And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron.

And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the Lord!

And why have ye brought up the congregation of the Lord into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there?

And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place? it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink.

And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell upon their faces: and the glory of the Lord appeared unto them.

And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink.

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

10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?

11 And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.

12 And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.

13 This is the water of Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with the Lord, and he was sanctified in them.

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

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

So Moses took the staff(P) from the Lord’s presence,(Q) just as he commanded him. 10 He and Aaron gathered the assembly together(R) in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?”(S) 11 Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water(T) gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.

12 But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy(U) in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.”(V)

13 These were the waters of Meribah,[a](W) where the Israelites quarreled(X) with the Lord and where he was proved holy among them.(Y)

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 20:13 Meribah means quarreling.

(A)Now there was no water for the congregation; (B)so they gathered together against Moses and Aaron. And the people (C)contended with Moses and spoke, saying: “If only we had died (D)when our brethren died before the Lord! (E)Why have you brought up the assembly of the Lord into this wilderness, that we and our animals should die here? And why have you made us come up out of Egypt, to bring us to this evil place? It is not a place of grain or figs or vines or pomegranates; nor is there any water to drink.” So Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the door of the tabernacle of meeting, and (F)they [a]fell on their faces. And (G)the glory of the Lord appeared to them.

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, (H)“Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation together. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water; thus (I)you shall bring water for them out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their animals.” So Moses took the rod (J)from before the Lord as He commanded him.

10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock; and he said to them, (K)“Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?” 11 Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; (L)and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank.

12 Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Because (M)you did not believe Me, to (N)hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.”

13 (O)This was the water of [b]Meribah, because the children of Israel contended with the Lord, and He was hallowed among them.

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 20:6 prostrated themselves
  2. Numbers 20:13 Lit. Contention