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Numbers 20 :: New American Standard Bible 2020 (NASB20)

Death of Miriam

Num 20:1

Then the sons of Israel, the whole congregation, came to the wilderness of Zin in the first month; and the people stayed at Kadesh. Now Miriam died there and was buried there.

Num 20:2

There was no water for the congregation, and they assembled against Moses and Aaron.

Num 20:3Then the people argued with Moses and spoke, saying, “If only we had perished when our brothers perished before the LORD!
Num 20:4“Why then have you brought the LORD’S assembly into this wilderness, for us and our livestock to die [fn]here?
Num 20:5“Why did you make us come up from Egypt, to bring us into this wretched place? It is not a place of [fn]grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, nor is there water to drink!”
Num 20:6Then Moses and Aaron came in from the presence of the assembly to the entrance of the tent of meeting and fell on their faces. And the glory of the LORD appeared to them;
Num 20:7then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

The Waters of Meribah

Num 20:8“Take the staff; and you and your brother Aaron assemble the congregation and speak to the rock before their eyes, that it shall yield its water. So you shall bring water for them out of the rock, and have the congregation and their livestock drink.”
Num 20:9

So Moses took the staff from before the LORD, just as He had commanded him;

Num 20:10and Moses and Aaron summoned the assembly in front of the rock. And he said to them, “Listen now, you rebels; shall we bring water for you out of this rock?”
Num 20:11Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their livestock drank.
Num 20:12But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Since you did not trust in Me, to treat Me as holy in the sight of the sons of Israel, for that reason you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.”
Num 20:13Those were called the waters of [fn]Meribah, [fn]because the sons of Israel argued with the LORD, and He proved Himself holy among them.
Num 20:14

From Kadesh Moses then sent messengers to the king of Edom to say, “This is what your brother Israel has said: ‘You know all the hardship that has [fn]overtaken us;

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‘But when we cried out to the LORD, 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‘Please let us pass through your land. We will not pass through field or vineyard; we will not even drink water from a well. We will go along the king’s road, not turning to the right or left, until we pass through your territory.’”
Num 20:18

Edom, however, said to him, “You shall not pass through [fn]us, or I will come out with the sword against you.”

Num 20:19Again, the sons of Israel said to him, “We will go up by the road, 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 more.
Num 20:20But he said, “You shall not pass through.” And Edom came out against him with a heavy [fn]force and a strong hand.
Num 20:21So Edom refused to allow Israel to pass through his territory; then Israel turned away from him.
Num 20:22

Now when they set out from Kadesh, the sons of Israel, the whole congregation, came to Mount Hor.

Death of Aaron

Num 20:23Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron at Mount Hor by the border of the land of Edom, saying,
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“Take Aaron and his son Eleazar, and bring them up to Mount Hor.
Num 20:26Then 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 20:27So Moses did just as the LORD had commanded, and they went up to Mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation.
Num 20:28And after Moses stripped Aaron of his garments and put them on his son Eleazar, Aaron died there on the mountain top. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain.
Num 20:29When all the congregation saw that Aaron had died, the whole house of Israel wept for Aaron for thirty days.
NASB20 Footnotes
Lit there
Lit seed
I.e., contention
Or where
Lit found
Lit me
Lit give
Or no great thing
Lit people
Lit mouth
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Numbers Chapter 20 — Additional Translations: