Numbers 20

1 In the first [initial, primary] month, the whole [entire, complete] congregation [gathering, assembly] of Israel [Jacob’s descendants, God’s chosen people] entered [came into, arrived at] the Wilderness [desert, barren land] of Zin [a desert region near the Dead Sea] and stayed [dwelled, remained] in Kadesh [a holy place, a city in southern Judah]. There [in that place, at that time] Miriam [rebellion, bitterness] died [passed away, departed] and was buried [laid to rest, interred]. word study 2 Now there was [no water available, a complete lack of] no water [the liquid essential for life] for the congregation [a gathering of people], so they gathered [assembled themselves, came together] against Moses [the Israelite leader] and Aaron [the high priest]. word study 3 The people [a nation, community] quarreled [chode, strove, contended] with Moses [the Israelite leader, prophet] and said, “If only [would that, wish] we had perished [died, expired] with our brothers [male siblings, close relatives] before [in the presence of] the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God]! word study 4 Why have you brought [led, guided] the LORD’s [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] assembly [congregation, gathering of people] into this [specific, present] wilderness [desert, barren land] for us [we, the community] and our livestock [cattle, beasts] to die [perish, come to an end] here [in this place, at this time]? word study 5 Why have you led [brought, conducted] us up out of [from] Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa] to bring us to this [miserable, evil] wretched place [location, region]? It is not [no, none] a place [location, condition] of grain [seed, crops], figs [a common food source], vines [a grapevine], or pomegranates [a fruit or tree]—and there is [exists, is found] no [none, nothing] water [liquid, source of refreshment] to drink [consume, feast]!” word study 6 Then Moses [the leader of the Israelites] and Aaron [the first high priest] went from the presence [face, before] of the assembly [a group of people gathered together, congregation] to the entrance [doorway] to the Tent [tabernacle, ohel] of Meeting [appointed time]. They fell [prostrated themselves, to fall down] facedown [upon their faces, on the ground], and the glory [great honor, splendor] of the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] appeared [was seen, became visible, to see] to them [toward them, in their direction]. word study 7 And the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] said [to speak, communicate, or utter] to Moses [the Israelite leader, prophet, and lawgiver], word study 8 “Take the staff [rod, walking stick] and assemble the congregation [gather the people together]. You and your brother Aaron [as his assistant, co-leader] are to speak [command, give orders] to the rock [crag, large stone] while they watch, and it will pour out its water [yield its refreshing flow]. You will bring out water [provide a source of refreshment] from the rock [source of salvation] and provide drink [quench the thirst] for the congregation [the gathered community] and their livestock [beasts, cattle].” word study 9 So Moses [the Israelite leader] took the staff [rod, walking stick] from the LORD’s [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] presence [face, before], just as [in the manner that] he had been commanded [given orders, appointed]. word study 10 Then Moses [the Israelite leader] and Aaron gathered the assembly [congregation, group of people] in front of the rock [crag, strong and secure place], and Moses said to them, “Listen now [hear and obey, give attention], you rebels [those who resist or disobey authority, stubborn and defiant ones], must we bring you water [source of refreshment, liquid] out of this rock [crag, rock of salvation]?” word study 11 Then Moses [the Israelite leader] raised his hand [in a gesture of power and direction] and struck the rock [crag, a strong and secure place] twice with his staff [a rod], so that a great amount [abundantly, in large quantity] of water [a source of refreshment] gushed out, and the congregation [a gathering of people, the community] and their livestock [cattle, beasts] were able to drink [to feast, to satisfy their thirst]. word study 12 But the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] said to Moses [the Israelite leader, born to Amram and Jochebed] and Aaron [the brother of Moses and the first high priest of the Israelites], “Because you did not trust [have faith, believe in] Me to show My holiness [set Me apart as sacred, demonstrate My divine nature] in the sight [presence, eyes] of the Israelites [the descendants of Jacob], you will not bring [lead, guide] this assembly [congregation, group of people gathered together] into the land [territory, region, the promised land] that I have given [granted, bestowed upon] them [the Israelites, the chosen people].” word study 13 These were the waters [source of refreshment, liquid] of Meribah [place of argument, strife], where the Israelites [descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people] quarreled [strove, contended] with the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God], and He showed [revealed, made known] His holiness [set-apart nature, sacredness] among them [in their midst, as a holy presence]. word study 14 From Kadesh [a holy place in the desert], Moses [the Israelite leader] sent messengers [representatives] to tell the king [ruler, monarch] of Edom [the region of Esau’s descendants], “This is what your brother [relative, kin] Israel [the descendants of Jacob] says: You know [are aware, have knowledge] all the hardship [travail, distress] that has befallen [happened to, come upon] us [the Israelites, God’s people], word study 15 how our fathers [ancestors, forefathers] went down [descended, came to a lower place] to Egypt [the land of the Nile, a country in northeastern Africa], where we lived [dwelt, remained] many years [a long time, numerous days]. The Egyptians [the people of Egypt, the rulers of Egypt] mistreated [afflicted, dealt ill with] us and our fathers [ancestors, paternal lineage], word study 16 and when we cried out [with distress, in need] to the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], He heard [listened to, gave attention to] our voice [sound, cry], sent [dispatched, commissioned] an angel [messenger, representative of God], and brought us out [delivered, freed] of Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa]. Now look [behold, see], we are in Kadesh [a holy place, a city in southern Judah], a city [town, settlement] on the edge [border, end] of your territory [land, border]. word study 17 Please [I pray thee] let us pass [cross over, transition] through your land [country, territory]. We will not cut through any field [cultivated area] or vineyard [garden for grapevines], or drink water [refreshment, sustenance] from any well [source of water]. We will stay on the King’s [royal, monarch’s] Highway [main road, path]; we will not turn [deviate, stray] to the right [direction of strength] or to the left [direction of weakness] until we have passed [transitioned, crossed over] through your territory [border, region].” word study 18 But Edom [the region of Esau’s descendants] answered, “You may not [are not permitted to] travel through our land [territory, country], or [lest, unless] we will come out [to meet, to confront] and confront you with the sword [a cutting instrument].” word study 19 “We will stay on the main [high] road,” the Israelites [sons of Israel, descendants of Jacob] replied, “and if we or our [livestock, cattle] herds drink your [life-giving] water, we will pay for it [give its price, provide compensation]. There will be no problem [difficulty, harm]; only let us pass through on foot [without doing anything else, unencumbered].” word study 20 But Edom [the twin brother of Jacob] insisted [with strong determination, firmly], “You may not pass through [cross over, transition into our land].” And they came out [went forth, emerged] to confront [meet, encounter] the Israelites [God’s chosen people, the nation of Israel] with a large [numerous, vast] army [people, nation] and a strong [severe, powerful] hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share]. word study 21 So Edom [the twin brother of Jacob, a neighboring nation] refused [to say no, to reject] to allow Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, God’s chosen people] to pass [to cross over, to transition] through their territory [border, boundary], and Israel turned away [stretched, spread out, morally deflected] from them [upon, above, in response to]. word study 22 After they had set out [journeyed, departed] from Kadesh [a holy place in the desert], the whole [entire, all] congregation [gathering, community] of Israel [Jacob’s descendants, God’s people] came to Mount [hill] Hor [a mountain peak, a boundary mark]. word study 23 And at Mount [a mountain peak] Hor, near the border [boundary, edge] of the land [earth, territory] of Edom [the region of Esau’s descendants], the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] said [to speak, command] to Moses [the Israelite leader] and Aaron [the first high priest], word study 24 “Aaron [the first high priest of Israel] will be gathered [to rest with his ancestors, join his forefathers in death] to his people; he will not enter [or go into, approach] the land [the promised territory, a country] that I have given [to grant, bestow upon] the Israelites [the descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen nation], because both of you rebelled [disobeyed, resisted] against My command [or word, instruction] at the waters [or water, source] of Meribah [a place of contention, strife]. word study 25 Take [receive, get] Aaron [the brother of Moses, first high priest] and his son [descendant, offspring] Eleazar [God has helped] and bring [cause to ascend, lead] them up [to ascend, rise] Mount [hill] Hor [a mountain peak, boundary mark]. word study 26 Remove Aaron’s [sacred] priestly garments [clothing, robes] and put them on his son [descendant, heir] Eleazar. Aaron will be [joined to his ancestors] gathered to his people and will die [pass away, meet his end] there [in that place, at that time].” word study 27 So Moses [the Israelite leader] did as the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] had commanded [given orders, appointed], and they climbed [went up, ascended] Mount Hor [a mountain peak, a boundary mark] in the sight [before the eyes, in full view] of the whole [all, entire] congregation [a gathering of people, a crowd]. word study 28 After Moses [the Israelite leader] had removed [stripped, taken off] Aaron’s garments [priestly robes, clothing] and put them on his son Eleazar [God has helped, his successor], Aaron died [passed away, met his end] there on top of the mountain [a high hill, a place of spiritual significance]. Then Moses and Eleazar came down [descended, went back] from the mountain [the high place, the hill]. word study 29 When the whole [entire, all-inclusive] congregation [gathering of people, crowd] saw [perceived, realized] that Aaron [the first high priest of the Israelites] had died [expired, passed away], the entire [whole, all] house [family, dwelling place] of Israel [God’s chosen people] mourned [wept, lamented] for him [in his memory, on his behalf] thirty [a month of, a period of] days [periods of time, cycles of nature]. word study