Numbers 20
English Standard Version
The Death of Miriam
20 And the people of Israel, the whole congregation, came (A)into the wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh. And (B)Miriam died there and was buried there.
The Waters of Meribah
2 (C)Now there was no water for the congregation. (D)And they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. 3 And the people (E)quarreled with Moses and said, “Would that we had perished (F)when our brothers perished before the Lord! 4 Why have you brought the assembly of the Lord into this wilderness, that we should die here, both we and our cattle? 5 And (G)why have you made us come up out of Egypt to bring us to this evil place? It is no place for grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, and there is no water to drink.” 6 Then Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the entrance of the tent of meeting and (H)fell on their faces. (I)And the glory of the Lord appeared to them, 7 and the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 8 (J)“Take the staff, and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and tell the rock before their eyes to yield its water. So (K)you shall bring water out of the rock for them and give drink to the congregation and their cattle.” 9 And Moses took the staff (L)from before the Lord, as he commanded him.
Moses Strikes the Rock
10 Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, (M)“Hear now, you rebels: shall we bring water for you out of this rock?” 11 And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice, (N)and water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their livestock. 12 And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because (O)you did not believe in me, (P)to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.” 13 (Q)These are the waters of Meribah,[a] where the people of Israel quarreled with the Lord, and through them he showed himself holy.
Edom Refuses Passage
14 (R)Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to (S)the king of Edom: “Thus says (T)your brother Israel: You know all the hardship that we have met: 15 (U)how our fathers went down to Egypt, (V)and we lived in Egypt a long time. (W)And the Egyptians dealt harshly with us and our fathers. 16 And (X)when we cried to the Lord, he heard our voice and (Y)sent an angel and brought us out of Egypt. And here we are in Kadesh, a city on the edge of your territory. 17 (Z)Please let us pass through your land. We will not pass through field or vineyard, (AA)or drink water from a well. We will go along the King's Highway. We will not turn aside to the right hand or to the left until we have passed through your territory.” 18 But Edom said to him, “You shall not pass through, lest I come out with the sword against you.” 19 And the people of Israel said to him, “We will go up by the highway, (AB)and if we drink of your water, I and my livestock, (AC)then I will pay for it. Let me only pass through on foot, nothing more.” 20 But he said, (AD)“You shall not pass through.” And Edom came out against them with a large army and with a strong force. 21 Thus Edom (AE)refused to give Israel passage through his territory, so Israel (AF)turned away from him.
The Death of Aaron
22 And they journeyed from (AG)Kadesh, and the people of Israel, the whole congregation, came to (AH)Mount Hor. 23 And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron at Mount Hor, on the border of the land of Edom, 24 (AI)“Let Aaron be gathered to his people, for he shall not enter the land that I have given to the people of Israel, because (AJ)you rebelled against my command at the waters of Meribah. 25 Take Aaron and Eleazar his son and bring them up to Mount Hor. 26 And strip Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son. And Aaron (AK)shall be gathered to his people and shall die there.” 27 Moses did as the Lord commanded. And they went up Mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation. 28 (AL)And Moses stripped Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son. And Aaron died there (AM)on the top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain. 29 And when all the congregation saw that Aaron had perished, (AN)all the house of Israel wept for Aaron thirty days.
Footnotes
- Numbers 20:13 Meribah means quarreling
Números 20
La Biblia de las Américas
Dios da al pueblo agua de una roca
20 (A)Los hijos de Israel, toda la congregación, llegaron al desierto de Zin(B) en el mes primero; y el pueblo se quedó en Cades. Allí murió Miriam y allí la sepultaron.
2 Y no había agua para la congregación(C); y se juntaron contra Moisés y Aarón(D). 3 El pueblo contendió con Moisés(E) y le habló, diciendo: ¡Ojalá hubiéramos perecido(F) cuando nuestros hermanos murieron delante del Señor(G)! 4 ¿Por qué, pues, has traído al pueblo[a] del Señor a este desierto, para que nosotros y nuestros animales muramos aquí[b](H)? 5 ¿Y por qué nos hiciste subir de Egipto, para traernos a este miserable lugar? No es lugar de sementeras, ni de higueras, ni de viñas, ni de granados, ni aun hay agua para beber(I). 6 Entonces Moisés y Aarón fueron de delante de la asamblea a la puerta de la tienda de reunión, y se postraron sobre sus rostros(J); y se les apareció la gloria del Señor. 7 Y habló el Señor a Moisés, diciendo: 8 Toma la vara(K) y reúne a la congregación, tú y tu hermano Aarón, y hablad a la peña a la vista de ellos, para que la peña dé su agua. Así sacarás para ellos agua de la peña, y beban la congregación y sus animales. 9 Tomó Moisés la vara de la presencia del Señor(L), tal como Él se lo había ordenado; 10 y Moisés y Aarón reunieron al pueblo[c] ante la peña. Y él les dijo: Oíd, ahora, rebeldes(M). ¿Sacaremos agua de esta peña para vosotros? 11 Entonces Moisés levantó su mano y golpeó la peña dos veces con su vara, y brotó agua en abundancia(N), y bebió el pueblo[d] y sus animales. 12 Y el Señor dijo a Moisés y a Aarón: Porque vosotros no me creísteis a fin de tratarme como santo ante los ojos de los hijos de Israel, por tanto no conduciréis[e] a este pueblo[f] a la tierra que les he dado(O). 13 Aquellas fueron las aguas de Meriba[g](P) porque[h] los hijos de Israel contendieron con el Señor, y Él manifestó su santidad entre ellos.
