Numbers 20

1In the first month the Israelites, the whole congregation, arrived at the wilderness of Zin, and the people stayed at Kadesh. Miriam died there and was buried there.

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

3The people quarreled with Moses and said, “If only we had died when our brothers died before Yahweh!

4Why have you brought Yahweh’s assembly into this wilderness, for us and our livestock to die here?

5Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to bring us to this terrible place? It is no place for grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, and there is no water to drink!”

6Then Moses and Aaron went away from the assembly to the entrance of the tent of meeting and fell facedown, and the glory of Yahweh appeared to them.

7Yahweh said to Moses,

8“Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for them and give the congregation and their livestock water to drink.”

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

10Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly in front of the rock, and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels! Must we bring water out of this rock for you?”

11Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the congregation and their livestock drank.

12But Yahweh said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust me enough to treat me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this assembly into the land I have given them.”

13These were the waters of Meribah, where the Israelites quarreled with Yahweh, and he showed himself holy among them.

14From Kadesh Moses sent messengers to the king of Edom: “This is what your brother Israel says: You know all the hardships that have come on us.

15Our ancestors went down to Egypt, and we lived in Egypt for a long time. The Egyptians mistreated us and our ancestors,

16but when we cried out to Yahweh, he heard our voice, sent an angel, and brought us out of Egypt. Now here we are at Kadesh, a town on the edge of your territory.

17Please let us pass through your land. We will not go through any field or vineyard, and we will not drink water from any well. We will travel along the King’s Highway and not turn to the right or to the left until we have passed through your territory.”

18But Edom answered him, “You may not pass through my land, or I will come out against you with the sword.”

19The Israelites said to him, “We will go up by the main road, and if we or our livestock drink any of your water, we will pay for it. It is nothing; just let us pass through on foot.”

20But he said, “You may not pass through.” Then Edom came out against them with a large army and a strong force.

21So Edom refused to let Israel pass through their territory, and Israel turned away from them.

22The Israelites, the whole congregation, set out from Kadesh and came to Mount Hor.

23At Mount Hor, on the border of the land of Edom, Yahweh said to Moses and Aaron,

24“Aaron is about to be gathered to his people. He will not enter the land I have given the Israelites, because both of you rebelled against my command at the waters of Meribah.

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

26Remove Aaron’s garments and put them on his son Eleazar. Aaron will be gathered to his people and will die there.”

27Moses did as Yahweh had commanded. They went up Mount Hor in the sight of the whole congregation.

28Moses removed Aaron’s garments and put them on his son Eleazar, and Aaron died there on top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain.

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