| Berean Study Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1In the first month, the whole congregation of Israel entered the Wilderness of Zin and stayed in Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried. | 1In the first month of the year, the whole community of Israel arrived in the wilderness of Zin and camped at Kadesh. While they were there, Miriam died and was buried. |
| 2Now there was no water for the congregation, so they gathered against Moses and Aaron. | 2There was no water for the people to drink at that place, so they rebelled against Moses and Aaron. |
| 3The people quarreled with Moses and said, “If only we had perished with our brothers before the LORD! | 3The people blamed Moses and said, “If only we had died in the LORD’s presence with our brothers! |
| 4Why have you brought the LORD’s assembly into this wilderness for us and our livestock to die here? | 4Why have you brought the congregation of the LORD’s people into this wilderness to die, along with all our livestock? |
| 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!” | 5Why did you make us leave Egypt and bring us here to this terrible place? This land has no grain, no figs, no grapes, no pomegranates, and 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. | 6Moses and Aaron turned away from the people and went to the entrance of the Tabernacle, where they fell face down on the ground. Then the glorious presence of the LORD appeared to them, |
| 7And the LORD said to Moses, | 7and the LORD said to Moses, |
| 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“You and Aaron must take the staff and assemble the entire community. As the people watch, speak to the rock over there, and it will pour out its water. You will provide enough water from the rock to satisfy the whole community and their livestock.” |
| 9So Moses took the staff from the LORD’s presence, just as he had been commanded. | 9So Moses did as he was told. He took the staff from the place where it was kept before the LORD. |
| 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 he and Aaron summoned the people to come and gather at the rock. “Listen, you rebels!” he shouted. “Must we bring you water from 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. | 11Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with the staff, and water gushed out. So the entire community and their livestock drank their fill. |
| 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.” | 12But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust me enough to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel, you will not lead them into the land I am giving them!” |
| 13These were the waters of Meribah, where the Israelites quarreled with the LORD, and He showed His holiness among them. | 13This place was known as the waters of Meribah (which means “arguing”) because there the people of Israel argued with the LORD, and there he demonstrated his holiness among them. Edom Refuses Israel Passage |
| 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, | 14While Moses was at Kadesh, he sent ambassadors to the king of Edom with this message: “This is what your relatives, the people of Israel, say: You know all the hardships we have been through. |
| 15how our fathers went down to Egypt, where we lived many years. The Egyptians mistreated us and our fathers, | 15Our ancestors went down to Egypt, and we lived there a long time, and we and our ancestors were brutally mistreated by the Egyptians. |
| 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. | 16But when we cried out to the LORD, he heard us and sent an angel who brought us out of Egypt. Now we are camped at Kadesh, a town on the border of your land. |
| 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 travel through your land. We will be careful not to go through your fields and vineyards. We won’t even drink water from your wells. We will stay on the king’s road and never leave it 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 the king of Edom said, “Stay out of my land, or I will meet you with an army!” |
| 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.” | 19The Israelites answered, “We will stay on the main road. If our livestock drink your water, we will pay for it. Just let us pass through your country. That’s all we ask.” |
| 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 the king of Edom replied, “Stay out! You may not pass through our land.” With that he mobilized his army and marched out against them with an imposing force. |
| 21So Edom refused to allow Israel to pass through their territory, and Israel turned away from them. | 21Because Edom refused to allow Israel to pass through their country, Israel was forced to turn around. The Death of Aaron |
| 22After they had set out from Kadesh, the whole congregation of Israel came to Mount Hor. | 22The whole community of Israel left Kadesh and arrived at Mount Hor. |
| 23And at Mount Hor, near the border of the land of Edom, the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, | 23There, on the border of the land of Edom, the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, |
| 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“The time has come for Aaron to join his ancestors in death. He will not enter the land I am giving the people of Israel, because the two of you rebelled against my instructions concerning the water at Meribah. |
| 25Take Aaron and his son Eleazar and bring them up Mount Hor. | 25Now take Aaron and his son Eleazar up 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.” | 26There you will remove Aaron’s priestly garments and put them on Eleazar, his son. Aaron will die there and join his ancestors.” |
| 27So Moses did as the LORD had commanded, and they climbed Mount Hor in the sight of the whole congregation. | 27So Moses did as the LORD commanded. The three of them went up Mount Hor together as the whole community watched. |
| 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. | 28At the summit, Moses removed the priestly garments from Aaron and put them on Eleazar, Aaron’s son. Then Aaron died there on top of the mountain, and Moses and Eleazar went back down. |
| 29When the whole congregation saw that Aaron had died, the entire house of Israel mourned for him thirty days. | 29When the people realized that Aaron had died, all Israel mourned for him thirty days. |
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