Numbers 20

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 The Israelites, the whole community, arrived in the first month at the desert of Zin. The people settledat Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried.	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 There was no water for the community, so they banded together against Moses and Aaron.	2 As the community had no water, they held a council against Moses and Aaron.
3 The people laid the blame on Moses. 'We would rather have died', they said, 'as our brothers diedbefore Yahweh!	3 The people contended with Moses, exclaiming, "Would that we too had perished with our kinsmen in the LORD'S presence!
4 Why have you brought Yahweh's community into this desert, for us and our livestock to die here?	4 Why have you brought the LORD'S community into this desert where we and our livestock are dying?
5 Why did you lead us out of Egypt, only to bring us to this wretched place? It is a place unfit forsowing, it has no figs, no vines, no pomegranates, and there is not even 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 Leaving the assembly, Moses and Aaron went to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. They threwthemselves on their faces, and the glory of Yahweh appeared to 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 Yahweh then spoke to Moses and said,	7 and the LORD said to Moses,
8 'Take the branch and call the community together, you and your brother Aaron. Then, in full view ofthem, order this rock to release its water. You wil release water from the rock for them and provide drink for thecommunity and their livestock.'	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 Moses took up the branch from before Yahweh, as he had directed him.	9 So Moses took the staff from its place before the LORD, as he was ordered.
10 Moses and Aaron then cal ed the assembly together in front of the rock. He then said to them,'Listen now, you rebels. Shall we make water gush from this rock for you?'	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 Moses then raised his hand and struck the rock twice with the branch; water gushed out inabundance, and the community and their livestock drank.	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 Yahweh then said to Moses and Aaron, 'Because you did not believe that I could assert my holinessbefore the Israelites' eyes, you wil not lead this assembly into the country which I am giving 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 These were the Waters of Meribah, where the Israelites laid the blame on Yahweh and where, bytheir means, he asserted his holiness.	13 These are the waters of Meribah, where the Israelites contended against the LORD, and where he revealed his sanctity among them.
14 Moses sent messengers from Kadesh: 'To the king of Edom. Your brother Israel says this: You areaware of the great hardships we have encountered.	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 Our ancestors went down to Egypt and there we stayed for a long time. But the Egyptians treated usbadly, as they had our ancestors.	15 how our fathers went down to Egypt, where we stayed a long time, how the Egyptians maltreated us and our fathers,
16 When we appealed to Yahweh, he heard our cry and, sending an angel, brought us out of Egypt,and here we are, now, at Kadesh, a town on the borders of your territory.	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 We ask permission to pass through your country. We shall not go through the fields or vineyards; weshall not drink the water from the wel s; we shal keep to the king's highway without turning to right or left until wehave passed through your territory.'	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 To which, Edom replied, 'You wil not pass through my country; if you do, I shal oppose you by forceof arms.'	18 But Edom answered him, "You shall not pass through here; if you do, I will advance against you with the sword."
19 To which the Israelites replied, 'We shal keep to the high road; if I and my flocks drink any of yourwater, I am wil ing to pay for it. Al I am asking is to pass through on foot.'	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 Edom replied: 'You shal not pass,' and Edom opposed them in great numbers and great force.	20 But Edom still said, "No, you shall not pass through," and advanced against them with a large and heavily armed force.
21 At Edom's refusal to grant Israel passage through his territory, Israel turned away.	21 Therefore, since Edom refused to let them pass through their territory, Israel detoured around them.
22 They set out from Kadesh, and the Israelites, the whole community, came to Mount Hor.	22 Setting out from Kadesh, the whole Israelite community came to Mount Hor.
23 Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron at Mount Hor, on the frontier of Edom, and said,	23 There at Mount Hor, on the border of the land of Edom, the LORD said to Moses and Aaron,
24 'Aaron is to be gathered to his people; he will not enter the country which I have given to theIsraelites, since you both disobeyed my order at the Waters 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 his son Eleazar and bring them up Mount Hor.	25 Take Aaron and his son Eleazar and bring them up on Mount Hor.
26 Then take Aaron's robes off him and dress his son Eleazar in them. Aaron wil then be gathered tohis people; that is where he will die.'	26 Then strip Aaron of his garments and put them on his son Eleazar; for there Aaron shall be taken in death."
27 Moses did as Yahweh ordered. With the whole community watching, they went up Mount Hor.	27 Moses did as the LORD commanded. When they had climbed Mount Hor in view of the whole community,
28 Moses took Aaron's robes off him and dressed his son Eleazar in them, and there Aaron died, onthe mountain-top. Moses and Eleazar then came back down the mountain.	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 The whole community saw that Aaron had died, and for thirty days the whole House of Israelmourned for Aaron.	29 all the community understood that Aaron had passed away; and for thirty days the whole house of Israel mourned him.