Numbers 20

1The sons of Israel, the whole congregation, came to the wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people dwelt in Kadesh; Miriam died there and was buried there.

2There was no water for the congregation, and they gathered against Moses and against Aaron.

3The people quarreled with Moses and said, "If only we had died when our brothers died before Yahweh!"

4Why have you brought the assembly of Yahweh into this wilderness for us and our livestock to die there?

5Why have you caused us to ascend from Egypt to bring us to this evil place? There is no place of seed, figs, vines, or pomegranates, nor any water to drink.

6Moses and Aaron withdrew from before the assembly to the entrance of the tent of meeting and fell on their faces, and Yahweh's glory appeared to them.

7Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

8Take the staff and gather the congregation—you and Aaron your brother—and speak to the rock before their eyes; it will yield its water, and you will draw water for them from the rock, so you water the congregation and their livestock.

9Moses took the staff from before Yahweh, as he commanded him.

10Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly before the rock, and he said to them, "Listen now, you rebels—shall we produce water for you from this rock?"

11Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff, and abundant waters came out; the assembly drank, and their cattle too.

12Yahweh said to Moses and Aaron, Because you did not trust in me to honor me as holy in the sight of Israel's sons, therefore you will not bring this assembly into the land I have given them.

13These are the waters of Meribah, where the sons of Israel quarreled with Yahweh, and he was sanctified among them.

14Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to Edom's king: "So says your brother Israel: You know all the hardship that has afflicted us."

15Our fathers went down to Egypt, and we stayed there many days, and the Egyptians mistreated us and our fathers.

16We cried out to Yahweh, and he heard our voice; he sent an angel and brought us out of Egypt, and here we are in Kadesh, a city at the edge of your border.

17Please let us cross your land; we will not cross fields or vineyards, nor drink water from wells—we will go along the royal highway, turning neither right nor left until we cross your border.

18Edom said to him, "You shall not pass through me, lest I come out against you with the sword."

19The sons of Israel said to him, "We will go up along the highway, and if we drink your waters, I and my livestock, then I will give their price; only, without anything else, let me pass through on foot."

20He said, “You shall not pass through.” Edom came out against him with a large force and a strong hand.

21Edom utterly refused to give Israel passage through his border, and Israel turned away from him.

22The children of Israel, the whole congregation, set out from Kadesh and came to Mount Hor.

23Yahweh said to Moses and Aaron at Mount Hor, on the border of the land of Edom,

24Aaron will be gathered to his people, for he will not enter the land I have given to Israel's children because you rebelled against my word at Meribah's waters.

25Take Aaron and his son Eleazar, and bring them up Mount Hor.

26Strip Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son; Aaron will be gathered and die there.

27Moses did as Yahweh commanded, and they ascended Mount Hor before the entire assembly.

28Moses stripped Aaron of his garments and clothed Eleazar his son with them; Aaron died there on the mountaintop, and Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain.

29All the assembly saw that Aaron had died, and they wept for Aaron thirty days, all the house of Israel.