Numbers 20

¹Numbers 20:1. In the first month, the whole congregation of Israel entered the Wilderness of Zin and stayed in Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried.²Numbers 20:2. Now there was no water for the congregation, so they gathered against Moses and Aaron.³Numbers 20:3. The people quarreled with Moses and said, “If only we had perished with our brothers before the LORD!⁴Numbers 20:4. Why have you brought the LORD’s assembly into this wilderness for us and our livestock to die here?⁵Numbers 20:5. Why have you led us up out of Egypt to bring us to this wretched place? It is not a place of grain, figs, vines, or pomegranates—and there is no water to drink!”⁶Numbers 20:6. Then Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. They fell facedown, and the glory of the LORD appeared to them.⁷Numbers 20:7. And the LORD said to Moses,⁸Numbers 20:8. “Take the staff and assemble the congregation. You and your brother Aaron are to speak to the rock while they watch, and it will pour out its water. You will bring out water from the rock and provide drink for the congregation and their livestock.”⁹Numbers 20:9. So Moses took the staff from the LORD’s presence, just as he had been commanded.¹⁰Numbers 20:10. Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly in front of the rock, and Moses said to them, “Listen now, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?”¹¹Numbers 20:11. Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff, so that a great amount of water gushed out, and the congregation and their livestock were able to drink.¹²Numbers 20:12. But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust Me to show My holiness in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.”¹³Numbers 20:13. These were the waters of Meribah, where the Israelites quarreled with the LORD, and He showed His holiness among them.

¹⁴Numbers 20:14. From Kadesh, Moses sent messengers to tell the king of Edom, “This is what your brother Israel says: You know all the hardship that has befallen us,¹⁵Numbers 20:15. how our fathers went down to Egypt, where we lived many years. The Egyptians mistreated us and our fathers,¹⁶Numbers 20:16. and when we cried out to the LORD, He heard our voice, sent an angel, and brought us out of Egypt. Now look, we are in Kadesh, a city on the edge of your territory.¹⁷Numbers 20:17. Please let us pass through your land. We will not go through any field or vineyard, or drink water from any well. We will stay on the King’s Highway; we will not turn to the right or to the left until we have passed through your territory.”¹⁸Numbers 20:18. But Edom answered, “You may not travel through our land, or we will come out and confront you with the sword.”¹⁹Numbers 20:19. “We will stay on the main road,” the Israelites replied, “and if we or our herds drink your water, we will pay for it. There will be no problem; only let us pass through on foot.”²⁰Numbers 20:20. But Edom insisted, “You may not pass through.” And they came out to confront the Israelites with a large army and a strong hand.²¹Numbers 20:21. So Edom refused to allow Israel to pass through their territory, and Israel turned away from them.

²²Numbers 20:22. After they had set out from Kadesh, the whole congregation of Israel came to Mount Hor.²³Numbers 20:23. And at Mount Hor, near the border of the land of Edom, the LORD said to Moses and Aaron,²⁴Numbers 20:24. “Aaron will be gathered to his people; he will not enter the land that I have given the Israelites, because both of you rebelled against My command at the waters of Meribah.²⁵Numbers 20:25. Take Aaron and his son Eleazar and bring them up Mount Hor.²⁶Numbers 20:26. Remove Aaron’s priestly garments and put them on his son Eleazar. Aaron will be gathered to his people and will die there.”²⁷Numbers 20:27. So Moses did as the LORD had commanded, and they climbed Mount Hor in the sight of the whole congregation.²⁸Numbers 20:28. After Moses had removed Aaron’s garments and put them on his son Eleazar, Aaron died there on top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain.²⁹Numbers 20:29. When the whole congregation saw that Aaron had died, the entire house of Israel mourned for him thirty days.