NUMBERS 20

And the sons of Israel, the whole congregation, came into the desert of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there.

2 Now there was no water for the congregation, and they assembled themselves against Moses and Aaron. 3 And the people disputed with Moses, and spoke, and said, Would that we had died when our brothers died before Yehowah! 4 Why have you brought the assembly of Yehowah into this desert, so that we die here, both we and our cattle? 5 And why have you made us come out of Egypt, to bring us into this evil place? It is no place for seed, or figs, or vines, or pomegranates; and there is no water to drink. 6 Then Moses and Aaron withdrew from the assembly to the door of the tent of meeting, and fell on their faces; and the glory of Yehowah appeared to them.

7 And Yehowah spoke to Moses, and said, 8 Take the rod, and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and in their sight speak to the rock; and it shall yield its water. So you shall bring water out of the rock for them, and give drink to the congregation and their cattle. 9 And Moses took the rod from before Yehowah, as he commanded him.

10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock; and he said to them, Hear now, you rebels; shall we bring water for you out of this rock? 11 And Moses raised his hand, and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water gushed out, and the congregation and their cattle drank.

12 But Yehowah said to Moses and Aaron, Because you did not believe in me, to show my holiness before the sons of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them. 13 These are the waters of Meribah,* where the sons of Israel disputed with Yehowah, and where he showed his holiness to them. * That is Dispute

14 Now Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, to say, Thus says your brother Israel, You know all the hardship which we have suffered; 15 how our fathers went down into Egypt, and we lived in Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians did wrong to us and our fathers. 16 When we cried out to Yehowah, he heard our voice, and sent an angel and brought us out of Egypt; and here we are in Kadesh, a city on the edge of your territory. 17 Now let us pass through your land. We will not pass through fields or vineyards, nor will we drink water from any wells; we will go along the royal route: we will not turn aside either right or left until we have passed through your territory. 18 But Edom said to him, You shall not pass through, or else I will come out and meet you with a sword. 19 And the sons of Israel said to him, We will go up by the highway; and if I and my cattle drink of your water, then I will pay for it. Only let me pass through on foot, no more than that. 20 But still he said, You shall not pass through. And Edom came out to oppose him with many people and with a strong force. 21 So Edom refused to let Israel pass through his territory; therefore Israel went another way.

22 And they set out from Kadesh, and the sons of Israel, the whole congregation, came to Mount Hor. 23 And Yehowah spoke to Moses and Aaron at Mount Hor, at the boundary of the land of Edom, and said, 24 Aaron shall be gathered to his people, for he shall not enter the land which I have given to the sons of Israel, because you rebelled against my word at the waters of Meribah. 25 Fetch Aaron and his son Eleazar, and bring them up Mount Hor; 26 and strip Aaron's robes from him, and put them on his son Eleazar, for Aaron shall be gathered to his people, and he shall die there. 27 So Moses did as Yehowah commanded, and they climbed Mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation. 28 And Moses stripped Aaron's robes from him, 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. 29 And when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, all the house of Israel wept for Aaron for thirty days.