| NET Bible | International Standard Version |
| 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. | 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. |
| 2And there was no water for the community, and so they gathered themselves together against Moses and Aaron. | 2But there was no water for the community, so they gathered together against Moses and Aaron. |
| 3The people contended with Moses, saying, "If only we had died when our brothers died before the LORD! | 3As the people argued with Moses, they told him, "We wish that we had died when our relatives died in the LORD's presence! |
| 4Why have you brought up the LORD's community into this wilderness? So that we and our cattle should die here? | 4Why did you bring the assembly of the LORD into this wilderness? So we and our cattle could 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 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!" |
| 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 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. |
| 7Then the LORD spoke to Moses: | 7The LORD told 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 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." |
| 9So Moses took the staff from before the LORD, just as he commanded him. | 9So Moses took the rod in the LORD's presence, just as he had 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 community together in front of the rock. "Pay attention, you rebels!" Moses told them. "Are we to bring you water from 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 rod. Lots of water gushed out, and both the community and their cattle 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 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." |
| 13These are the waters of Meribah, because the Israelites contended with the LORD, and his holiness was maintained among them. | 13Because the Israelis argued with the LORD and he was set apart among them, this place was called the Meribah Springs. |
| 14Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom: "Thus says your brother Israel: 'You know all the hardships we have experienced, | 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. |
| 15how our ancestors went down into Egypt, and we lived in Egypt a long time, and the Egyptians treated us and our ancestors badly. | 15Our ancestors went down to Egypt, where we lived for many years. But the Egyptians treated us and our ancestors viciously. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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.'" | 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.'" |
| 18But Edom said to him, "You will not pass through me, or I will come out against you with the sword." | 18But Edom replied, "You are not to pass through my land. If you do, I'll come out and start a war with you." |
| 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." | 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." |
| 20But he said, "You may not pass through." Then Edom came out against them with a large and powerful force. | 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. |
| 21So Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border; therefore Israel turned away from him. | 21That's how Edom refused Israel passage through their territory. So Israel turned away from there. |
| 22So the entire company of Israelites traveled from Kadesh and came to Mount Hor. | 22They traveled from Kadesh, and then the entire community of the Israelis arrived at Mount Hor. |
| 23And the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron in Mount Hor, by the border of the land of Edom. He said: | 23Then the LORD told Moses and Aaron at Mount Hor, near the territory of Edom, |
| 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 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. |
| 25Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up on Mount Hor. | 25So take Aaron and his son Eleazar and ascend 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 vestments and place them on his son Eleazar, because Aaron is to be gathered to his people and 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 just what the LORD had commanded. They ascended Mount Hor right in front of the entire community. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 29When all the community saw that Aaron was dead, the whole house of Israel mourned for Aaron thirty days. | 29When the entire community saw that Aaron had died, they mourned in memory of Aaron for 30 days. |
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