1 In the first month the children of Israel, the whole congregation, arrived in the wilderness of Zin, and the people settled at Kadesh. There Miriam died, and there she was buried.
2 The congregation had no water, so they gathered together against Moses and Aaron.
3 The people quarreled with Moses, saying, "If only we had perished when our brothers perished before the LORD!
4 Why did you bring the LORD's assembly into this wilderness, for us and our livestock to die here?
5 Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to lead us into this wretched place? It is no place for seed, or figs, or vines, or pomegranates, and there is no water to drink!"
6 Moses and Aaron left the assembly, went to the entrance of the tent of meeting, and fell face down. Then the glory of the LORD appeared to them.
7 The LORD said to Moses,
8 "Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation. Speak to the rock while they watch, and it will give out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for them and let the congregation and their livestock drink."
9 So Moses took the staff from before the LORD, as he had been commanded.
10 Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly in front of the rock, and Moses said to them, "Listen, you rebels! Must we bring water out of this rock for you?"
11 Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out in abundance, and the congregation and their livestock drank.
12 But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust in me enough to show my holiness before the eyes of the children of Israel, you will not lead this assembly into the land I have given them."
13 These were the waters of Meribah, where the children of Israel quarreled with the LORD, and he showed his holiness among them.
14 From Kadesh Moses sent messengers to the king of Edom: "This is what your brother Israel says: You know all the hardship we have met with—
15 how our fathers went down to Egypt, how we lived in Egypt many years, and how the Egyptians mistreated us and our fathers.
16 We cried out to the LORD, and he heard our voice, sent an angel, and brought us out of Egypt. Now here we are at Kadesh, a town at the edge of your territory.
17 Please let us cross your land. We will not go through any field or vineyard, or drink water from any well. We will keep to the King's Highway and not turn off to the right or the left until we have crossed your territory."
18 Edom answered him, "You will not cross through my land, or I will come out against you with the sword."
19 The children of Israel said to him, "We will keep to the main road, and if we or our livestock drink any of your water, we will pay for it. Only let us cross on foot; that is all."
20 He replied, "You will not cross." And Edom came out against them with a large force and a strong hand.
21 So Edom refused to let Israel cross through his territory, and Israel turned away from him.
22 The children of Israel, the whole congregation, moved on from Kadesh and arrived at Mount Hor.
23 At Mount Hor, near the border of the land of Edom, the LORD said to Moses and Aaron,
24 "Aaron is to be gathered to his people. He will not enter the land I have given to the children of Israel, because the two of you rebelled against my word at the waters of Meribah.
25 Take Aaron and his son Eleazar and bring them up Mount Hor.
26 Remove Aaron's garments and put them on his son Eleazar. Aaron will be gathered to his people and will die there."
27 Moses did as the LORD had commanded. They climbed Mount Hor while the whole congregation watched.
28 Moses removed Aaron's garments and put them on his son Eleazar, and Aaron died there on the mountaintop. Then Moses and Eleazar came down the mountain.
29 When the whole congregation saw that Aaron had died, the entire house of Israel mourned for Aaron thirty days.