Numbers 20

KING JAMES BIBLE	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in the first month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there.	1 The whole Israelite community arrived in the desert of Zin in the first month, and the people settled at Kadesh. It was here that Miriam died, and here that she was buried.
2 And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron.	2 As the community had no water, they held a council against Moses and Aaron.
3 And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the LORD!	3 The people contended with Moses, exclaiming, "Would that we too had perished with our kinsmen in the LORD'S presence!
4 And why have ye brought up the congregation of the LORD into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there?	4 Why have you brought the LORD'S community into this desert where we and our livestock are dying?
5 And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in unto 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.	5 Why did you lead us out of Egypt, only to bring us to this wretched place which has neither grain nor figs nor vines nor pomegranates? Here there is not even water to drink!"
6 And Moses and Aaron went 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 LORD appeared unto them.	6 But Moses and Aaron went away from the assembly to the entrance of the meeting tent, where they fell prostrate. Then the glory of the LORD appeared to them,
7 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,	7 and the LORD said to Moses,
8 Take 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 give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink.	8 "Take the staff and assemble the community, you and your brother Aaron, and in their presence order the rock to yield its waters. From the rock you shall bring forth water for the community and their livestock to drink."
9 And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him.	9 So Moses took the staff from its place before the LORD, as he was ordered.
10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?	10 He and Aaron assembled the community in front of the rock, where he said to them, "Listen to me, you rebels! Are we to bring water for you out of this rock?"
11 And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.	11 Then, raising his hand, Moses struck the rock twice with his staff, and water gushed out in abundance for the community and their livestock to drink.
12 And the LORD spake 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.	12 But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you were not faithful to me in showing forth my sanctity before the Israelites, you shall not lead this community into the land I will give them."
13 This is the water of Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with the LORD, and he was sanctified in them.	13 These are the waters of Meribah, where the Israelites contended against the LORD, and where he revealed his sanctity among them.
14 And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh unto the king of Edom, Thus saith thy brother Israel, Thou knowest all the travail that hath befallen us:	14 From Kadesh Moses sent men to the king of Edom with the message: "Your brother Israel has this to say: You know of all the hardships that have befallen us,
15 How our fathers went down into Egypt, and we have dwelt in Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians vexed us, and our fathers:	15 how our fathers went down to Egypt, where we stayed a long time, how the Egyptians maltreated us and our fathers,
16 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:	16 and how, when we cried to the LORD, he heard our cry and sent an angel who led us out of Egypt. Now here we are at the town of Kadesh at the edge of your territory.
17 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 highway, we will not turn to the right hand nor to the left, until we have passed thy borders.	17 Kindly let us pass through your country. We will not cross any fields or vineyards, nor drink any well water, but we will go straight along the royal road without turning to the right or to the left, until we have passed through your territory."
18 And Edom said unto him, Thou shalt not pass by me, lest I come out against thee with the sword.	18 But Edom answered him, "You shall not pass through here; if you do, I will advance against you with the sword."
19 And the children of Israel said unto him, We will go by the high way: and if I and my cattle drink of thy water, then I will pay for it: I will only, without doing any thing else, go through on my feet.	19 The Israelites insisted, "We want only to go up along the highway. If we or our livestock drink any of your water, we will pay for it. Surely there is no harm in merely letting us march through."
20 And he said, Thou shalt not go through. And Edom came out against him with much people, and with a strong hand.	20 But Edom still said, "No, you shall not pass through," and advanced against them with a large and heavily armed force.
21 Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border: wherefore Israel turned away from him.	21 Therefore, since Edom refused to let them pass through their territory, Israel detoured around them.
22 And the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, journeyed from Kadesh, and came unto mount Hor.	22 Setting out from Kadesh, the whole Israelite community came to Mount Hor.
23 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in mount Hor, by the coast of the land of Edom, saying,	23 There at Mount Hor, on the border of the land of Edom, the LORD said to Moses and Aaron,
24 Aaron 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.	24 "Aaron is about to be taken to his people; he shall not enter the land I am giving to the Israelites, because you both rebelled against my commandment at the waters of Meribah.
25 Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up unto mount Hor:	25 Take Aaron and his son Eleazar and bring them up on Mount Hor.
26 And strip Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son: and Aaron shall be gathered unto his people, and shall die there.	26 Then strip Aaron of his garments and put them on his son Eleazar; for there Aaron shall be taken in death."
27 And Moses did as the LORD commanded: and they went up into mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation.	27 Moses did as the LORD commanded. When they had climbed Mount Hor in view of the whole community,
28 And Moses stripped Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son; and Aaron died there in the top of the mount: and Moses and Eleazar came down from the mount.	28 Moses stripped Aaron of his garments and put them on his son Eleazar. Then Aaron died there on top of the mountain. When Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain,
29 And when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, they mourned for Aaron thirty days, even all the house of Israel.	29 all the community understood that Aaron had passed away; and for thirty days the whole house of Israel mourned him.