Water from the Rock
(Exodus 17:1–7)

1And the sons of Israel came, all the congregation, into the Wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh. And Miriam died there and was buried there.

2And there was no water for the congregation, and they gathered together against Moses and Aaron. 3And the people contended with Moses and spoke, saying, “And if only we had utterly perished with our brothers before the face of YHWH! 4And why have you⁺ brought up the assembly of YHWH into this wilderness to die—here—we and our livestock? 5And why have you⁺ made us come up out of Egypt to bring us to this evil place? It is not a place of grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, and there is no water to drink.”

6And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the door of the Tent of Meeting, and they fell on their faces. And the glory of YHWH appeared to them. 7And YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, 8“Take the rod and gather together the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and speak to the rock before their eyes; and it will yield its water. And you shall bring for them water from the rock and give drink to the congregation and their livestock.”

9And Moses took the rod from before YHWH, as He had commanded him. 10And Moses and Aaron gathered together the assembly to the face of the rock, and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels; shall we bring forth for you⁺ water from this rock?” 11And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his rod twice. And abundant water came out, and the congregation drank, and their livestock.

12And YHWH said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you⁺ did not believe Me, to show My holiness in the eyes of the sons of Israel, therefore you⁺ shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.”

13Those were the waters of Meribah,† because the sons of Israel contended with YHWH, and He was consecrated among them.

Edom Refuses Passage

14And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, “Thus says your brother Israel: You know all the hardship that has found us, 15and how our fathers went down to Egypt, and we dwelt in Egypt a long time. And Egypt afflicted us and our fathers, 16and we cried out to YHWH, and He heard our voice and sent an angel and brought us up out of Egypt.

And here we are in Kadesh, a city on the edge of your border. 17Let us pass, please, through your country. We will not pass through fields or vineyards, nor will we drink the water of a well. We will go along the Highway of the King; we will not turn aside to the right hand or to the left until that we have passed through your territory.”

18And Edom said to him, “You shall not pass through my land, lest I come out against you with the sword.”

19And the sons of Israel said to him, “We will go on the highway, and if I or my livestock drink any of your water, I will give their price. Only nothing more—let me pass through on foot.”

20And he said, “You shall not pass through.” And Edom came out against them with many men and with a mighty hand. 21And Edom refused to give Israel passage through his territory, and Israel turned away from him.

The Death of Aaron

22And the sons of Israel, all the congregation, journeyed from Kadesh and came to Mount Hor. 23And YHWH spoke to Moses and Aaron in Mount Hor, by the border of the land of Edom, saying, 24“Aaron shall be gathered to his people; for he shall not enter into the land that I have given to the sons of Israel, upon that you⁺ rebelled against My word at the water of Meribah. 25Take Aaron and Eleazar his son and bring them up to Mount Hor. 26And strip Aaron of his garments, and put them on Eleazar his son; for Aaron shall be gathered and die there.”

27And Moses did as YHWH had commanded, and they went up to Mount Hor before the eyes of all the congregation. 28And Moses stripped Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son. And Aaron died there on the top of the mountain. And Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain. 29And all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, and they mourned for Aaron thirty days—all the house of Israel.