| NET Bible | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Then the entire community of Israel entered the wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh. Miriam died and was buried there. | 1In the first month, the whole congregation of Israel entered the Wilderness of Zin and stayed in Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried. |
| 2And there was no water for the community, and so they gathered themselves together against Moses and Aaron. | 2Now there was no water for the congregation, so they gathered against Moses and Aaron. |
| 3The people contended with Moses, saying, "If only we had died when our brothers died before the LORD! | 3The people quarreled with Moses and said, “If only we had perished with our brothers before the LORD! |
| 4Why have you brought up the LORD's community into this wilderness? So that we and our cattle should die here? | 4Why have you brought the LORD’s assembly into this wilderness for us and our livestock to die here? |
| 5Why have you brought us up from Egypt only to bring us to this dreadful place? It is no place for grain, or figs, or vines, or pomegranates; nor is there any water to drink!" | 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!” |
| 6So Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the entrance to the tent of meeting. They then threw themselves down with their faces to the ground, and the glory of the LORD appeared to them. | 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. |
| 7Then the LORD spoke to Moses: | 7And the LORD said to Moses, |
| 8"Take the staff and assemble the community, you and Aaron your brother, and then speak to the rock before their eyes. It will pour forth its water, and you will bring water out of the rock for them, and so you will give the community and their beasts water to drink." | 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.” |
| 9So Moses took the staff from before the LORD, just as he commanded him. | 9So Moses took the staff from the LORD’s presence, just as he had been commanded. |
| 10Then Moses and Aaron gathered the community together in front of the rock, and he said to them, "Listen, you rebels, must we bring water out of this rock for you?" | 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?” |
| 11Then Moses raised his hand, and struck the rock twice with his staff. And water came out abundantly. So the community drank, and their beasts drank too. | 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. |
| 12Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust me enough to show me as holy before the Israelites, therefore you will not bring this community into the land I have given them." | 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.” |
| 13These are the waters of Meribah, because the Israelites contended with the LORD, and his holiness was maintained among them. | 13These were the waters of Meribah, where the Israelites quarreled with the LORD, and He showed His holiness among them. |
| 14Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom: "Thus says your brother Israel: 'You know all the hardships we have experienced, | 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, |
| 15how our ancestors went down into Egypt, and we lived in Egypt a long time, and the Egyptians treated us and our ancestors badly. | 15how our fathers went down to Egypt, where we lived many years. The Egyptians mistreated us and our fathers, |
| 16So when we cried to the LORD, he heard our voice and sent a messenger, and has brought us up out of Egypt. Now we are here in Kadesh, a town on the edge of your country. | 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. |
| 17Please let us pass through your country. We will not pass through the fields or through the vineyards, nor will we drink water from any well. We will go by the King's Highway; we will not turn to the right or the left until we have passed through your region.'" | 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.” |
| 18But Edom said to him, "You will not pass through me, or I will come out against you with the sword." | 18But Edom answered, “You may not travel through our land, or we will come out and confront you with the sword.” |
| 19Then the Israelites said to him, "We will go along the highway, and if we or our cattle drink any of your water, we will pay for it. We will only pass through on our feet, without doing anything else." | 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.” |
| 20But he said, "You may not pass through." Then Edom came out against them with a large and powerful force. | 20But Edom insisted, “You may not pass through.” And they came out to confront the Israelites with a large army and a strong hand. |
| 21So Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border; therefore Israel turned away from him. | 21So Edom refused to allow Israel to pass through their territory, and Israel turned away from them. |
| 22So the entire company of Israelites traveled from Kadesh and came to Mount Hor. | 22After they had set out from Kadesh, the whole congregation of Israel came to Mount Hor. |
| 23And the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron in Mount Hor, by the border of the land of Edom. He said: | 23And at Mount Hor, near the border of the land of Edom, the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, |
| 24"Aaron will be gathered to his ancestors, for he will not enter into the land I have given to the Israelites because both of you rebelled against my word at the waters of Meribah. | 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. |
| 25Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up on Mount Hor. | 25Take Aaron and his son Eleazar and bring them up Mount Hor. |
| 26Remove Aaron's priestly garments and put them on Eleazar his son, and Aaron will be gathered to his ancestors and will die there." | 26Remove Aaron’s priestly garments and put them on his son Eleazar. Aaron will be gathered to his people and will die there.” |
| 27So Moses did as the LORD commanded; and they went up Mount Hor in the sight of the whole community. | 27So Moses did as the LORD had commanded, and they climbed Mount Hor in the sight of the whole congregation. |
| 28And Moses removed Aaron's garments and put them on his son Eleazar. So Aaron died there on the top of the mountain. And Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain. | 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. |
| 29When all the community saw that Aaron was dead, the whole house of Israel mourned for Aaron thirty days. | 29When the whole congregation saw that Aaron had died, the entire house of Israel mourned for him thirty days. |
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