Numbers 20

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.

1In the first month, all the people of Israel came to the desert of Zin. They stayed at a place called Kadesh. Miriam died there, and they buried her there.

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

2There was no water for the people. So they came together to complain to Moses and Aaron.

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

3The people argued with Moses. They said, "We wish we had died when our brothers died in front of the LORD!"

Note"Would God that we had died" is old English for "We wish we had died." The people are not asking God for something. They are saying they are unhappy.

4And why have ye brought up the congregation of the LORD into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there?

4"Why did you bring God's people out here into this empty land? We will die here, and so will our animals."

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 and come to this bad place? Nothing grows here. There are no figs, no grapes, no pomegranates. There is no water to drink."

6And 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.

6Moses and Aaron left the crowd. They went to the door of the tent where people met with God. They lay down with their faces to the ground. Then the bright glory of the LORD appeared to them.

7And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

7The LORD said to Moses,

8Take 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 walking stick. Call all the people together, you and your brother Aaron. Speak to the rock while they watch. Water will pour out of it. You will bring water out of the rock for them. Then the people and their animals can drink."

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

9So Moses took the walking stick from in front of the LORD, just as God told him.

10And 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?

10Moses and Aaron called the people together in front of the rock. Moses said to them, "Listen now, you who keep saying no to God. Must we bring you water out of this rock?"

11And 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.

11Then Moses raised his hand. He hit the rock twice with his stick. Lots of water came pouring out. The people drank, and their animals drank too.

12And 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.

12But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "You did not trust me. You did not show the people that I am holy. So you will not bring these people into the land I am giving them."

13This is the water of Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with the LORD, and he was sanctified in them.

13This water was called Meribah. It got that name because the people of Israel argued with the LORD there. And there he showed that he is holy.

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. They said, "Your brother Israel says this: You know all the hard things that have happened to us."

15How our fathers went down into Egypt, and we have dwelt in Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians vexed us, and our fathers:

15"Long ago our fathers went down to Egypt. We lived in Egypt for many years. The Egyptians were cruel to us and to our fathers."

16And 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"When we cried out to the LORD, he heard us. He sent an angel and brought us out of Egypt. Now we are here at Kadesh, a town right at the edge of your land."

17Let 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.

17"Please let us walk through your land. We will not cut across any field or grape garden. We will not drink water from your wells. We will stay on the main road, the King's Highway. We will not turn to the right or the left until we are past your land."

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

18But Edom answered, "You may not come through here. If you try, we will come out and fight you with swords."

19And 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 anything else, go through on my feet.

19The people of Israel said, "We will stay on the main road. If we or our animals drink your water, we will pay for it. We only want to walk through. Nothing more."

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

20But Edom said, "You may not come through." Then Edom came out to meet them with a large, strong army.

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

21So Edom would not let Israel pass through their land. Israel turned and went another way.

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

22All the people of Israel left Kadesh. They traveled until they came to Mount Hor.

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

23At Mount Hor, near the edge of Edom's land, 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 water of Meribah.

24"Aaron will join his family who have already died. He will not go into the land I am giving to Israel. This is because you both said no to my word at the water of Meribah."

Note"Gathered to his people" is an old way of saying someone died and joined family members who died before them.

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

25"Take Aaron and his son Eleazar. Bring them up 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.

26"Take off Aaron's special priest clothes. Put them on his son Eleazar. Aaron will join his family who have died. He will die there on the mountain."

NoteAaron was the priest. His special clothes showed that job. Putting them on Eleazar showed that the son now had his father's job.

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

27Moses did what the LORD told him. They climbed up Mount Hor while all the people watched.

28And 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.

28Moses took off Aaron's special clothes and put them on his son Eleazar. Aaron died there on top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came back down.

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

29All the people saw that Aaron had died. So the whole family of Israel was sad and cried for him for thirty days.