Numbers 20 :: Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

No Water for the Congregation

(Exo 17:1–7 )

Then the sons^H1121 of Israel^H3478, the whole^H3605 congregation^H5712, came^H935 to the wilderness^H4057 of Zin^H6790 in the first^H7223 month^H2320; and the people^H5971 stayed^H3427 at Kadesh^H6946. And Miriam^H4813 died^H4191 there^H8033 and was buried^H6912 there^H8033.

Num 20:2

Now there was no^H3808 water^H4325 for the congregation^H5712, and they assembled^H6950 themselves against^H5921 Moses^H4872 and Aaron^H175.

Num 20:3

Num 20:3The people thus contended with Moses and spoke, saying, “If only we had breathed our last when our brothers breathed their last before Yahweh!

Num 20:4

Num 20:4“Why then have you brought the assembly of Yahweh into this wilderness, for us and our beasts to die [fn]here?

Num 20:5

Num 20:5“And why have you made us come up from Egypt, to bring us into this evil place? It is not a place of [fn]grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, nor is there water to drink.”

Num 20:6

Num 20:6Then Moses and Aaron came in from the presence of the assembly to the doorway of the tent of meeting and fell on their faces. Then the glory of Yahweh appeared to them;

Num 20:7

Num 20:7and Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

Num 20:8

Num 20:8“Take the rod; and you and your brother Aaron assemble the congregation and speak to the rock before their eyes, that it may yield its water. You shall thus bring forth water for them out of the rock and let the congregation and their beasts drink.”

Moses Strikes the Rock

Num 20:9

So Moses^H4872 took^H3947 the rod^H4294 from before^H4480^H6440 Yahweh^H3068, just^H834 as He had commanded^H6680 him;

Num 20:10

Num 20:10and Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly before the rock. And he said to them, “Listen now, you rebels; shall we bring forth water for you out of this rock?”

Num 20:11

Num 20:11Then Moses raised high his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation and their beasts drank.

Num 20:12

Num 20:12But Yahweh said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe Me, to treat Me as holy in the sight of the sons of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.”

Num 20:13

Num 20:13Those were the waters of [fn]Meribah [fn]because the sons of Israel contended with Yahweh, and He proved Himself holy among them.

Edom Refuses Passage

Num 20:14

From Kadesh^H6946 Moses^H4872 then sent^H7971 messengers^H4397 to the king^H4428 of Edom^H123: “Thus^H3541 your brother^H251 Israel^H3478 has said^H559, ‘You know^H3045 all^H3605 the hardship^H8513 that has befallen^H4672 us,

Num 20:15

Num 20:15that our fathers went down to Egypt, and we stayed in Egypt a long time, and the Egyptians treated us and our fathers badly.

Num 20:16

Num 20:16‘So we cried out to Yahweh, and He heard our voice and sent an angel and brought us out from Egypt; now behold, we are at Kadesh, a town on the edge of your territory.

Num 20:17

Num 20:17‘Please let us pass through your land. We will not pass through field or through vineyard; we will not even drink water from a well. We will go along the king’s highway; we will not turn to the right or to the left until we pass through your territory.’”

Num 20:18

Edom^H123, however, said^H559 to him, “You shall not pass^H5674 through [fn]us, lest^H6435 I come^H3318 out^H3318 to meet^H7122 you with the sword^H2719.”

Num 20:19

Num 20:19Again, the sons of Israel said to him, “We will go up by the highway, and if I and my livestock do drink any of your water, then I will [fn]pay its price. Let me only pass through on my feet, [fn]nothing else.”

Num 20:20

Num 20:20But he said, “You shall not pass through.” And Edom came out to meet him with a heavy [fn]force and with a strong hand.

Num 20:21

Num 20:21Thus Edom refused to allow Israel to pass through his territory; so Israel turned away from him.

Num 20:22

Then they set^H5265 out^H5265 from Kadesh^H6946, and the sons^H1121 of Israel^H3478, the whole^H3605 congregation^H5712, came^H935 to Mount^H2022 Hor^H2023.

The Death of Aaron

Num 20:23

Num 20:23And Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron at Mount Hor by the border of the land of Edom, saying,

Num 20:24

Num 20:24“Aaron will be gathered to his people, for he shall not enter the land which I have given to the sons of Israel because you rebelled against My [fn]command at the waters of Meribah.

Num 20:25

Num 20:25“Take Aaron and his son Eleazar and bring them up to Mount Hor;

Num 20:26

Num 20:26and strip Aaron of his garments and put them on his son Eleazar. So Aaron will be gathered to his people and will die there.”

Num 20:27

Num 20:27So Moses did just as Yahweh had commanded, and they went up to Mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation.

Num 20:28

Num 20:28And Moses stripped Aaron of his garments and put them on his son Eleazar, and Aaron died there on the mountain top. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain.

Num 20:29