The Fourth Book of Moses: Numbers

⭑ Geneva Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 20 -

(Exodus 17:1–7)

Then the children of Israel came with ye whole Congregation to the desert of Zin in the first moneth, and the people abode at Cadesh: where Miriam died, and was buried there.

But there was no water for the Congregation, and they assembled them selues against Moses and against Aaron.

And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God we had perished, when our brethren died before the Lord.

Why haue ye thus brought the Congregation of the Lord vnto his wildernesse, that both we, and our cattell should die there?

Wherefore nowe haue yee made vs to come vp from Egypt, to bring vs into this miserable place, which is no place of seede, nor figges, nor vines, nor pomegranates? neither is there any water to drinke.

Then Moses and Aaron went from the assemblie vnto the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, and fell vpon their faces: and the glory of the Lord appeared vnto them.

And the Lord spake vnto Moses, saying,

Take the rod, and gather thou and thy brother Aaron the Congregation together, and speake yee vnto the rocke before their eyes, and it shall giue foorth his water, and thou shalt bring them water out of the rocke: so thou shalt giue the Congregation, and their beastes drinke.

Then Moses tooke the rod from before the Lord, as he had commanded him.

And Moses and Aaron gathered the Congregation together before the rocke, and Moses sayd vnto them, Heare nowe, ye rebels: shall we bring you water out of this rocke?

Then Moses lift vp his hande, and with his rod he smote the rocke twise, and the water came out aboundantly: so the Congregation, and their beastes dranke.

Againe the Lord spake vnto Moses, and to Aaron, Because ye beleeued me not, to sanctifie mee in the presence of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this Congregation into the land which I haue giuen them.

This is the water of Meribah, because the children of Israel stroue with the Lord, and hee was sanctified in them.

Edom Refuses Passage

Then Moses sent messengers from Kadesh vnto the king of Edom, saying, Thus sayth thy brother Israel, Thou knowest all the trauaile that we haue had,

How our fathers went downe into Egypt, and we dwelt in Egypt a long time, where the Egyptians handled vs euill and our fathers.

But when we cried vnto the Lord, he heard our voyce, and sent an Angel, and hath brought vs out of Egypt, and beholde, wee are in the citie Kadesh, in thine vtmost border.

I pray thee that we may passe through thy countrey: we will not goe through the fieldes nor the vineyardes, neither will we drinke of the water of the welles: we will goe by the kings way, and neither turne vnto the right hand nor to the left, vntill we be past thy borders.

And Edom answered him, Thou shalt not passe by mee, least I come out against thee with the sword.

Then the children of Israel said vnto him, We will goe vp by the hie way: and if I and my cattell drinke of thy water, I will then pay for it: I will onely (without any harme) goe through on my feete.

Hee answered againe, Thou shalt not goe through. The Edom came out against him with much people, and with a mightie power.

Thus Edom denyed to giue Israel passage through his countrey: wherefore Israel turned away from him.

The Death of Aaron

And when the children of Israel with al the Congregation departed from Kadesh, they came vnto the mount Hor.

And the Lord spake vnto Moses and to Aaron in the mount Hor neere the coast of the land of Edom, saying,

Aaron shall be gathered vnto his people: for hee shall not enter into the lande, which I haue giuen vnto the children of Israel, because ye disobeyed my commandement at the water of Meribah.

Take Aaron and Eleazar his sonne, and bring them vp into the mount Hor,

And cause Aaron to put off his garmentes and put them vpon Eleazar his sonne: for Aaron shall be gathered to his fathers, and shall die there.

And Moses did as the Lord had commanded: and they went vp into the mount Hor, in the sight of all the Congregation.

And Moses put off Aarons clothes, and put them vpon Eleazar his sonne: so Aaron dyed there in the top of the mount: and Moses and Eleazar came downe from off the mount.

When al the Congregation sawe that Aaron was dead, al the house of Israel wept for Aaron thirtie dayes.

(Exodus 17:1–7)

The children of Israel, even the whole congregation, came into the wilderness of Zin in the first month. The people stayed in Kadesh. Miriam died there, and was buried there.

There was no water for the congregation; and they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron.

The people quarreled with Moses, and spoke, saying, “We wish that we had died when our brothers died before the LORD!

Why have you brought the LORD’s assembly into this wilderness, that we should die there, we and our animals?

Why have you made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in to this evil place? It is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink.”

Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the door of the Tent of Meeting, and fell on their faces. The LORD’s glory appeared to them.

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

“Take the rod, and assemble the congregation, you, and Aaron your brother, and speak to the rock before their eyes, that it pour out its water. You shall bring water to them out of the rock; so you shall give the congregation and their livestock drink.”

Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him.

Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels! Shall we bring water out of this rock for you?”

Moses lifted up his hand, and struck the rock with his rod twice, and water came out abundantly. The congregation and their livestock drank.

The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you didn’t believe in me, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.”

These are the waters of Meribah;(a) because the children of Israel strove with the LORD, and he was sanctified in them.

Edom Refuses Passage

Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, saying: “Your brother Israel says: You know all the travail that has happened to us;

how our fathers went down into Egypt, and we lived in Egypt a long time. The Egyptians mistreated us and our fathers.

When we cried to the LORD, he heard our voice, sent an angel, and brought us out of Egypt. Behold, we are in Kadesh, a city in the edge of your border.

“Please let us pass through your land. We will not pass through field or through vineyard, neither will we drink from the water of the wells. We will go along the king’s highway. We will not turn away to the right hand nor to the left, until we have passed your border.”

Edom said to him, “You shall not pass through me, lest I come out with the sword against you.”

The children of Israel said to him, “We will go up by the highway; and if we drink your water, I and my livestock, then I will give its price. Only let me, without doing anything else, pass through on my feet.”

He said, “You shall not pass through.” Edom came out against him with many people, and with a strong hand.

Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border, so Israel turned away from him.

The Death of Aaron

They traveled from Kadesh, and the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, came to Mount Hor.

The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron in Mount Hor, by the border of the land of Edom, saying,

“Aaron shall be gathered to his people; for he shall not enter into the land which I have given to the children of Israel, because you rebelled against my word at the waters of Meribah.

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

and strip Aaron of his garments, and put them on Eleazar his son. Aaron shall be gathered, and shall die there.”

Moses did as the LORD commanded. They went up onto Mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation.

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

When all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, they wept for Aaron thirty days, even all the house of Israel.

Footnotes

(a)20:13 “Meribah” means “quarreling”.