Numbers 20

1And the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, came into the wilderness of Zin in the first month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there.

1In the first month, the entire community of Israel arrived at the Desert of Zin and stayed at Kadesh. While they were there, Miriam died and was buried.

2And there was no water for the congregation: and they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron.

2There was no water for the people, so they gathered together to protest against Moses and Aaron.

3And the people strove with Moses, and spake, saying, Would that we had died when our brethren died before Jehovah!

3The people argued with Moses and said, 'We wish we had died when our brothers died in the Lord’s presence!'

4And why have ye brought the assembly of Jehovah into this wilderness, that we should die there, we and our beasts?

4'Why did you bring the Lord’s people into this wilderness for us and our livestock to die here?'

5And 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 make us leave Egypt to bring us to this terrible place? It has no grain, no figs, no grapevines, and no pomegranates. There isn't even any water to drink!'

6And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly unto the door of the tent of meeting, and fell upon their faces: and the glory of Jehovah appeared unto them.

6Moses and Aaron left the assembly and went to the entrance of the Tabernacle. They bowed facedown on the ground, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them.

7And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,

7The Lord said to Moses,

8Take the rod, and assemble the congregation, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes, that it give forth its water; and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock; so thou shalt give the congregation and their cattle drink.

8'Take the staff and assemble the people, you and your brother Aaron. Speak to that rock while everyone is watching, and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for them, so the community and their livestock can drink.'

9And Moses took the rod from before Jehovah, as he commanded him.

9So Moses took the staff from the Lord’s presence, just as he had been commanded.

10And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; shall we bring you forth water out of this rock?

10Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock. Moses said to them, 'Listen now, you rebels! Must we bring water out of this rock for you?'

11And Moses lifted up his hand, and smote the rock with his rod twice: and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their cattle.

11Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water flowed out abundantly, and the community and their livestock drank.

12And Jehovah said unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed not in me, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.

12But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 'Because you did not trust me enough to show my holiness to the people of Israel, you will not lead this assembly into the land I am giving them.'

13These are the waters of Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with Jehovah, and he was sanctified in them.

13This happened at the waters of Meribah, where the Israelites argued with the Lord and where he showed his holiness among them.

14And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh unto the king of Edom, Thus saith thy brother Israel, Thou knowest all the travail that hath befallen us:

14From Kadesh, Moses sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying: 'This is what your brother Israel says: You know about all the hardships we have faced.

15how our fathers went down into Egypt, and we dwelt in Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians dealt ill with us, and our fathers:

15Our ancestors went down to Egypt, and we lived there for a long time. The Egyptians treated both us and our ancestors cruelly.

16and when we cried unto Jehovah, he heard our voice, and sent an angel, and brought us forth out of Egypt: and, behold, we are in Kadesh, a city in the uttermost of thy border.

16But when we cried out to the Lord, he heard us and sent an angel who brought us out of Egypt. Now look, we are here at Kadesh, a town on the edge of your territory.

17Let us pass, I pray thee, through thy land: we will not pass through field or through vineyard, neither will we drink of the water of the wells; we will go along the king’s highway; we will not turn aside to the right hand nor to the left, until we have passed thy border.

17Please let us travel through your land. We will not go through any fields or vineyards, and we won't drink water from your wells. We will stay on the King’s Highway and not turn to the right or the left until we have passed through your territory.'

18And Edom said unto him, Thou shalt not pass through me, lest I come out with the sword against thee.

18But the king of Edom answered, 'You may not pass through. If you try, I will come out and attack you with the sword.'

19And the children of Israel said unto him, We will go up by the highway; and if we drink of thy water, I and my cattle, then will I give the price thereof: let me only, without doing anything else, pass through on my feet.

19The Israelites replied, 'We will stay on the main road. If we or our livestock drink any of your water, we will pay for it. We only want to pass through on foot; we won't do anything else.'

20And he said, Thou shalt not pass through. And Edom came out against him with much people, and with a strong hand.

20But he insisted, 'You may not pass through.' Then Edom came out against them with a large and powerful army.

21Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border: wherefore Israel turned away from him.

21Since Edom refused to let Israel pass through their territory, Israel turned away from them.

22And they journeyed from Kadesh: and the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, came unto mount Hor.

22The whole community of Israel set out from Kadesh and arrived at Mount Hor.

23And Jehovah spake unto Moses and Aaron in mount Hor, by the border of the land of Edom, saying,

23At Mount Hor, near the border of Edom, the Lord said to Moses and Aaron,

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 waters of Meribah.

24'Aaron is about to die and join his ancestors. He will not enter the land I have given to the Israelites because both of you rebelled against my command at the waters of Meribah.

25Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up unto mount Hor;

25Take Aaron and his son Eleazar up to the top of Mount Hor.

26and strip Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son: and Aaron shall be gathered unto his people, and shall die there.

26Remove Aaron’s priestly garments and put them on his son Eleazar. Aaron will die there and join his ancestors.'

27And Moses did as Jehovah commanded: and they went up into mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation.

27Moses did exactly what the Lord commanded. They climbed Mount Hor while the whole community watched.

28And Moses stripped Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son; and Aaron died there on the top of the mount: and Moses and Eleazar came down from the mount.

28Moses took off Aaron’s garments and put them on his son Eleazar. Aaron died there on the top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain.

29And when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, they wept for Aaron thirty days, even all the house of Israel.

29When the whole community realized that Aaron had died, all the people of Israel mourned for him thirty days.