Numbers 20:4-21
4 aWhy then have you brought the Lord’s assembly into this wilderness, for us and our livestock to die ▼▼Lit there
here? 5Why did you make us come up from Egypt, to bring us into this wretched place? cIt is not a place of ▼▼Lit seed
grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, nor is there water to drink!” 6Then Moses and Aaron came in from the presence of the assembly to the entrance of the tent of meeting and efell on their faces. And the glory of the Lord appeared to them; 7then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, The Waters of Meribah
8 “Take fthe staff; and you and your brother Aaron assemble the congregation and speak to the rock before their eyes, that it shall yield its water. So you shall bring water for them out of the rock, and have the congregation and their livestock drink.” 9 So Moses took the staff gfrom before the Lord, just as He had commanded him; 10and Moses and Aaron summoned the assembly in front of the rock. And he said to them, “ hListen now, you rebels; shall we bring water for you out of this rock?” 11Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff; and iwater came out abundantly, and the congregation and their livestock drank. 12But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “ jSince you did not trust in Me, to treat Me as holy in the sight of the sons of Israel, for that reason you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.” 13Those were called the waters of ▼▼I.e., contention
lMeribah, ▼▼Or where
because the sons of Israel argued with the Lord, and He proved Himself holy among them. 14 From Kadesh Moses then sent messengers to nthe king of Edom to say, “This is what your brother Israel has said: ‘You oknow all the hardship that has ▼▼Lit found
overtaken us; 15that our fathers went down to Egypt, and we stayed in Egypt a long time, and the Egyptians treated us and our fathers badly. 16But qwhen we cried out to the Lord, He heard our voice and sent ran angel, and brought us out from Egypt; now behold, we are at Kadesh, a town on the edge of your territory. 17Please slet us pass through your land. We will not pass through field or vineyard; we will not even drink water from a well. We will go along the king’s road, not turning to the right or left, until we pass through your territory.’” 18 tEdom, however, said to him, “You shall not pass through ▼▼Lit me
us, or I will come out with the sword against you.” 19Again, the sons of Israel said to him, “We will go up by the road, and if I and vmy livestock do drink any of your water, wthen I will ▼▼Lit give
pay its price. Let me only pass through on my feet, ▼▼Or no great thing
nothing more.” 20But he said, “ zYou shall not pass through.” And Edom came out against him with a heavy ▼▼Lit people
force and a strong hand. 21 abSo Edom refused to allow Israel to pass through his territory; acthen Israel turned away from him.
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