Numbers
Chapter 20
1 The Israelites, all of them, came to the Zin desert in the first month. They stayed in Kadesh where Miriam died and was buried.
2 The people had no water and they complained to Moses and Aaron.
3 The people argued with Moses and said, “If only we had died like our brothers did in front of God!”
4 Why did you lead God’s people into this desert for us and our animals to die here?
5 Why did you bring us from Egypt to this bad place? It has no grain, figs, grapevines, pomegranates, or water to drink.
6 Moses and Aaron left the gathering and went to the entrance of the meeting tent, and they fell on their faces: and God’s glory showed to them.
7 God spoke to Moses and said,
8 Take the staff, and together with your brother Aaron, gather the people. Then talk to the rock while they watch, and it will release water. You will bring water from the rock for them and their animals to drink.
9 Moses took the staff from where it was in front of God, just as he was told.
10 Moses and Aaron brought all the people to the rock, and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, should we get you water from this rock?”
11 Moses raised his hand and struck the rock two times with his rod, and plenty of water flowed out, so the people and their animals drank.
12 God spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust me enough to show my holiness before the Israelites, you will not bring this group into the land I have given them.”
13 This is the water of Meribah where the people of Israel argued with God, and through this, God showed his holiness among them.
14 Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, saying, “Your brother Israel says, ‘You know about all the hardships that have happened to us.’”
15 Our ancestors went to Egypt, we lived there for a long time, and the Egyptians treated us and our ancestors badly.
16 When we called out to God, He listened to us, sent an angel, and led us out of Egypt. Now, we are in Kadesh, a city at the edge of your territory.
17 Please let us travel through your land. We won’t go through your fields or vineyards, nor will we drink from your wells. We’ll stay on the main road and won’t turn right or left until we’ve crossed your borders.
18 Edom said to him, “You cannot go through my land or I will attack you with the sword.”
19 The Israelites told him, “We will travel on the main road. If we and our animals drink your water, we will pay for it. We will just pass through on foot without doing anything else.”
20 He said, “You cannot pass.” Then Edom came out to face him with many people and strong force.
21 So Edom would not let Israel go through their land, so Israel went a different way from them.
22 The Israelites, all the people, traveled from Kadesh to Mount Hor.
23 God spoke to Moses and Aaron on Mount Hor, near the border of Edom, saying,
24 Aaron will join his ancestors when he dies, because he will not go into the land I have given to the Israelites, since you both disobeyed my command at the waters of Meribah.
25 Take Aaron and his son Eleazar, and take them up to Mount Hor.
26 Take off Aaron’s clothes and put them on Eleazar, his son. Aaron will then join his ancestors and die there.
27 Moses did what God told him; they climbed Mount Hor while everyone watched.
28 Moses took off Aaron’s clothes and dressed Eleazar, his son, in them. Aaron died at the top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar went down from the mountain.
29 When everyone saw that Aaron had died, they all mourned for him for thirty days, including all the people of Israel.