THE
BOOK OF NUMBERS
Numbers Chapter 20
1
¶ Then the children of Israel, the whole congregation, entered the desert of Sin
in the first month: and the people stayed in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and
was buried there.
2
And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves
together against Moses and against Aaron.
3
And the people fussed with Moses, saying, Would that we had died when our
brethren died before the LORD!
4
Why have you brought the congregation of the LORD into this desert, that we and
our cattle should die there?
5
And why have you made us come up out of Egypt, to bring us into this evil
place? it is no place of grain, or of figs, or of vines, or of
pomegranates; nor is there any water to drink.
6
And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the door of the
tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell on their faces: and the glory of
the LORD appeared to them.
7
And the LORD said to Moses,
8
Take the rod, and gather the congregation together, you, and Aaron your
brother, and speak to the rock before their eyes; and it will give forth its
water, and you shall bring water out of the rock for them: so you shall give
drink to the congregation and their livestock.
9
And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him.
10
And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he
said to them, Hear now, you rebels; must we bring you water out of this rock?
11
And Moses lifted up his hand, and he struck the rock twice with his rod: and
the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts as
well.
12
And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, Because you did not believe me, to
sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you will not bring
this congregation into the land that I have given them.
13
This is the water of Meribah; because the children of
14
¶ And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of
15
How our fathers went down into Egypt, and we have lived in Egypt a long time;
and the Egyptians dealt harshly with us, and our fathers:
16
And when we cried to the LORD, he heard our voice, and sent an angel, and has
brought us out of Egypt: now, behold, we are in Kadesh, a city on the
edge of your territory:
17
Let us pass, I pray you, through your country: we will not pass through the
fields, or through the vineyards, nor will we drink water from the wells: we
will go by the king’s highway, we will not turn to the right hand or to the
left, until we have passed through your territory.
18
And Edom said to him, You shall not go through, lest I come out against you
with the sword.
19
And the children of Israel said to him, We will go by the highway: and if I and
my cattle drink of your water, then I will pay for it: only, let me go through
on foot without doing any thing else.
20
And he said, You shall not go through. And Edom came out against Israel with
many people, and with a strong hand.
21
Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his territory: therefore
Israel turned away from him.
22
¶ And the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, journeyed
from Kadesh, and came to mount Hor.
23
And the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron in mount Hor, on the border of the land
of Edom, saying,
24
Aaron shall be gathered to his people: for he shall not enter into the land
that I have given to the children of Israel, because you rebelled against my
word at the water of Meribah.
25
Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up to mount Hor:
26
And strip Aaron of his priestly garments, and put them on Eleazar his
son: and Aaron shall be gathered to his people, and shall die there.
27
And Moses did as the LORD commanded: and they went up into mount Hor in the
sight of the entire congregation.
28
And Moses stripped Aaron of his garments, and put them on Eleazar his son; and
Aaron died there on the mountain top: and Moses and Eleazar came down from the
mountain.
29
And when the entire congregation saw that Aaron was dead, the whole house of
Israel mourned for Aaron for thirty days.