NumbersChapter 20

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¹In the first month, the whole community of Israel came into the Wilderness of Zin. They stayed in Kadesh. Miriam died there and was buried there. ²Now there was no water for the people. So they gathered together against Moses and Aaron. ³The people argued with Moses. They said, "We wish we had died when our brothers died before the LORD! ⁴Why did you bring the LORD's people into this wilderness? Did you want us and our animals to die here? ⁵Why did you lead us up out of Egypt? Why did you bring us to this terrible place? It has no grain, figs, grapevines, or pomegranates. And there's no water to drink!" ⁶Then Moses and Aaron left the people. They went to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. They fell with their faces to the ground. And the glory of the LORD appeared to them. ⁷The LORD said to Moses, ⁸"Take the staff and gather the people together. You and your brother Aaron are to speak to the rock while they watch. Then it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for them. You will give the people and their animals something to drink." ⁹So Moses took the staff from the LORD's presence. He did just as he had been told. ¹⁰Then Moses and Aaron gathered the people in front of the rock. Moses said to them, "Listen, you rebels! Must we bring you water out of this rock?" ¹¹Then Moses raised his hand. He hit the rock twice with his staff. A lot of water gushed out. The people and their animals were able to drink. ¹²But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust me to show that I am holy in front of the Israelites, you will not bring these people into the land I have given them." ¹³These were the waters of Meribah. There the Israelites argued with the LORD. And there he showed them that he is holy.a ¹⁴Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom. They said, "Your brother Israel says this: You know about all the hard times we have had. ¹⁵Our fathers went down to Egypt, and we lived there many years. The Egyptians treated us and our fathers badly. ¹⁶But we cried out to the LORD, and he heard us. He sent an angel and brought us out of Egypt. Now look, we are here in Kadesh. It is a town at the edge of your land. ¹⁷Please let us pass through your land. We won't go through any field or vineyard. We won't drink water from any well. We'll stay on the King's Highway. We won't turn to the right or the left until we've passed through your land." ¹⁸But Edom answered, "You may not travel through our land. If you try, we will come out and fight you with the sword." ¹⁹The Israelites answered, "We'll stay on the main road. If we or our herds drink any of your water, we'll pay for it. There won't be any trouble. Just let us walk through." ²⁰But Edom said again, "You may not pass through." Then they came out against the Israelites with a large and powerful army. ²¹So Edom would not let Israel pass through their land. And Israel turned away from them. ²²The whole community of Israel set out from Kadesh. They came to Mount Hor. ²³Mount Hor was near the border of Edom. There the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, ²⁴"Aaron will be gathered to his people. He will not go into the land I have given the Israelites. That is because you both rebelled against my command at the waters of Meribah. ²⁵Take Aaron and his son Eleazar. Bring them up Mount Hor. ²⁶Take off Aaron's priestly clothes and put them on his son Eleazar. Aaron will be gathered to his people. He will die there." ²⁷So Moses did what the LORD commanded. They climbed Mount Hor while the whole community watched. ²⁸Moses took off Aaron's clothes 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. ²⁹The whole community saw that Aaron had died. So all the people of Israel mourned for him for thirty days.