Numbers 20
(1) Israel Goes to Zin
In the first month, the entire Israeli population went to the Zin desert [southern border of Israel?], and they stayed at Kadesh [which means “holy”]. That’s where Miriam died and was buried.
(2) Israel Gets Hungry & Thirsty
There wasn’t enough water there for everyone, so the population protested against Moses and Aaron. They challenged Moses, saying
“We wish we would have died along with our siblings in front of the Existing One! Why did you guys lead the Existing One’s people to this desert just so we and our livestock would die here? Why’d you bring us away from Egypt just to come to this miserable place? This place doesn’t have any grain, figs, grapes, or pomegranates—it doesn’t even have water for us to drink!”
(6) Water from a Rock
Then Moses and Aaron left the population, went to the meeting tent’s doorway, and fell flat on their faces. The Existing One’s splendor appeared to them, and He told Moses,
“Take the staff, gather the population around the rock, and talk to it in front of the population so it will give up its water. That’s how you’ll bring water out of the rock so they and their livestock can drink.”
So Moses took the staff that was sitting there in front of the Existing One and He and Aaron gathered the population in front of the rock. Then Moses told everyone,
“Listen up, you rebellious people. Should we bring water for you out of this rock?”
Then Moses raised his hand up in the air and hit the rock twice with his staff. A lot of water started gushing out, and the population and their animals drank it. But the Existing One told Moses and Aaron,
“Since you guys didn’t believe Me or set Me apart to Israel’s descendants, you won’t be able to bring this population into the region I’ve given them.”
That became known as the water of Meribah [which means “contention”] since Israel’s descendants contended with the Existing One, and he proved to them that He is different.
(14) Israel Denied Passage through Edom
Then Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom [Esau’s descendants southeast of Palestine]. They told him,
“We bring you this message from your brother, Israel:
“‘You know how hard we had it when our ancestors went to Egypt, we stayed there a long time, and the Egyptians treated us poorly. But when we cried out to the Existing One, he heard us, sent His representative, and brought us away from Egypt. Now we’re in Kadesh, a town at the edge of your border. Please let us pass through your territory. We won’t touch your fields or your vineyards, and we won’t even drink water from any of your wells. We’ll just take the king’s highway straight through without turning left or right until we leave your territory.’”
But Edom told them,
“If you try to pass through here, I’ll come at you with swords.”
So Israel’s descendants repeated themselves, saying,
“Please: we just want to pass through using your highway, and if any of our livestock drink your water, we’ll pay you for it. Just let us pass through—we don’t want anything else.”
But Edom said,
“You will not be passing through here.”
Then Edom came out and met Israel with lots of people who were ready to fight. So Israel didn’t pass through their territory. They just turned around and left.
(22) Aaron Dies
When Israel left Kadesh, the entire population arrived at Mount Hor [which means “mountain”]. The Existing One spoke to Moses and Aaron there by Edom’s border, saying,
“Aaron will join his ancestors—he won’t get to go to the land I gave Israel since you guys didn’t follow the instructions I gave you at the water of Meribah [“strife”]. Take Aaron and his son Eleazar up to Mount Hor, take Aaron’s priest uniform off him, and put it on Eleazar. Aaron will die there and join his ancestors.”
So Moses followed the Existing One’s instructions and they climbed Mount Hor in front of the entire population. After Moses finished putting Aaron’s clothes on Eleazar, Aaron died there on top of the mountain. When the Israelites saw that Aaron had died, they mourned for 30 days.
