20 1 Miriam dieth. 2 The people murmur. 8 They have water out of the rock. 14 Edom denieth the Israelites passage. 25, 28 The death of Aaron in whose room Eleazar succeedeth.
1 Then the children of Israel came with the whole Congregation to the desert of Zin in the first [a]month, and the people abode at Kadesh: where [b]Miriam died, and was buried there.
2 But there was no water for the Congregation, and they [c]assembled themselves against Moses and against Aaron.
3 And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God we had perished (A)when our brethren died before the Lord.
4 (B)Why have ye thus brought the Congregation of the Lord unto this wilderness, that both we and our cattle should die there?
5 Wherefore now have ye made us to come up from Egypt, to bring us into this miserable place, which is no place of seed, nor figs, nor vines, nor pomegranates? neither is there any water to drink.
6 Then Moses and Aaron went from the assembly unto the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, and fell upon their faces: and the glory of the Lord appeared unto them.
7 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
8 Take the [d]rod, and gather thou and thy brother Aaron the Congregation together, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes, and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the Congregation and the beasts drink.
9 Then Moses took the rod from before the Lord, as he had commanded him.
10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the Congregation together before the rock: and Moses said unto them, Hear now ye rebels: [e]shall we bring you water out of this rock?
11 Then Moses lift up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice, and the water came out abundantly: so the Congregation, and their beasts drank.
12 ¶ Again, the Lord spake unto Moses, and to Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to [f]sanctify me in the presence of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this Congregation into the land which I have given them.
13 This is the water of [g]Meribah, because the children of Israel strove with the Lord, and he [h]was sanctified in them.
14 ¶ Then Moses sent messengers from Kadesh unto the king of [i]Edom, saying, Thus saith thy brother Israel, Thou knowest all the travail that we have had,
15 How our fathers went down into Egypt, and we dwelt in Egypt a long time, where the Egyptians handled us evil and our fathers.
16 But when we cried unto the Lord, he heard our voice, and sent an Angel, and hath brought us out of Egypt, and behold, we are in the city Kadesh, in thine utmost border.
17 I pray thee that we may pass through thy country: we will not go through the fields nor the vineyards, neither will we drink of the water of the wells: we will go by the [j]king’s way, and neither turn to the right hand nor to the left, until we be past thy borders.
18 And Edom answered him, [k]Thou shalt not pass by me, lest I come out against thee with the sword.
19 Then the children of Israel said unto him, We will go up by the highway: and if I and my cattle drink of thy water, I will then pay for it: I will only (without any harm) go through on my feet.
20 He answered again, Thou shalt not go through. Then [l]Edom came out against him with much people, and with a mighty power.
21 Thus Edom denied to give Israel passage through his country: wherefore Israel [m]turned away from him.
22 ¶ And when the children of Israel with all the Congregation departed from (C)Kadesh, they came unto mount Hor.
23 And the Lord spake unto Moses and to Aaron in the mount Hor near the coast of the land of Edom, saying,
24 Aaron shall be [n]gathered unto his people: for he shall not enter into the land, which I have given unto the children of Israel, because ye [o]disobeyed my commandment at the water of [p]Meribah.
25 Take (D)Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up into the mount Hor,
26 And cause Aaron to put off his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son: for Aaron shall be gathered to his fathers, and shall die there.
27 And Moses did as the Lord had commanded: and they went up into the mount Hor, in the sight of all the Congregation.
28 And Moses put off Aaron’s clothes, and put them upon Eleazar his son: (E)so Aaron died there in the top of the mount: and Moses and Eleazar came down from off the mount.
29 When all the Congregation saw that Aaron was dead, all the house of Israel [q]wept for Aaron thirty days.
Footnotes
- Numbers 20:1 This was forty years after their departure from Egypt.
- Numbers 20:1 Moses and Aaron’s sister.
- Numbers 20:2 Another rebellion was in Raphidim, Exod. 17, and this was in Kadesh.
- Numbers 20:8 Wherewith thou diddest miracles in Egypt, and didst divide the sea.
- Numbers 20:10 The punishment which followed hereof, declared that Moses and Aaron believed not the Lord’s promise, as appeareth, verse 12.
- Numbers 20:12 That the children of Israel should believe, and acknowledge my power, and so honor me.
- Numbers 20:13 Or, strife and contention, Num. 27:14.
- Numbers 20:13 By showing himself almighty and maintaining his glory.
- Numbers 20:14 Because Jacob or Israel was Esau’s brother, who was called Edom.
- Numbers 20:17 Or, highway.
- Numbers 20:18 Or, come not.
- Numbers 20:20 Or, the Edomites.
- Numbers 20:21 To pass by another way.
- Numbers 20:24 Read Gen. 25:8.
- Numbers 20:24 Or, rebelled.
- Numbers 20:24 Or, strife.
- Numbers 20:29 Or, mourned.