New Living Translation NLT
The Message Bible MSG
1 In the first month of the year, the whole community of Israel arrived in the wilderness of Zin and camped at Kadesh. While they were there, Miriam died and was buried.
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In the first month, the entire company of the People of Israel arrived in the Wilderness of Zin. The people stayed in Kadesh. Miriam died there, and she was buried.
2 There was no water for the people to drink at that place, so they rebelled against Moses and Aaron.
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There was no water there for the community, so they ganged up on Moses and Aaron.
3 The people blamed Moses and said, “If only we had died in the LORD ’s presence with our brothers!
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They attacked Moses: "We wish we'd died when the rest of our brothers died before God.
4 Why have you brought the congregation of the LORD ’s people into this wilderness to die, along with all our livestock?
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Why did you haul this congregation of God out here into this wilderness to die, people and cattle alike?
5 Why did you make us leave Egypt and bring us here to this terrible place? This land has no grain, no figs, no grapes, no pomegranates, and no water to drink!”
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And why did you take us out of Egypt in the first place, dragging us into this miserable country? No grain, no figs, no grapevines, no pomegranates - and now not even any water!"
6 Moses and Aaron turned away from the people and went to the entrance of the Tabernacle, where they fell face down on the ground. Then the glorious presence of the LORD appeared to them,
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Moses and Aaron walked from the assembled congregation to the Tent of Meeting and threw themselves facedown on the ground. And they saw the Glory of God.
7 and the LORD said to Moses,
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God spoke to Moses:
8 “You and Aaron must take the staff and assemble the entire community. As the people watch, speak to the rock over there, and it will pour out its water. You will provide enough water from the rock to satisfy the whole community and their livestock.”
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"Take the staff. Assemble the community, you and your brother Aaron. Speak to that rock that's right in front of them and it will give water. You will bring water out of the rock for them; congregation and cattle will both drink."
9 So Moses did as he was told. He took the staff from the place where it was kept before the LORD .
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Moses took the staff away from God's presence, as commanded.
10 Then he and Aaron summoned the people to come and gather at the rock. “Listen, you rebels!” he shouted. “Must we bring you water from this rock?”
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He and Aaron rounded up the whole congregation in front of the rock. Moses spoke: "Listen, rebels! Do we have to bring water out of this rock for you?"
11 Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with the staff, and water gushed out. So the entire community and their livestock drank their fill.
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With that Moses raised his arm and slammed his staff against the rock - once, twice. Water poured out. Congregation and cattle drank.
12 But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust me enough to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel, you will not lead them into the land I am giving them!”
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God said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you didn't trust me, didn't treat me with holy reverence in front of the People of Israel, you two aren't going to lead this company into the land that I am giving them."
13 This place was known as the waters of Meribah (which means “arguing”) because there the people of Israel argued with the LORD, and there he demonstrated his holiness among them.
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These were the Waters of Meribah (Bickering) where the People of Israel bickered with God, and he revealed himself as holy.
14 While Moses was at Kadesh, he sent ambassadors to the king of Edom with this message: “This is what your relatives, the people of Israel, say: You know all the hardships we have been through.
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Moses sent emissaries from Kadesh to the king of Edom with this message: "A message from your brother Israel: You are familiar with all the trouble we've run into.
15 Our ancestors went down to Egypt, and we lived there a long time, and we and our ancestors were brutally mistreated by the Egyptians.
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Our ancestors went down to Egypt and lived there a long time. The Egyptians viciously abused both us and our ancestors.
16 But when we cried out to the LORD, he heard us and sent an angel who brought us out of Egypt. Now we are camped at Kadesh, a town on the border of your land.
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But when we cried out for help to God, he heard our cry. He sent an angel and got us out of Egypt. And now here we are at Kadesh, a town at the border of your land.
17 Please let us travel through your land. We will be careful not to go through your fields and vineyards. We won’t even drink water from your wells. We will stay on the king’s road and never leave it until we have passed through your territory.”
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"Will you give us permission to cut across your land? We won't trespass through your fields or orchards and we won't drink out of your wells; we'll keep to the main road, the King's Road, straying neither right nor left until we've crossed your border."
18 But the king of Edom said, “Stay out of my land, or I will meet you with an army!”
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The king of Edom answered, "Not on your life. If you so much as set a foot on my land, I'll kill you."
19 The Israelites answered, “We will stay on the main road. If our livestock drink your water, we will pay for it. Just let us pass through your country. That’s all we ask.”
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The People of Israel said, "Look, we'll stay on the main road. If we or our animals drink any water, we'll pay you for it. We're harmless - just a company of footsore travelers."
20 But the king of Edom replied, “Stay out! You may not pass through our land.” With that he mobilized his army and marched out against them with an imposing force.
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He answered again: "No. You may not come through." And Edom came out and blocked the way with a crowd of people brandishing weapons.
21 Because Edom refused to allow Israel to pass through their country, Israel was forced to turn around.
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Edom refused to let them cross through his land. So Israel had to detour around him.
22 The whole community of Israel left Kadesh and arrived at Mount Hor.
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The People of Israel, the entire company, set out from Kadesh and traveled to Mount Hor.
23 There, on the border of the land of Edom, the LORD said to Moses and Aaron,
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God said to Moses and Aaron at Mount Hor at the border of Edom,
24 “The time has come for Aaron to join his ancestors in death. He will not enter the land I am giving the people of Israel, because the two of you rebelled against my instructions concerning the water at Meribah.
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"It's time for Aaron to be gathered into the company of his ancestors. He will not enter the land I am giving to the People of Israel because you both rebelled against my orders at the Waters of Meribah.
25 Now take Aaron and his son Eleazar up Mount Hor.
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So take Aaron and his son Eleazar and lead them up Mount Hor.
26 There you will remove Aaron’s priestly garments and put them on Eleazar, his son. Aaron will die there and join his ancestors.”
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Remove Aaron's clothes from him and put them on his son Eleazar. Aaron will be gathered there; Aaron will die."
27 So Moses did as the LORD commanded. The three of them went up Mount Hor together as the whole community watched.
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Moses obeyed God's command. They climbed Mount Hor as the whole congregation watched.
28 At the summit, Moses removed the priestly garments from Aaron and put them on Eleazar, Aaron’s son. Then Aaron died there on top of the mountain, and Moses and Eleazar went back down.
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Moses took off Aaron's clothes and put them on his son Eleazar. Aaron died on top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain.
29 When the people realized that Aaron had died, all Israel mourned for him thirty days.
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The whole congregation, getting the news that Aaron had died, went into thirty days of mourning for him.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.