Miriam's Death and No Water
Study note
The people arrived in the wilderness of Zin and stayed at Kadesh, near the border of Canaan. Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron, died and was buried there. There was no water for the community, and they gathered against Moses and Aaron, complaining that they wished they had died along with those who fell earlier.
1 In the first month, the whole Israelite community arrived at the wilderness of Zin and settled at Kadesh. While they were there, Miriam died and was buried. 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.
2 The community had no water, so they ganged up on Moses and Aaron. And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron.
3 The people quarreled with Moses, saying, "We wish we had died when our relatives died in the Lord's presence!" And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the LORD!
4 "Why did you drag the Lord's community out into this wilderness? Are we and our livestock supposed to die here?" And why have ye brought up the congregation of the LORD into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there?
5 "Why did you make us leave Egypt and bring us to this awful place? Nothing grows here -- no grain, no figs, no grapevines, no pomegranates. There is not even water to drink!" 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.
Moses Strikes the Rock
Study note
Moses and Aaron went to the tent of meeting and fell on their faces. God told Moses to take his staff, gather the people, and speak to the rock before their eyes. Water would flow from it. But Moses was angry. He called the people rebels and struck the rock twice with his staff instead of speaking to it. Water poured out, but God told Moses and Aaron that because they did not trust him enough to honor him before the people, they would not enter the Promised Land. This place was called Meribah, meaning 'quarreling.'
6 Moses and Aaron walked away from the crowd to the entrance of the tent of meeting and fell facedown. The Lord's glory appeared to them. 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.
7 The Lord told Moses, And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
8 "Take the staff and assemble the whole community -- you and Aaron together. In front of everyone, speak to the rock, and it will pour out water. You will provide water from the rock for the community and their livestock to drink." 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.
9 Moses took the staff from its place before the Lord, as God had told him. And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him.
10 He and Aaron called everyone together in front of the rock. Then Moses shouted at them, "Listen here, you rebels! Do we have to produce water for you out of this rock?" 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?
11 Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with the staff. Water came gushing out, and the whole community and their livestock drank. 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.
12 But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, "You did not trust me enough to show the Israelites my holiness. Because of this, you will not be the ones to lead this community into the land I am giving them." 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.
13 This place was called the waters of Meribah. The Israelites argued with the Lord there, and he showed his holiness among them. This is the water of Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with the LORD, and he was sanctified in them.
Edom Refuses Passage
Study note
Moses sent messengers to the king of Edom, asking permission to pass through their territory. He explained Israel's history and promised they would stay on the main road and pay for any water they used. But Edom refused and came out with a large army to block them. Israel had to turn away and take a different route.
14 From Kadesh, Moses sent messengers to the king of Edom. The message said, "Your relatives in Israel want you to know about all the hard times we have been through." 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:
15 "Our ancestors went to Egypt long ago, and we lived there for many years. The Egyptians treated us and our ancestors terribly." How our fathers went down into Egypt, and we have dwelt in Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians vexed us, and our fathers:
16 "When we cried out to the Lord for help, he heard us. He sent an angel who brought us out of Egypt. Now here we are at Kadesh, a town right on the edge of your territory." 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:
17 "Please let us travel through your country. We promise not to walk through any fields or vineyards and not to drink water from any well. We will stay on the main highway and not wander off to the right or left until we are through your territory." 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 Edom's response was blunt: "You may not pass through here. If you try, we will come out and meet you with an army." And Edom said unto him, Thou shalt not pass by me, lest I come out against thee with the sword.
19 The Israelites said, "We will use the main road. And if we or our animals drink any of your water, we will pay for it. All we want to do is walk through -- nothing more." 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.
20 But Edom insisted, "You may not pass through." Then Edom sent out a large, powerful army against them. And he said, Thou shalt not go through. And Edom came out against him with much people, and with a strong hand.
21 Since Edom would not let Israel travel through their land, Israel turned and went a different way. Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border: wherefore Israel turned away from him.
Aaron Dies on Mount Hor
Study note
At Mount Hor, near the border of Edom, God told Moses that Aaron was about to die because they had rebelled at Meribah. Moses took Aaron and his son Eleazar up the mountain. He removed Aaron's priestly robes and put them on Eleazar. Aaron died on the mountaintop. The whole nation mourned for Aaron for thirty days.
22 The whole Israelite community left Kadesh and traveled to Mount Hor. And the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, journeyed from Kadesh, and came unto mount Hor.
23 At Mount Hor, near the border of Edom, the Lord told Moses and Aaron, And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in mount Hor, by the coast of the land of Edom, saying,
24 "Aaron is about to die and join his ancestors. He will not enter the land I am giving to Israel, because you both disobeyed me at the waters of Meribah." 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.
25 "Take Aaron and his son Eleazar up Mount Hor." Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up unto mount Hor:
26 "Remove Aaron's priestly robes and put them on Eleazar his son. Aaron will die there on the mountain." 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.
27 Moses did what the Lord said. The three of them climbed Mount Hor while the whole community watched. And Moses did as the LORD commanded: and they went up into mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation.
28 Moses took off Aaron's priestly robes and placed them on Eleazar. Aaron died there on the mountaintop. Then Moses and Eleazar came back down. 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.
29 The whole group learned that Aaron was dead. Every Israelite mourned for him for thirty days. And when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, they mourned for Aaron thirty days, even all the house of Israel.