BEMIḎBAR 20 (Numbers 20)

1 And the children of Yisra’ĕl, all the congregation, came into the Wilderness of Tsin in the first month, and the people stayed in Qaḏĕsh. And Miryam died there and was buried there.

2 Now there was no water for the congregation and they assembled against Mosheh and against Aharon.

3 And the people contended with Mosheh and spoke, saying, “If only we had died when our brothers died before 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄!

4 “Why have you brought up the assembly of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 into this wilderness, that we and our livestock should die here?

5 “And why have you brought us up out of Mitsrayim, to bring us to this evil place? – not a place of grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, and there is no water to drink.”

6 Then Mosheh and Aharon went from the presence of the assembly to the door of the Tent of Appointment, and they fell on their faces. And the esteem of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 appeared to them.

7 And 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 spoke to Mosheh, saying,

8 “Take the rod and assemble the congregation, you and your brother Aharon. And you shall speak to the rock before their eyes, and it shall give its water. And you shall bring water for them out of the rock and give drink to the congregation and their livestock.”

9 And Mosheh took the rod from before 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 as He commanded him.

10 And Mosheh and Aharon assembled the assembly before the rock. And he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels, shall we bring water for you out of this rock?”

11 Then Mosheh lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod. And much water came out, and the congregation and their livestock drank.

12 But 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 spoke to Mosheh and to Aharon, “Because you did not believe Me, to qadosh Me in the eyes of the children of Yisra’ĕl, therefore you do not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.”

13 These were the waters of Meriḇah, because the children of Yisra’ĕl contended with 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, and He was qadosh among them.

14 And Mosheh sent messengers from Qaḏĕsh to the sovereign of Eḏom. “This is what your brother Yisra’ĕl said, ‘You know all the hardship that has befallen us,

15 that our fathers went down to Mitsrayim, and we dwelt in Mitsrayim a long time, and the Mitsrites did evil to us and our fathers.

16 ‘And we cried out to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, and He heard our voice and sent the Messenger and brought us up out of Mitsrayim. And see, we are in Qaḏĕsh, a city on the edge of your border.

17 ‘Please let us pass over, through your land. We shall not pass over through fields or vineyards, nor drink water from wells, we shall go along the sovereign’s highway. We shall not turn aside, right or left, until we have passed over your border.’ ”

18 But Eḏom said to him, “You do not pass over through me, lest I come out against you with the sword.”

19 And the children of Yisra’ĕl said to him, “We shall go by the highway, and if I or my livestock drink any of your water, then I shall pay for it. Let me only pass over on foot, without a word.”

20 But he said, “You do not pass over.” And Eḏom came out against them with many men and with a strong hand.

21 So when Eḏom refused to let Yisra’ĕl pass over through his border, Yisra’ĕl turned away from him.

22 And the children of Yisra’ĕl, all the company, departed from Qaḏĕsh and came to Mount Hor.

23 And 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 spoke to Mosheh and to Aharon in Mount Hor near the border of the land of Eḏom, saying,

24 “Aharon is to be gathered to his people, for he is not to enter the land which I have given to the children of Yisra’ĕl, because you rebelled against My mouth at the water of Meriḇah.

25 “Take Aharon and El’azar his son, and bring them up to Mount Hor,

26 and strip Aharon of his garments and put them on El’azar his son, for Aharon is to be gathered to his people and die there.”

27 And Mosheh did as 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 commanded, and they went up to Mount Hor before the eyes of all the congregation.

28 And Mosheh stripped Aharon of his garments and put them on El’azar his son. And Aharon died there on the top of the mountain. And Mosheh and El’azar came down from the mountain.

29 And when all the congregation saw that Aharon was dead, all the house of Yisra’ĕl wept for Aharon, thirty days.