International Standard Version

New American Standard Bible 1995

1The entire community of the Israelis entered the Zin wilderness during the first month. The people stayed in Kadesh. Miriam died and was buried there.

1Then the sons of Israel, the whole congregation, came to the wilderness of Zin in the first month; and the people stayed at Kadesh. Now Miriam died there and was buried there.

2But there was no water for the community, so they gathered together against Moses and Aaron.

2There was no water for the congregation, and they assembled themselves against Moses and Aaron.

3As the people argued with Moses, they told him, "We wish that we had died when our relatives died in the LORD's presence!

3The people thus contended with Moses and spoke, saying, "If only we had perished when our brothers perished before the LORD!

4Why did you bring the assembly of the LORD into this wilderness? So we and our cattle could die here?

4"Why then have you brought the LORD'S assembly into this wilderness, for us and our beasts to die here?

5Why did you take us out of Egypt and bring us to this terrible place? There's no place to plant seeds, fig trees, vines, or pomegranates! And there's no water to drink!"

5"Why have you made us come up from Egypt, to bring us in to this wretched place? It is not a place of grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, nor is there water to drink."

6Then Moses and Aaron went into the presence of the community at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and fell on their faces. Then the glory of the LORD appeared to them.

6Then Moses and Aaron came in from the presence of the assembly to the doorway of the tent of meeting and fell on their faces. Then the glory of the LORD appeared to them;

7The LORD told Moses,

7and the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

8"Take the rod, gather the community together, and then you and your brother Aaron are to speak to the rock right before their eyes. It will release water. As you bring water to them from the rock, the community and the cattle will be able to drink."

8"Take the rod; and you and your brother Aaron assemble the congregation and speak to the rock before their eyes, that it may yield its water. You shall thus bring forth water for them out of the rock and let the congregation and their beasts drink."

9So Moses took the rod in the LORD's presence, just as he had commanded.

9So Moses took the rod from before the LORD, just as He had commanded him;

10Then Moses and Aaron gathered the community together in front of the rock. "Pay attention, you rebels!" Moses told them. "Are we to bring you water from this rock?"

10and Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly before the rock. And he said to them, "Listen now, you rebels; shall we bring forth water for you out of this rock?"

11Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod. Lots of water gushed out, and both the community and their cattle were able to drink.

11Then Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation and their beasts drank.

12But the LORD rebuked Moses and Aaron, telling Moses: "Because you both didn't believe me, because you didn't consecrate me as holy in the presence of the Israelis, you won't be the ones to bring this congregation into the land that I'm about to give them."

12But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you have not believed Me, to treat Me as holy in the sight of the sons of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them."

13Because the Israelis argued with the LORD and he was set apart among them, this place was called the Meribah Springs.

13Those were the waters of Meribah, because the sons of Israel contended with the LORD, and He proved Himself holy among them.

14Later, Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom with this message: "This is what your relative Israel says: 'You know all the hardships we've encountered.

14From Kadesh Moses then sent messengers to the king of Edom: "Thus your brother Israel has said, 'You know all the hardship that has befallen us;

15Our ancestors went down to Egypt, where we lived for many years. But the Egyptians treated us and our ancestors viciously.

15that our fathers went down to Egypt, and we stayed in Egypt a long time, and the Egyptians treated us and our fathers badly.

16Then we cried to the LORD and he heard our voice, sending us a messenger who brought us out of Egypt. Now look! We've arrived in Kadesh, a city at the extreme end of your territory.

16'But when we cried out to the LORD, He heard our voice and sent an angel and brought us out from Egypt; now behold, we are at Kadesh, a town on the edge of your territory.

17Permit us now to pass through your land. We won't pass through your fields or vineyards, and we won't drink water from your wells. We'll keep to the King's Highway without turning either right or left until we have passed through your territory.'"

17'Please let us pass through your land. We will not pass through field or through vineyard; we will not even drink water from a well. We will go along the king's highway, not turning to the right or left, until we pass through your territory.'"

18But Edom replied, "You are not to pass through my land. If you do, I'll come out and start a war with you."

18Edom, however, said to him, "You shall not pass through us, or I will come out with the sword against you."

19Then the Israelis replied, "Permit us to travel on the highway. If we and our cattle drink your water, we'll pay the price you ask. Only please let us walk through, and nothing more."

19Again, the sons of Israel said to him, "We will go up by the highway, and if I and my livestock do drink any of your water, then I will pay its price. Let me only pass through on my feet, nothing else."

20But still he replied, "No. You're not to pass through." Then Edom went out to meet Moses with a vast army and a lot of military might.

20But he said, "You shall not pass through." And Edom came out against him with a heavy force and with a strong hand.

21That's how Edom refused Israel passage through their territory. So Israel turned away from there.

21Thus Edom refused to allow Israel to pass through his territory; so Israel turned away from him.

22They traveled from Kadesh, and then the entire community of the Israelis arrived at Mount Hor.

22Now when they set out from Kadesh, the sons of Israel, the whole congregation, came to Mount Hor.

23Then the LORD told Moses and Aaron at Mount Hor, near the territory of Edom,

23Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron at Mount Hor by the border of the land of Edom, saying,

24"Aaron is to be gathered to his people, since he is not to enter the land that I'm about to give the Israelis. After all, you both rebelled against my command at the Meribah Springs.

24"Aaron will be gathered to his people; for he shall not enter the land which I have given to the sons of Israel, because you rebelled against My command at the waters of Meribah.

25So take Aaron and his son Eleazar and ascend Mount Hor.

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

26Remove Aaron's vestments and place them on his son Eleazar, because Aaron is to be gathered to his people and die there."

26and strip Aaron of his garments and put them on his son Eleazar. So Aaron will be gathered to his people, and will die there."

27So Moses did just what the LORD had commanded. They ascended Mount Hor right in front of the entire community.

27So Moses did just as the LORD had commanded, and they went up to Mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation.

28As Moses was stripping Aaron's garments from him and clothing Aaron's son Eleazar with them, Aaron died there on top of the mountain. Afterwards, Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain.

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

29When the entire community saw that Aaron had died, they mourned in memory of Aaron for 30 days.

29When all the congregation saw that Aaron had died, all the house of Israel wept for Aaron thirty days.

The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.

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