20:11 Then the entire community of Israel2 entered the wilderness of Zin in the first month,3 and the people stayed in Kadesh.4 Miriam died and was buried there.5
20:2 And there was no water for the community, and so they gathered themselves together against Moses and Aaron. 20:3 The people strove6 with Moses, saying,7 “If only8 we had died when our brothers died before the Lord! 20:4 Why9 have you brought up the community of the Lord into this wilderness? That10 we and our cattle should die here? 20:5 Why11 have you brought us up from Egypt to bring us into12 this evil place? It is no place for seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; nor is there any water to drink!”
Moses Responds
20:6 So Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the entrance to the tent of meeting. They they fell down with their faces to the ground; and the glory of the Lord appeared to them. 20:7 Then the Lord spoke to Moses: 20:8 “Take the rod and assemble the community, you and Aaron your brother, and then speak13 to the rock before their eyes. It will pour forth14 its water, and you will bring forth to them water from the rock, and so you will give the community and their beasts water to drink.”
20:9 So Moses took the rod from before the Lord, just as he commanded him. 20:10 Then Moses and Aaron gathered the community together in front of the rock, and he said to them, “Listen, you rebels,15 must we bring16 water out of this rock for you?” 20:11 Then Moses raised his hand, and struck the rock twice with his rod. And water came out abundantly. So the community drank, and their beasts drank too.
The Lord’s Judgment
20:12 Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust me enough17 to sanctify18 me before19 the Israelites, therefore you will not bring this community into the land I have given them.”20
20:13 This is the water of Meribah, because the Israelites strove with the Lord, and his holiness was maintained21 among them.
Rejection by the Edomites
20:1422 Moses23 sent messengers from Kadesh to the King of Edom:24 “Thus says your brother Israel: ‘You know all the hardships we have experienced,25 20:15 how our ancestors went down into Egypt, and we dwelt in Egypt a long time,26 and the Egyptians treated us and our ancestors badly.27 20:16 So when we cried to the Lord, he heard our voice and sent a messenger,28 and has brought us up out of Egypt. Now29 we are here in Kadesh, a town on the edge of your country.30 20:17 Please let us pass through31 your country. We will not pass through the fields or through the vineyards, nor will we drink water from any well. We will go by the King’s Way;32 we will not turn to the right or to the left until we have passed through your region.’”33
20:18 But Edom said to him, “You will not pass through me,34 or I will come out against35 you with the sword.” 20:19 Then the Israelites said to him, “We will go along the highway, and if we36 or our cattle drink any of your water, we will pay for it. We will only pass through on our feet, without doing anything else.”
20:20 But he said, “You may not pass through.” Then Edom came out against them37 with a large and powerful force.38 20:21 So Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border; therefore Israel turned away from him.
Aaron’s Death
20:22 So the entire company of Israelites39 journeyed from Kadesh and came to Mount Hor.40 20:23 And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron in Mount Hor, by the border of the land of Edom. He said: 20:24 “Aaron will be gathered to his ancestors,41 for he will not enter into the land I have given to the Israelites because you42 rebelled against my word43 at the waters of Meribah. 20:25 Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up on Mount Hor. 20:26 Remove Aaron’s priestly garments44 and put them on Eleazar his son, and Aaron will be gathered to his ancestors45 and will die there.”
20:27 So Moses did as the Lord commanded; and they went up Mount Hor in the sight46 of the whole community. 20:28 And Moses removed Aaron’s garments and put them on his son Eleazar. So Aaron died there on the top of the mountain. And Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain. 20:29 When all the community saw that Aaron was dead, the whole house of Israel mourned for Aaron for thirty days.
Victory at Hormah