Numbers 20

New International Version

Water From the Rock

20 In the first month the whole Israelite community arrived at the Desert of Zin,^(A) and they stayed at Kadesh.^(B) There Miriam^(C) died and was buried.

²Now there was no water^(D) for the community,^(E) and the people gathered in opposition^(F) to Moses and Aaron. ³They quarreled^(G) with Moses and said, “If only we had died when our brothers fell dead^(H) before the Lord!^(I) ⁴Why did you bring the Lord’s community into this wilderness,^(J) that we and our livestock should die here?^(K) ⁵Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates.^(L) And there is no water to drink!^(M)”

⁶Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the tent of meeting^(N) and fell facedown,^(O) and the glory of the Lord^(P) appeared to them. ⁷The Lord said to Moses, ⁸“Take the staff,^(Q) and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water.^(R) You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink.”

⁹So Moses took the staff^(S) from the Lord’s presence,^(T) just as he commanded him. ¹⁰He and Aaron gathered the assembly together^(U) in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?”^(V) ¹¹Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water^(W) 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^(X) in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.”^(Y)

¹³These were the waters of Meribah,^[a]^(Z) where the Israelites quarreled^(AA) with the Lord and where he was proved holy among them.^(AB)

Edom Denies Israel Passage

¹⁴Moses sent messengers from Kadesh^(AC) to the king of Edom,^(AD) saying:

“This is what your brother Israel says: You know^(AE) about all the hardships^(AF) that have come on us. ¹⁵Our ancestors went down into Egypt,^(AG) and we lived there many years.^(AH) The Egyptians mistreated^(AI) us and our ancestors, ¹⁶but when we cried out to the Lord, he heard our cry^(AJ) and sent an angel^(AK) and brought us out of Egypt.^(AL)

“Now we are here at Kadesh, a town on the edge of your territory.^(AM) 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.^(AN)”

¹⁸But Edom^(AO) answered:

“You may not pass through here; if you try, we will march out and attack you with the sword.^(AP)”

¹⁹The Israelites replied:

“We will go along the main road, and if we or our livestock^(AQ) drink any of your water, we will pay for it.^(AR) We only want to pass through on foot—nothing else.”

²⁰Again they answered:

“You may not pass through.^(AS)”

Then Edom^(AT) came out against them with a large and powerful army. ²¹Since Edom refused to let them go through their territory,^(AU) Israel turned away from them.^(AV)

The Death of Aaron

²²The whole Israelite community set out from Kadesh^(AW) and came to Mount Hor.^(AX) ²³At Mount Hor, near the border of Edom,^(AY) the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ²⁴“Aaron will be gathered to his people.^(AZ) He will not enter the land I give the Israelites, because both of you rebelled against my command^(BA) at the waters of Meribah.^(BB) ²⁵Get Aaron and his son Eleazar and take them up Mount Hor.^(BC) ²⁶Remove Aaron’s garments^(BD) and put them on his son Eleazar, for Aaron will be gathered to his people;^(BE) he will die there.”

²⁷Moses did as the Lord commanded: They went up Mount Hor^(BF) in the sight of the whole community. ²⁸Moses removed Aaron’s garments and put them on his son Eleazar.^(BG) And Aaron died there^(BH) on top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain, ²⁹and when the whole community learned that Aaron had died,^(BI) all the Israelites mourned for him^(BJ) thirty days.

Footnotes

Numbers 20:13 Meribah means quarreling.

Psalm 35:22-28

New International Version

²²Lord, you have seen^(A) this; do not be silent.
    Do not be far^(B) from me, Lord.
²³Awake,^(C) and rise^(D) to my defense!
    Contend^(E) for me, my God and Lord.
²⁴Vindicate me in your righteousness, Lord my God;
    do not let them gloat^(F) over me.
²⁵Do not let them think, “Aha,^(G) just what we wanted!”
    or say, “We have swallowed him up.”^(H)

²⁶May all who gloat^(I) over my distress^(J)
    be put to shame^(K) and confusion;
may all who exalt themselves over me^(L)
    be clothed with shame and disgrace.
²⁷May those who delight in my vindication^(M)
    shout for joy^(N) and gladness;
may they always say, “The Lord be exalted,
    who delights^(O) in the well-being of his servant.”^(P)

²⁸My tongue will proclaim your righteousness,^(Q)
your praises all day long.^(R)

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Mark 15:16-32

New International Version

The Soldiers Mock Jesus^(A)

¹⁶The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace^(B) (that is, the Praetorium) and called together the whole company of soldiers. ¹⁷They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him. ¹⁸And they began to call out to him, “Hail, king of the Jews!”^(C) ¹⁹Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him. Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him. ²⁰And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out^(D) to crucify him.

The Crucifixion of Jesus^(E)

²¹A certain man from Cyrene,^(F) Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus,^(G) was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross.^(H) ²²They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). ²³Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh,^(I) but he did not take it. ²⁴And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots^(J) to see what each would get.

²⁵It was nine in the morning when they crucified him. ²⁶The written notice of the charge against him read: the king of the jews.^(K)

²⁷They crucified two rebels with him, one on his right and one on his left. ^[28]^[a] ²⁹Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads^(L) and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days,^(M) ³⁰come down from the cross and save yourself!” ³¹In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him^(N) among themselves. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! ³²Let this Messiah,^(O) this king of Israel,^(P) come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him.