Numbers 20 - Introduction

1 The children of Israel come to Zin, where Miriam dieth.

2 They murmure for want of water.

7 Moses smiting the rocke bringeth forth water at Meribah.

14 Moses at Kadesh desireth passage thorow Edom, which is denied him.

22 At Mount Hor Aaron resigneth his place to Eleazar, and dieth.

1 Then came the children of Israel, euen the whole Congregation, into the desert of Zin, in the first moneth: and the people abode in Kadesh, and Miriam died there, and was buried there.

2 And there was no water for the Congregation: and they gathered themselues together against Moses and against Aaron.

3 And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died [Note: Numbers 11:33.] when our brethren died before the Lord.

4 And [Note: Exodus 17:2.] why haue yee brought vp the Congregation of the Lord into this wildernesse, that we and our cattell should die there?

5 And wherefore haue ye made vs to come vp out of Egypt, to bring vs in vnto this euil place? it is no place of seed, or of figges, or vines, or of pomegranates, neither is there any water to drinke.

6 And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly, vnto the doore of the Tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell vpon their faces: and the glory of the Lord appeared vnto them.

7 And the Lord spake vnto Moses, saying,

8 Take the rodde, and gather thou the assembly together, thou and Aaron

[The rocke smitten.]

thy brother, and speake yee vnto the rocke before their eyes, and it shall giue foorth his water, and thou shalt bring foorth to them, water out of the rocke: so thou shalt giue the Congregation, and their beasts drinke.

9 And Moses tooke the rod from before the Lord, as he commanded him.

10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the Congregation together before the rocke, and hee said vnto them, Heare now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rocke?

11 And Moses lift vp his hand, and with his rod he smote the rocke twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the Congregation dranke, and their beasts also.

12 And the Lord spake vnto Moses and Aaron, Because ye beleeue me not, to sanctifie me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this Congregation into the land which I haue giuen them.

13 [Note: Psalms 106:32, etc.] This is the water of [Note: That is, strife.] Meribah, because the children of Israel stroue with the Lord; and he was sanctified in them.

14 And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh, vnto the King of Edom; Thus saith thy brother Israel, Thou knowest all the trauaile that hath [Note: Hebrew: found vs.] befallen vs:

15 How our fathers went downe into Egypt, and we haue dwelt in Egypt a long time: and the Egyptians vexed vs, and our fathers.

16 And when wee cryed vnto the Lord, he heard our voyce, and sent an Angel, and hath brought vs foorth out of Egypt: and behold, wee are in Kadesh, a citie in the vttermost of thy border.

17 Let vs passe, I pray thee, thorow thy countrey: we will not passe thorow the fields, or thorow the Uineyards, neither will we drinke of the water of the wells: wee will goe by the Kings high-way, we wil not turne to the right hand nor to the left, vntill wee haue passed thy borders.

18 And Edom said vnto him, Thou shalt not passe by me, lest I come out against thee with the sword.

19 And the children of Israel said vnto him, We will goe by the high-way: and if I and my cattell drinke of thy water, then I will pay for it: I will

[Aaron dieth.]

onely (without doing any thing else) go thorow on my feet.

20 And he said, Thou shalt not goe thorow. And Edom came out against him with much people, and with a strong hand.

21 Thus Edom refused to giue Israel passage thorow his border: wherefore Israel turned away from him.

22 And the children of Israel, euen the whole Congregation, iourneyed from [Note: Numbers 33:37.] Kadesh, and came vnto mount Hor.

23 And the Lord spake vnto Moses and Aaron in mount Hor, by the coast of the land of Edom, saying;

24 Aaron shall bee gathered vnto his people: for hee shall not enter into the land which I haue giuen vnto the children of Israel, because yee rebelled against my [Note: Hebrew: mouth.] word at the water of Meribah.

25 [Note: Numbers 33:38; Deuteronomy 32:50.] Take Aaron, and Eleazar his sonne, and bring them vp vnto mount Hor.

26 And strippe Aaron of his garments, and put them vpon Eleazar his sonne, and Aaron shall be gathered vnto his people, and shall die there.

27 And Moses did as the Lord commaunded: and they went vp into mount Hor, in the sight of all the Congregation.

28 And Moses stripped Aaron of his garments, and put them vpon Eleazar his sonne, and [Note: Deuteronomy 10:6; Deuteronomy 32:50.] Aaron died there in the top of the mount: and Moses and Eleazar came downe from the mount.

29 And when all the Congregation saw that Aaron was dead, they mourned for Aaron thirty dayes, euen all the house of Israel.