Then came the sons of Israel, even the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in the first month; and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there and was buried there. And there was no water for the congregation; and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. read more.
And the people contended with Moses and spoke, saying, Oh, that we had died when our brethren died before the LORD! And why have ye caused the congregation of the LORD to come into this wilderness that we and our beasts should die here? And why have ye made us to come up out of Egypt to bring us in unto this evil place? It is not a place to plant seed or of figs or of vines or of pomegranates; there is not even any water to drink. And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the congregation unto the door of the tabernacle of the testimony, and they fell upon their faces; and the glory of the LORD appeared upon them. And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying, Take the rod and gather the congregation together, thou and Aaron, thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes, and it shall give forth its water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock; so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink. Then Moses took the rod from before the LORD as he commanded him. And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock? Then Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice; and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also. And the LORD spoke unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the sons of Israel, therefore, ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them. These are the waters of Meribah; over which the sons of Israel strove with the LORD, and he was sanctified in them. And Moses sent ambassadors from Kadesh unto the king of Edom, Thus saith thy brother Israel, Thou knowest all the travail that has befallen us: how our fathers went down into Egypt, and we were in Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians mistreated us and our fathers; and we cried unto the LORD, who heard our voice, and sent an angel and has brought us forth out of Egypt; and, behold, we are in Kadesh, a city on the edge of thy border.