Water From the Rock
1In the first month the whole Israelite community arrived at the Desert of Zin, and they stayed at Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried.
2Now there was no water for the community, and the people gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron. 3They quarreled with Moses and said, “If only we had died when our brothers fell dead before the Lord! 4Why did you bring the Lord’s community into this wilderness, that we and our livestock should die here? 5Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates. And there is no water to drink!”
6Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the tent of meeting and fell facedown, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them. 7The Lord said to Moses, 8“Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink.”
9So Moses took the staff from the Lord’s presence, just as he commanded him. 10He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” 11Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.
12But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.”
13These were the waters of Meribah,20:13 Meribah means quarreling. where the Israelites quarreled with the Lord and where he was proved holy among them.
Edom Denies Israel Passage
14Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, saying:
“This is what your brother Israel says: You know about all the hardships that have come on us. 15Our ancestors went down into Egypt, and we lived there many years. The Egyptians mistreated us and our ancestors, 16but when we cried out to the Lord, he heard our cry and sent an angel and brought us out of Egypt.
“Now we are here at Kadesh, a town on the edge of your territory. 17Please let us pass through your country. We will not go through any field or vineyard, or drink water from any well. We will travel along the King’s Highway and not turn to the right or to the left until we have passed through your territory.”
18But Edom answered:
“You may not pass through here; if you try, we will march out and attack you with the sword.”
19The Israelites replied:
“We will go along the main road, and if we or our livestock drink any of your water, we will pay for it. We only want to pass through on foot—nothing else.”
20Again they answered:
“You may not pass through.”
Then Edom came out against them with a large and powerful army. 21Since Edom refused to let them go through their territory, Israel turned away from them.
The Death of Aaron
22The whole Israelite community set out from Kadesh and came to Mount Hor. 23At Mount Hor, near the border of Edom, the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 24“Aaron will be gathered to his people. He will not enter the land I give the Israelites, because both of you rebelled against my command at the waters of Meribah. 25Get Aaron and his son Eleazar and take them up Mount Hor. 26Remove Aaron’s garments and put them on his son Eleazar, for Aaron will be gathered to his people; he will die there.”
27Moses did as the Lord commanded: They went up Mount Hor in the sight of the whole community. 28Moses removed Aaron’s garments and put them on his son Eleazar. And Aaron died there on top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain, 29and when the whole community learned that Aaron had died, all the Israelites mourned for him thirty days.
磐石出水
1一月，以色列全体会众抵达荀旷野，在加低斯安营。米利暗离世，葬在那里。 2会众没有水喝，就聚集起来反对摩西和亚伦， 3他们跟摩西吵闹说：“还不如当初跟我们的弟兄一起死在耶和华面前！ 4你们为什么领耶和华的会众到这旷野来，要叫我们和牲畜都死在这里吗？ 5你们为什么带我们出埃及，到这不毛之地？这里没有五谷、无花果树、葡萄树和石榴树，甚至没有水喝。” 6摩西和亚伦离开会众到会幕门口，俯伏在地。耶和华的荣光向他们显现。 7耶和华对摩西说： 8“你拿着杖和你哥哥亚伦招聚会众，当着他们的面吩咐磐石流出水来，水就会从磐石流出，供会众和牲畜喝。” 9摩西遵命而行，从耶和华面前取了杖， 10然后和亚伦把会众招聚到磐石前，说：“你们这些叛逆之徒听着，非要我们叫磐石给你们流出水来吗？” 11接着，摩西举起手中的杖击打磐石两下，水便喷涌而出，会众和牲畜都喝了。
12耶和华对摩西和亚伦说：“你们对我没有足够的信心，没有当着以色列人的面尊我为圣，所以你们不得带领会众进入我所赐之地。” 13这地方叫米利巴泉，因为以色列人在那里与耶和华争闹，耶和华就向他们彰显了祂的圣洁。
以东王不借路
14摩西从加低斯派使者去见以东王，说：“你的弟兄以色列人说，你知道我们遭遇的种种困难。 15我们祖先到埃及寄居多年，我们世代受埃及人虐待。 16但我们呼求耶和华，祂就垂听了我们的声音，差遣天使带我们出埃及。现在我们来到你边境的加低斯城， 17求你容我们借道贵国。我们不会踏入田地和葡萄园，也不会喝井里的水，只走王的大路，不会偏离左右，直到走出贵国。” 18以东王却说：“你们不可从我这里经过，否则我必兵戎相见。” 19以色列人说：“我们只走大路，倘若我们和牲畜喝了你的水，我们会付钱。我们别无他求，只求步行穿过贵国。” 20但以东王仍然不准，还率领大军严阵以待。 21由于以东王不让以色列人穿过他的领土，以色列人只好绕道。
亚伦离世
22以色列全体会众从加低斯出发，来到何珥山。 23耶和华在位于以东边界的何珥山对摩西和亚伦说： 24“亚伦要归到他祖先那里，他不能进入我赐给以色列人的土地，因为你们在米利巴泉违背了我的命令。 25你要带亚伦和他儿子以利亚撒上何珥山， 26把亚伦的圣衣脱下来给他儿子以利亚撒穿上，因为亚伦将归到他祖先那里，死在山上。” 27摩西遵命而行。他们三人就当着全体会众的面上了何珥山。 28摩西把亚伦的圣衣脱下，给他儿子以利亚撒穿上。随后亚伦在山顶离世。摩西和以利亚撒便下了山。 29以色列全体会众得知亚伦离世，就为他哀悼了三十天。
