Numbers 20

Moses Strikes the Rock

20In the first month of the year

, the whole community of Israel arrived in the wilderness of Zin and camped at Kadesh. While they were there, Miriam died and was buried.H935H1121H3478H5712H4057H6790H7223H2320H5971H3427H6946H4813H4191H6912 2There was no water for the people to drink at that place, so they rebelled against Moses and Aaron.H4325H5712H6950H4872H175 3The people blamed Moses and said, "If only we had died in the LORD's presence with our brothers!H5971H7378H4872H559H559H3863H1478H251H1478H6440H3068 4Why have you brought the congregation of the LORD's people into this wilderness to die, along with all our livestock?H935H6951H3068H4057H1165H4191 5Why did you make us leave Egypt and bring us here to this terrible place? This land has no grain, no figs, no grapes, no pomegranates, and no water to drink!"H5927H4714H935H7451H4725H4725H2233H8384H1612H7416H4325H8354 6Moses and Aaron turned away from the people and went to the entrance of the Tabernacle

, where they fell face down on the ground. Then the glorious presence of the LORD appeared to them,H4872H175H935H6440H6951H6607H168H4150H5307H6440H3519H3068H7200 7and the LORD said to Moses,H3068H1696H4872H559 8"You and Aaron must take the staff and assemble the entire community. As the people watch, speak to the rock over there, and it will pour out its water. You will provide enough water from the rock to satisfy the whole community and their livestock."H3947H4294H6950H5712H175H251H1696H5553H5869H5414H4325H3318H4325H5553H8248H5712H1165H8248 9So Moses did as he was told. He took the staff from the place where it was kept before the LORD.H4872H3947H4294H6440H3068H6680 10Then he and Aaron summoned the people to come and gather at the rock. "Listen, you rebels!" he shouted. "Must we bring you water from this rock?"H4872H175H6950H6951H6440H5553H559H8085H4784H3318H4325H5553 11Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with the staff, and water gushed out. So the entire community and their livestock drank their fill.H4872H7311H3027H4294H5221H5553H6471H4325H3318H7227H5712H8354H1165 12But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust me enough to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel, you will not lead them into the land I am giving them!"H3068H559H4872H175H539H6942H5869H1121H3478H935H6951H776H5414 13This place was known as the waters of Meribah (which means "arguing") because there the people of Israel argued with the LORD, and there he demonstrated his holiness among them.H1992H4325H4809H1121H3478H7378H3068H6942

Edom Refuses Israel Passage

14While Moses was at Kadesh, he sent ambassadors to the king of Edom with this message: "This is what your relatives, the people of Israel, say: You know all the hardships we have been through.H4872H7971H4397H6946H4428H123H559H251H3478H3045H8513H4672 15Our ancestors went down to Egypt, and we lived there a long time, and we and our ancestors were brutally mistreated by the Egyptians.H1H3381H4714H3427H4714H7227H3117H4714H7489H1 16But when we cried out to the LORD, he heard us and sent an angel who brought us out of Egypt. Now we are camped at Kadesh, a town on the border of your land.H6817H3068H8085H6963H7971H4397H3318H4714H6946H5892H7097H1366 17Please let us travel through your land. We will be careful not to go through your fields and vineyards. We won't even drink water from your wells. We will stay on the king's road and never leave it until we have passed through your territory."H5674H776H5674H7704H3754H8354H4325H875H3212H4428H1870H5186H3225H8040H5674H1366 18But the king of Edom said, "Stay out of my land, or I will meet you with an army!"H123H559H5674H3318H7125H2719 19The Israelites answered, "We will stay on the main road. If our livestock drink your water, we will pay for it. Just let us pass through your country. That's all we ask."H1121H3478H559H5927H4546H4735H8354H4325H5414H4377H1697H5674H7272 20But the king of Edom replied, "Stay out! You may not pass through our land." With that he mobilized his army and marched out against them with an imposing force.H559H5674H123H3318H7125H3515H5971H2389H3027 21Because Edom refused to allow Israel to pass through their country, Israel was forced to turn around.H123H3985H5414H3478H5674H1366H3478H5186

The Death of Aaron

22The whole community of Israel left Kadesh and arrived at Mount Hor.H1121H3478H5712H5265H6946H935H2022H2023 23There, on the border of the land of Edom, the LORD said to Moses and Aaron,H3068H559H4872H175H2022H2023H1366H776H123H559 24"The time has come for Aaron to join his ancestors in death. He will not enter the land I am giving the people of Israel, because the two of you rebelled against my instructions concerning the water at Meribah.H175H622H5971H935H776H5414H1121H3478H4784H6310H4325H4809 25Now take Aaron and his son Eleazar up Mount Hor.H3947H175H499H1121H5927H2022H2023 26There you will remove Aaron's priestly garments and put them on Eleazar, his son. Aaron will die there and join his ancestors."H6584H175H899H3847H499H1121H175H622H4191 27So Moses did as the LORD commanded. The three of them went up Mount Hor together as the whole community watched.H4872H6213H3068H6680H5927H2022H2023H5869H5712 28At the summit, Moses removed the priestly garments from Aaron and put them on Eleazar, Aaron's son. Then Aaron died there on top of the mountain, and Moses and Eleazar went back down.H4872H6584H175H899H3847H499H1121H175H4191H7218H2022H4872H499H3381H2022 29When the people realized that Aaron had died, all Israel mourned for him thirty days.H5712H7200H175H1478H1058H175H7970H3117H1004H3478