Berean Study Bible

English Standard Version

1In the first month, the whole congregation of Israel entered the Wilderness of Zin and stayed in Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried.

1And the people of Israel, the whole congregation, came into the wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh. And Miriam died there and was buried there.

2Now there was no water for the congregation, so they gathered against Moses and Aaron.

2Now there was no water for the congregation. And they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron.

3The people quarreled with Moses and said, “If only we had perished with our brothers before the LORD!

3And the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Would that we had perished when our brothers perished before the LORD!

4Why have you brought the LORD’s assembly into this wilderness for us and our livestock to die here?

4Why have you brought the assembly of the LORD into this wilderness, that we should die here, both we and our cattle?

5Why have you led us up out of Egypt to bring us to this wretched place? It is not a place of grain, figs, vines, or pomegranates—and there is no water to drink!”

5And why have you made us come up out of Egypt to bring us to this evil place? It is no place for grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, and there is no water to drink.”

6Then Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. They fell facedown, and the glory of the LORD appeared to them.

6Then Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the entrance of the tent of meeting and fell on their faces. And the glory of the LORD appeared to them,

7And the LORD said to Moses,

7and the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

8“Take the staff and assemble the congregation. You and your brother Aaron are to speak to the rock while they watch, and it will pour out its water. You will bring out water from the rock and provide drink for the congregation and their livestock.”

8“Take the staff, and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and tell the rock before their eyes to yield its water. So you shall bring water out of the rock for them and give drink to the congregation and their cattle.”

9So Moses took the staff from the LORD’s presence, just as he had been commanded.

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

10Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly in front of the rock, and Moses said to them, “Listen now, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?”

10Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels: shall we bring water for you out of this rock?”

11Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff, so that a great amount of water gushed out, and the congregation and their livestock were able to drink.

11And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice, and water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their livestock.

12But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust Me to show My holiness in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.”

12And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.”

13These were the waters of Meribah, where the Israelites quarreled with the LORD, and He showed His holiness among them.

13These are the waters of Meribah, where the people of Israel quarreled with the LORD, and through them he showed himself holy.

14From Kadesh, Moses sent messengers to tell the king of Edom, “This is what your brother Israel says: You know all the hardship that has befallen us,

14Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom: “Thus says your brother Israel: You know all the hardship that we have met:

15how our fathers went down to Egypt, where we lived many years. The Egyptians mistreated us and our fathers,

15how our fathers went down to Egypt, and we lived in Egypt a long time. And the Egyptians dealt harshly with us and our fathers.

16and when we cried out to the LORD, He heard our voice, sent an angel, and brought us out of Egypt. Now look, we are in Kadesh, a city on the edge of your territory.

16And when we cried to the LORD, he heard our voice and sent an angel and brought us out of Egypt. And here we are in Kadesh, a city on the edge of your territory.

17Please let us pass through your land. We will not cut through any field or vineyard, or drink water from any well. We will stay on the King’s Highway; we will not turn to the right or to the left until we have passed through your territory.”

17Please let us pass through your land. We will not pass through field or vineyard, or drink water from a well. We will go along the King’s Highway. We will not turn aside to the right hand or to the left until we have passed through your territory.”

18But Edom answered, “You may not travel through our land, or we will come out and confront you with the sword.”

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

19“We will stay on the main road,” the Israelites replied, “and if we or our herds drink your water, we will pay for it. There will be no problem; only let us pass through on foot.”

19And the people of Israel said to him, “We will go up by the highway, and if we drink of your water, I and my livestock, then I will pay for it. Let me only pass through on foot, nothing more.”

20But Edom insisted, “You may not pass through.” And they came out to confront the Israelites with a large army and a strong hand.

20But he said, “You shall not pass through.” And Edom came out against them with a large army and with a strong force.

21So Edom refused to allow Israel to pass through their territory, and Israel turned away from them.

21Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his territory, so Israel turned away from him.

22After they had set out from Kadesh, the whole congregation of Israel came to Mount Hor.

22And they journeyed from Kadesh, and the people of Israel, the whole congregation, came to Mount Hor.

23And at Mount Hor, near the border of the land of Edom, the LORD said to Moses and Aaron,

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

24“Aaron will be gathered to his people; he will not enter the land that I have given the Israelites, because both of you rebelled against My command at the waters of Meribah.

24“Let Aaron be gathered to his people, for he shall not enter the land that I have given to the people of Israel, because you rebelled against my command at the waters of Meribah.

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

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

26Remove Aaron’s priestly garments and put them on his son Eleazar. Aaron will be gathered to his people and will die there.”

26And strip Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son. And Aaron shall be gathered to his people and shall die there.”

27So Moses did as the LORD had commanded, and they climbed Mount Hor in the sight of the whole congregation.

27Moses did as the LORD commanded. And they went up Mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation.

28After Moses had removed Aaron’s garments and put them on his son Eleazar, Aaron died there on top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain.

28And Moses stripped Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son. And Aaron died there on the top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain.

29When the whole congregation saw that Aaron had died, the entire house of Israel mourned for him thirty days.

29And when all the congregation saw that Aaron had perished, all the house of Israel wept for Aaron thirty days.

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ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.