh commanded, and they went up Mount Hor before the eyes of all the congregation.

28So Moses 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.

29When all the congregation saw that Aaron had died, all the house of Israel wept for Aaron thirty days.