Numbers 20
The Rock Struck Twice, and a Door Closed
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Water from the Rock
20:1The sons of Israel, the whole congregation, came into the wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people remained at Kadesh. Miriam died there and was buried there.
20:2There was no water for the congregation, and they gathered against Moses and Aaron.
20:3The people reviled Moses, saying: If only we had died when our brothers were destroyed before the Lord!
20:4Why have you brought the Lord's congregation into this wilderness to kill us and our livestock?
20:5Why have you brought us up from Egypt to arrive at this wretched place—a place where nothing is sown, with no figs, vines, pomegranates, or water to drink?
20:6Moses and Aaron went away from the congregation to the entrance of the Tent of Testimony and fell on their faces. The Lord's glory appeared to them.
20:7The Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
20:8Take the staff and assemble the congregation, you and your brother Aaron. Speak to the rock before them, and it shall give its waters. You shall bring water out of the rock for them and give the congregation and their livestock water to drink.
20:9Moses took the staff that was before the Lord, as the Lord had commanded.
20:10Moses and Aaron assembled the congregation before the rock. He said to them: Listen to me, you disobedient people! Surely we are not to bring water out of this rock for you?
20:11Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with the staff. Abundant water came out, and the congregation and their livestock drank.
20:12The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: Because you did not believe so as to show Me holy before the sons of Israel, you shall not bring this congregation into the land that I have given them.
20:13This is the Water of Dispute, because the sons of Israel reviled before the Lord, and He was shown holy among them.
Edom Denies Israel Passage
20:14Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, saying: Thus says your brother Israel: You know all the hardship that has overtaken us.
20:15Our fathers went down to Egypt, and we lived as sojourners in Egypt many days. The Egyptians mistreated us and our fathers.
20:16We cried out to the Lord, and the Lord heard our voice; He sent an angel and brought us out of Egypt. Now we are at Kadesh, a town at the edge of your territory.
20:17We will pass through your land. We will not cross fields or vineyards or drink water from your cistern. We will travel the royal road and turn neither right nor left until we have passed through your territory.
20:18Edom said to him: You shall not pass through me; otherwise I will come out to meet you in war.
20:19The sons of Israel said to him: We will pass alongside the mountain. If I and the livestock drink your water, I will pay you its price. The matter is nothing; we will pass alongside the mountain.
20:20He said: You shall not pass through me. Edom came out to meet him with a large force and a strong hand.
20:21Edom was unwilling to allow Israel to pass through his territory, so Israel turned away from him.
The Death of Aaron
20:22They set out from Kadesh, and the sons of Israel, the whole congregation, arrived at Mount Hor.
20:23The Lord said to Moses and Aaron at Mount Hor, on the border of the land of Edom:
20:24Let Aaron be gathered to his people, for you shall certainly not enter the land that I have given to the sons of Israel, because you provoked Me at the Water of Reviling.
20:25Take Aaron and his son Eleazar and bring them up Mount Hor before the whole congregation.
20:26Strip Aaron of his robe and clothe his son Eleazar. Let Aaron be gathered and die there.
20:27Moses did as the Lord commanded, and he brought him up Mount Hor before the whole congregation.
20:28He stripped Aaron of his garments and put them on his son Eleazar. Aaron died on the summit of the mountain, and Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain.
20:29The whole congregation saw that Aaron had been released, and all the house of Israel wept for Aaron thirty days.
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Saints Translation · Liturgical reading edition · V1 · working draft awaiting specialist review.