Numbers 20

(Exodus 17:1–7)

1In the firstH7223 monthH2320, the wholeH3605 congregationH5712H1121 of IsraelH3478 enteredH935 the WildernessH4057 of ZinH6790 and stayedH3427 in KadeshH6946. ThereH8033 MiriamH4813 diedH4191 and was buriedH6912H8033.

2Now there wasH1961 noH3808 waterH4325 for the congregationH5712, so they gatheredH6950 againstH5921 MosesH4872H5921 and AaronH175. 3The peopleH5971 quarreledH7378 withH5973 MosesH4872 and saidH559, “If onlyH3863 we had perishedH1478 with our brothersH251 beforeH6440 the LORDH3068! 4WhyH4100 have you broughtH935 the LORD’sH3068 assemblyH6951 intoH413 thisH2088 wildernessH4057 for usH587 and our livestockH1165 to dieH4191 hereH8033? 5WhyH4100 have you led us upH5927 out of EgyptH4714 to bringH935 usH853 toH413 thisH2088 wretchedH7451 placeH4725? It is notH3808 a placeH4725 of grainH2233, figsH8384, vinesH1612, or pomegranatesH7416—and there is noH369 waterH4325 to drinkH8354!”

6Then MosesH4872 and AaronH175 wentH935 from the presenceH6440 of the assemblyH6951 toH413 the entranceH6607 to the TentH168 of MeetingH4150. They fell facedownH5307H5921H6440, and the gloryH3519 of the LORDH3068 appearedH7200 to themH413. 7And the LORDH3068 saidH1696 toH413 MosesH4872H559, 8“TakeH3947 the staffH4294 and assembleH6950 the congregationH5712. YouH859 and your brotherH251 AaronH175 are to speakH1696 toH413 the rockH5553 while they watchH5869, and it will pour outH5414 its waterH4325. You will bring outH3318 waterH4325 fromH4480 the rockH5553 and provide drinkH8248 for the congregationH5712 and their livestockH1165.”

9So MosesH4872 tookH3947 the staffH4294 from the LORD’sH3068 presenceH6440, just asH834 he had been commandedH6680. 10Then MosesH4872 and AaronH175 gatheredH6950 the assemblyH6951 inH413 frontH6440 of the rockH5553, and Moses saidH559 to them, “ListenH8085 nowH4994, you rebelsH4784, must we bring you waterH4325 outH3318 ofH4480 thisH2088 rockH5553?” 11Then MosesH4872 raisedH7311 his handH3027 and struckH5221 the rockH5553 twiceH6471 with his staffH4294, so that a great amount ofH7227 waterH4325 gushed outH3318, and the congregationH5712 and their livestockH1165 were able to drinkH8354.

12But the LORDH3068 saidH559 toH413 MosesH4872 andH413 AaronH175, “BecauseH3282 you did notH3808 trustH539 Me to show My holinessH6942 in the sightH5869 of the IsraelitesH1121H3478H3651, you will notH3808 bringH935 thisH2088H413 assemblyH6951 into the landH776 thatH834 I have givenH5414 them.”

13TheseH1992 were the watersH4325 of MeribahH4809,1 whereH834 the IsraelitesH1121H3478 quarreledH7378 withH854 the LORDH3068, and He showed His holinessH6942 among them.

Edom Refuses Passage

14From KadeshH6946, MosesH4872 sentH7971 messengersH4397 toH413 tell the kingH4428 of EdomH123, “This is whatH3541 your brotherH251 IsraelH3478 saysH559: YouH859 knowH3045 allH3605 the hardshipH8513 thatH834 has befallen usH4672, 15how our fathersH1 went downH3381 to EgyptH4714, where we livedH3427 manyH7227 yearsH3117. The EgyptiansH4713 mistreatedH7489 us and our fathersH1, 16and when we cried outH6817 toH413 the LORDH3068, He heardH8085 our voiceH6963, sentH7971 an angelH4397, and brought usH3318 out of EgyptH4714.

Now lookH2009, weH587 are in KadeshH6946, a cityH5892 on the edgeH7097 of your territoryH1366. 17PleaseH4994 let us passH5674 through your landH776. We will notH3808 go throughH5674 any fieldH7704 or vineyardH3754, or drinkH8354 waterH4325 from any wellH875. We will stay onH1980 the King’sH4428 HighwayH1870; we will notH3808 turnH5186 to the rightH3225 or to the leftH8040 untilH5704 we have passed throughH5674 your territoryH1366.”

18But EdomH123 answeredH559H413, “You may notH3808 travelH5674 through our land, or we will come outH3318 and confront youH7122 with the swordH2719.”

19“We will stayH5927 on the main roadH4546,” the IsraelitesH1121H3478 repliedH559, “and ifH518 weH589 or our herdsH4735 drinkH8354 your waterH4325, we will payH5414 for itH4377. There will be noH369 problemH1697; onlyH7535 let us pass throughH5674 on footH7272.”

20But EdomH123 insistedH559, “You may notH3808 pass throughH5674.” And they came outH3318 to confrontH7122 the Israelites with a largeH3515 armyH5971 and a strongH2389 handH3027. 21So EdomH123 refusedH3985 to allowH5414 IsraelH3478 to passH5674 through their territoryH1366, and IsraelH3478 turned awayH5186 from themH5921.

The Death of Aaron

22After they had set outH5265 from KadeshH6946, the wholeH3605 congregationH5712H1121 of IsraelH3478 cameH935 to MountH2022 HorH2023. 23And at MountH2022 HorH2023, nearH5921 the borderH1366 of the landH776 of EdomH123, the LORDH3068 saidH559 toH413 MosesH4872H413 and AaronH175, 24“AaronH175 will be gatheredH622 toH413 his peopleH5971H3588; he will notH3808 enterH935H413 the landH776 thatH834 I have givenH5414 the IsraelitesH1121H3478, becauseH5921 both of you rebelledH4784 against My commandH6310 at the watersH4325 of MeribahH4809. 25TakeH3947 AaronH175 and his sonH1121 EleazarH499 and bring them upH5927 MountH2022 HorH2023. 26RemoveH6584 Aaron’sH175 priestly garmentsH899 and put them onH3847 his sonH1121 EleazarH499. AaronH175 will be gatheredH622 to his people and will dieH4191 thereH8033.”

27So MosesH4872 didH6213 asH834 the LORDH3068 had commandedH6680, and they climbedH5927H413 MountH2022 HorH2023 in the sightH5869 of the wholeH3605 congregationH5712. 28After MosesH4872 had removedH6584 Aaron’sH175 garmentsH899 and put them onH3847H854 his sonH1121 EleazarH499, AaronH175 diedH4191 thereH8033 on topH7218 of the mountainH2022. Then MosesH4872 and EleazarH499 came downH3381 fromH4480 the mountainH2022. 29When the wholeH3605 congregationH5712 sawH7200 thatH3588 AaronH175 had diedH1478, the entireH3605 houseH1004 of IsraelH3478 mournedH1058 for himH175 thirtyH7970 daysH3117.