1
Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in the firstmonth: and the peopleabode in Kadesh; and Miriamdied 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 peoplechode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethrendiedbefore the LORD!
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And why have ye brought up the congregation of the LORD into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there?
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And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evilplace? it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink.
6
And Moses and Aaronwent from the presence of the assembly unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell upon their faces: and the glory of the LORDappeared unto them.
7
And the LORDspake unto Moses, saying,
8Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall giveforth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beastsdrink.
9
And Mosestook the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him.
10
And Moses and Aarongathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?
11
And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rocktwice: and the water came outabundantly, and the congregationdrank, and their beasts also.
12
And the LORDspake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes 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 Meribah; because the children of Israelstrove with the LORD, and he was sanctified in them.
14
And Mosessentmessengers from Kadesh unto the king of Edom, Thus saith thy brotherIsrael, Thou knowest all the travail that hath befallen us:
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How our fathers went down into Egypt, and we have dwelt in Egypt a longtime; and the Egyptiansvexed us, and our fathers:
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And when we cried unto the LORD, he heard our voice, and sent an angel, and hath brought us forth out of Egypt: and, behold, we are in Kadesh, a city in the uttermost of thy border:
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Let us pass, I pray thee, through thy country: we will not pass through the fields, or through the vineyards, neither will we drink of the water of the wells: we will go by the king's high way, we will not turn to the right hand nor to the left, until we have passed thy borders.
18
And Edomsaid unto him, Thou shalt not pass by me, lest I come outagainst thee with the sword.
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And the children of Israelsaid unto him, We will go by the high way: and if I and my cattledrink of thy water, then I will pay for it: I will only, without doing any thing else, gothrough on my feet.
20
And he said, Thou shalt not go through. And Edom came outagainst him with muchpeople, and with a stronghand.
21
Thus Edomrefused to giveIsraelpassage through his border: wherefore Israel turned away from him.
22
And the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, journeyed from Kadesh, and came unto mountHor.
23
And the LORDspake unto Moses and Aaron in mountHor, by the coast of the land of Edom, saying,
24Aaron shall be gathered unto his people: for he shall not enter into the land which I have given unto the children of Israel, because ye rebelled against my word at the water of Meribah.
25TakeAaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up unto mountHor:
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And stripAaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son: and Aaron shall be gathered unto his people, and shall die there.
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And Mosesdid as the LORDcommanded: and they went up into mountHor in the sight of all the congregation.
28
And MosesstrippedAaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son; and Aarondied there in the top of the mount: and Moses and Eleazar came down from the mount.
29
And when all the congregationsaw that Aaron was dead, they mourned for Aaronthirtydays, even all the house of Israel.