Numbers 20
Open in the reader1In the first month, the whole congregation of Strives-with-God entered the Wilderness of Crag and stayed in Devoted-Place. There Bitter died and was buried.
2Now there was no water for the congregation, so they gathered against Drawn-Out and Aaron.
3The people quarreled with Drawn-Out and said, “If only we had perished with our brothers before He-Who-Is!
4Why have you brought He-Who-Is’s assembly into this wilderness for us and our livestock to die here?
5Why have you led us up out of Two-Straits to bring us to this wretched place? It is not a place of grain, figs, vines, or pomegranates—and there is no water to drink!”
6Then Drawn-Out and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. They fell facedown, and the glory of He-Who-Is appeared to them.
7And He-Who-Is said to Drawn-Out,
8“Take the staff and assemble the congregation. You and your brother Aaron are to speak to the rock while they watch, and it will pour out its water. You will bring out water from the rock and provide drink for the congregation and their livestock.”
9So Drawn-Out took the staff from He-Who-Is’s presence, just as he had been commanded.
10Then Drawn-Out and Aaron gathered the assembly in front of the rock, and Drawn-Out said to them, “Listen now, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?”
11Then Drawn-Out raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff, so that a great amount of water gushed out, and the congregation and their livestock were able to drink.
12But He-Who-Is said to Drawn-Out and Aaron, “Because you did not trust Me to show My devotedness in the sight of the children of Strives-with-God, you will not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.”
13These were the waters of Strife, where the children of Strives-with-God quarreled with He-Who-Is, and He showed His devotedness among them.
14From Devoted-Place, Drawn-Out sent messengers to tell the king of Red, “This is what your brother Strives-with-God says: You know all the hardship that has befallen us,
15how our fathers went down to Two-Straits, where we lived many years. The Two-Straitsians mistreated us and our fathers,
16and when we cried out to He-Who-Is, He heard our voice, sent a messenger, and brought us out of Two-Straits. Now look, we are in Devoted-Place, a city on the edge of your territory.
17Please let us pass through your land. We will not go through any field or vineyard, or drink water from any well. We will stay on the King’s Highway; we will not turn to the right or to the left until we have passed through your territory.”
18But Red answered, “You may not travel through our land, or we will come out and confront you with the sword.”
19“We will stay on the main road,” the children of Strives-with-God replied, “and if we or our herds drink your water, we will pay for it. There will be no problem; only let us pass through on foot.”
20But Red insisted, “You may not pass through.” And they came out to confront the Israelites with a large army and a strong hand.
21So Red refused to allow Strives-with-God to pass through their territory, and Strives-with-God turned away from them.
22After they had set out from Devoted-Place, the whole congregation of Strives-with-God came to Mount Mountain.
23And at Mount Mountain, near the border of the land of Red, He-Who-Is said to Drawn-Out and Aaron,
24“Aaron will be gathered to his people; he will not enter the land that I have given the children of Strives-with-God, because both of you rebelled against My command at the waters of Strife.
25Take Aaron and his son My-God-Is-Help and bring them up Mount Mountain.
26Remove Aaron’s priestly garments and put them on his son My-God-Is-Help. Aaron will be gathered to his people and will die there.”
27So Drawn-Out did as He-Who-Is had commanded, and they climbed Mount Mountain in the sight of the whole congregation.
28After Drawn-Out had removed Aaron’s garments and put them on his son My-God-Is-Help, Aaron died there on top of the mountain. Then Drawn-Out and My-God-Is-Help came down from the mountain.
29When the whole congregation saw that Aaron had died, the entire house of Strives-with-God mourned for him thirty days.