Numbers 20

¹ The sons of Israel, the whole congregation, entered the wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people dwelt at Kadesh. Miriam died there and was entombed there. ² Now no water was for the congregation, and they assembled against Moses and against Aaron. ³ The people contended with Moses and spoke, saying: "O that we had expired when our brothers expired before Yahweh! ⁴ Why did you bring the assembly of Yahweh to this wilderness to die there, we and our livestock? ⁵ And why did you lead us up from Egypt to bring us to this bad place? This is not a place of seed, fig, vine or pomegranate, and there is not even water to drink." ⁶ When Moses and Aaron came from the presence of the assembly to the opening of the tent of appointment and fell on their faces, then the glory of Yahweh appeared to them. ⁷ And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying. ⁸ "Take the rod and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother; speak to the crag before their eyes, and it will give its water. Thus you will bring forth water for them from the crag and will give drink to the congregation and their livestock." ⁹ So Moses took the rod from before Yahweh just as He had instructed him. ¹⁰ Moses and Aaron assembled the assembly before the crag, and he said to them: "Hear, I pray, you rebels! From this crag shall we bring forth water for you?" ¹¹ When Moses raised up his hand and smote the crag with his rod twice, then much water came forth, and the congregation and their livestock drank. ¹² Yet Yahweh said to Moses and to Aaron: "Because you did not believe in Me to sanctify Me before the eyes of the sons of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I will give to them." ¹³ These were the waters of Meribah where the sons of Israel contended with Yahweh, and He showed Himself holy among them. ¹⁴ Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom: "Thus says your brother Israel, You know yourself all the stress which finds us ¹⁵ and that our fathers went down to Egypt, and we dwelt in Egypt many days and that the Egyptians did evil to us and to our fathers. ¹⁶ We cried to Yahweh, and He heard our voice and sent a messenger and brought us forth from Egypt. Now behold, we are at Kadesh, a city at your outmost boundary. ¹⁷ Let us pass, we pray, through your land. We shall not pass through field or vineyard, nor shall we drink water of a well. By the king's road shall we go. We shall not turn aside right or left until we have crossed over your boundary." ¹⁸ Yet Edom said to him: "You shall not pass through me lest I come forth with the sword to meet you." ¹⁹ Then the sons of Israel said to him: "By the highway shall we go up. And if we drink your water, I and my cattle, then I will give its selling price. But this is no great matter. Let me pass on my feet." ²⁰ Yet he said: "You shall not pass." Then Edom came forth to meet him, heavy with people and with a steadfast hand. ²¹ Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his boundary; so Israel turned aside from him. ²² The sons of Israel, the whole congregation, journeyed from Kadesh and came to Mount Hor. ²³ Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron at Mount Hor on the boundary of the land of Edom, saying: ²⁴ "Aaron shall be gathered to his people, for he shall not come to the land which I will give to the sons of Israel, because you rebelled against My bidding at the waters of Meribah. ²⁵ Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up to Mount Hor. ²⁶ Strip Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son. As for Aaron, he shall be gathered and will die there." ²⁷ Moses did just as Yahweh had instructed. They went up to Mount Hor before the eyes of the whole congregation. ²⁸ Moses stripped Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son; and Aaron died there on the summit of the mountain. When Moses and Eleazar descended from the mountain, ²⁹ the whole congregation discerned that Aaron had expired. They lamented for Aaron thirty days, all the house of Israel.