(Exodus 17:1–7)
1
And the sons of Israel, all the congregation, come [into] the wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people abide in Kadesh; and Miriam dies there and is buried there.
2
And there has been no water for the congregation, and they are assembled against Moses and against Aaron,
3
and the people strive with Moses and speak, saying, “And oh that we had expired when our brothers expired before YHWH!
4
And why have you brought in the assembly of YHWH to this wilderness to die there, we and our beasts?
5
And why have you brought us up out of Egypt to bring us to this evil place? [It is] not a place of seed, and fig, and vine, and pomegranate; and there is no water to drink.”
6
And Moses and Aaron go in from the presence of the assembly to the opening of the Tent of Meeting and fall on their faces, and the glory of YHWH is seen by them.
7
And YHWH speaks to Moses, saying,
8
“Take the rod and assemble the congregation—you and your brother Aaron—and you have spoken to the rock before their eyes, and it has given its water, and you have brought out water to them from the rock, and have watered the congregation and their beasts.”
9
And Moses takes the rod from before YHWH as He has commanded him,
10
and Moses and Aaron assemble the assembly to the front of the rock, and he says to them, “Now hear, O rebels, do we bring out water to you from this rock?”
11
And Moses lifts up his hand and strikes the rock with his rod twice; and much water comes out, and the congregation drinks, and their beasts [drink].
12
And YHWH says to Moses and to Aaron, “Because you have not believed in Me to sanctify Me before the eyes of the sons of Israel, therefore you do not bring in this assembly to the land which I have given to them.”
13
These [are] the waters of Meribah, because the sons of Israel have “striven” with YHWH, and He is sanctified among them.
Edom Refuses Passage
14
And Moses sends messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, “Thus said your brother Israel: You have known all the travail which has found us,
15
that our fathers go down to Egypt, and we dwell in Egypt [for] many days, and the Egyptians do evil to us and to our fathers;
16
then we cry to YHWH, and He hears our voice, and sends a Messenger, and is bringing us out of Egypt; and behold, we [are] in Kadesh, a city [in] the extremity of your border.
17
Please let us pass over through your land; we do not pass over through a field or through a vineyard, nor do we drink waters of a well; we go the way of the king, we do not turn aside [to] the right or left until we pass over your border.”
18
And Edom says to him, “You do not pass over through me, lest I come out to meet you with the sword.”
19
And the sons of Israel say to him, “We go in the highway, and if we drink of your waters—I and my livestock—then I have given their price; only, let me pass over on my feet, nothing [more].”
20
And he says, “You do not pass over”; and Edom comes out to meet him with many people and with a strong hand;
21
and Edom refuses to permit Israel to pass over through his border, and Israel turns aside from off him.
The Death of Aaron
22
And the sons of Israel, all the congregation, journey from Kadesh and come to Mount Hor,
23
and YHWH speaks to Moses and to Aaron in Mount Hor, on the border of the land of Edom, saying,
24
“Aaron is gathered to his people, for he does not go into the land which I have given to the sons of Israel, because that you provoked My mouth at the waters of Meribah.
25
Take Aaron and his son Eleazar, and cause them to go up Mount Hor,
26
and strip Aaron of his garments, and you have clothed his son Eleazar [with] them, and Aaron is gathered, and dies there.”
27
And Moses does as YHWH has commanded, and they go up to Mount Hor before the eyes of all the congregation,
28
and Moses strips Aaron of his garments, and clothes his son Eleazar with them, and Aaron dies there on the top of the mountain; and Moses comes down—Eleazar also—from the mountain,
29
and all the congregation sees that Aaron has expired, and all the house of Israel laments Aaron [for] thirty days.
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