Thematic Bible
Numbers 20:1 (show verse)
Then the entire community of the {Israelites} came [to] the desert of Zin on the first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh; Miriam died and was buried there.
Numbers 20:2 (show verse)
There was no water for the community, and they were gathered before Moses and Aaron.
Numbers 20:3 (show verse)
And the people quarreled with Moses and spoke, saying, "If only we died when our brothers were dying {before} Yahweh!
Numbers 20:4 (show verse)
Why have you brought the assembly of Yahweh, us and our livestock, into this desert to die here?
Numbers 20:5 (show verse)
Why have you brought us from Egypt to bring us to this bad place? It is not a place of seed or figs or vines or pomegranate trees, and there is not water to drink."
Numbers 20:6 (show verse)
And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the doorway of the tent of assembly. They fell on their faces, and the glory of Yahweh appeared to them.
Numbers 20:7 (show verse)
Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
Numbers 20:8 (show verse)
"Take the staff and summon the community, you and Aaron your brother, and speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will give water. Bring out for them water from the rock, and let the community and their livestock drink."
Numbers 20:9 (show verse)
So Moses took the staff from {before} Yahweh just as he command him,
Numbers 20:10 (show verse)
and Moses and Aaron summoned the assembly to the presence of the rock, and he said to them, "Please listen, you rebels; can we bring out water for you from this rock?"
Numbers 20:11 (show verse)
Then Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice. And abundant water went out, and the community and their livestock drank.
Numbers 20:12 (show verse)
But Yahweh said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you have not trusted in me, to regard me as holy {in the sight of} the {Israelites}, you will not bring this assembly into the land that I have given to them."
Numbers 20:13 (show verse)
Those [were] the waters of Meribah, where the {Israelites} quarreled with Yahweh, and he showed himself holy among them.
Numbers 20:14 (show verse)
From Kadesh Moses sent messengers to the king of Edom: "Thus your brother Israel has said, 'You know all the hardship that has found us;
Numbers 20:15 (show verse)
our ancestors went down to Egypt, and we lived in Egypt {a long time}, and the Egyptians mistreated us and our ancestors.
Numbers 20:16 (show verse)
Then we cried to Yahweh, and he heard our voice; he sent an angel and brought us out from Egypt. And look, we [are] in Kadesh, a city on the edge of your territory.
Numbers 20:17 (show verse)
Please let us go through your land. We will not go through a field or vineyard, and we will not drink water from a well. We will go along the road of the king; we will not turn aside right or left until we have gone through your territory.'"
Numbers 20:18 (show verse)
Then Edom said to him, "You will not pass through us lest {we will go out} to meet you with the sword."
Numbers 20:19 (show verse)
The {Israelites} said to him, "We will go up on the main road, and if we and our livestock drink your water, we will pay [for it]. It is only a small matter; let us pass through on our feet."
Numbers 20:20 (show verse)
But he said, "You will not go through." And Edom went out to meet {them} with a large army and a strong hand.
Numbers 20:21 (show verse)
So Edom refused to give Israel passage through his territory, and Israel turned aside from him.
Numbers 20:22 (show verse)
And they set out from Kadesh. The {Israelites}, the whole community, came [to] Mount Hor.
Numbers 20:23 (show verse)
Yahweh said to Moses and to Aaron on Mount Hor, on the boundary of the land of Edom, saying,
Numbers 20:24 (show verse)
"Let Aaron be gathered to his people; he will not come into the land that I have given to the {Israelites} because you rebelled against {my word} at the waters of Meribah.
Numbers 20:25 (show verse)
Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and take them up Mount Hor.
Numbers 20:26 (show verse)
Strip off Aaron's garments, and put them on Eleazar his son; Aaron will be gathered [to his people], and he will die there."
Numbers 20:27 (show verse)
So Moses did just as Yahweh commanded, and they went up to Mount Hor before the eyes of all the community.
Numbers 20:28 (show verse)
And Moses stripped off Aaron's garments and put them on Eleazar his son. Aaron died there on the top of the mountain; and Moses and Eleazar went down from the mountain.
Numbers 20:29 (show verse)
All the community saw that Aaron died; so all the house of Israel wept for Aaron thirty days.