Edom rehúsa el paso a Israel
14 Moisés envió mensajeros desde Cades al rey de Edom(Q), diciendo: Así ha dicho tu hermano Israel: «Tú sabes todas las dificultades que nos han sobrevenido(R); 15 que nuestros padres descendieron a Egipto, y estuvimos por largo tiempo en Egipto, y los egipcios nos maltrataron a nosotros y a nuestros padres. 16 Pero cuando clamamos al Señor(S), Él oyó nuestra voz y envió un ángel y nos sacó de Egipto(T). Ahora, mira, estamos en Cades, un pueblo de la frontera[i] de tu territorio. 17 Permítenos, por favor, pasar por tu tierra(U). No pasaremos por campo labrado ni por viñedo; ni siquiera beberemos agua de pozo. Iremos por el camino real, sin volver a la derecha ni a la izquierda hasta que crucemos tu territorio». 18 Pero, Edom(V) le respondió: Tú no pasarás por mi tierra; para que no salga yo con espada a tu encuentro. 19 Entonces los hijos de Israel le contestaron: Iremos por el camino principal, y si yo y mi ganado(W) bebemos de tu agua, entonces te pagaré[j] su precio(X). Solamente déjame pasar a pie, nada más[k]. 20 Pero él dijo: Tú no pasarás(Y). Y Edom salió a su encuentro con mucha gente y con mano fuerte. 21 Rehusó, pues, Edom dejar pasar a Israel por su territorio(Z), así que Israel tuvo que desviarse de él(AA).
Muerte de Aarón
22 Partiendo de Cades(AB) los hijos de Israel, toda la congregación, llegaron al monte Hor. 23 Y habló el Señor a Moisés y a Aarón en el monte Hor, en la frontera de la tierra de Edom(AC), diciendo: 24 Aarón será reunido a su pueblo[l](AD), pues no entrará a la tierra que yo he dado a los hijos de Israel, porque vosotros os rebelasteis contra mi orden[m] en las aguas de Meriba(AE). 25 Toma a Aarón y a su hijo Eleazar(AF) y tráelos al monte Hor; 26 y quita a Aarón sus vestidos y ponlos sobre su hijo Eleazar. Entonces Aarón será reunido a su pueblo(AG), y morirá allí. 27 Moisés hizo tal como el Señor le ordenó, y subieron al monte Hor ante los ojos de toda la congregación. 28 Y después que Moisés le quitó a Aarón sus vestidos(AH) y se los puso a su hijo Eleazar, Aarón murió allí sobre la cumbre del monte(AI), y Moisés y Eleazar descendieron del monte. 29 Cuando toda la congregación vio que Aarón había muerto, toda la casa de Israel lloró a Aarón por treinta días(AJ).
Footnotes
- Números 20:4 Lit., a la asamblea
- Números 20:4 Lit., allí
- Números 20:10 Lit., a la asamblea
- Números 20:11 Lit., la congregación
- Números 20:12 Lit., llevaréis
- Números 20:12 Lit., esta asamblea
- Números 20:13 I.e., contienda
- Números 20:13 O, donde
- Números 20:16 O, del límite
- Números 20:19 Lit., daré
- Números 20:19 O, no es gran cosa
- Números 20:24 Lit., sus parientes
- Números 20:24 Lit., boca
Numbers 20
New King James Version
Moses’ Error at Kadesh(A)
20 Then(B) the children of Israel, the whole congregation, came into the Wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed in (C)Kadesh; and (D)Miriam died there and was buried there.
2 (E)Now there was no water for the congregation; (F)so they gathered together against Moses and Aaron. 3 And the people (G)contended with Moses and spoke, saying: “If only we had died (H)when our brethren died before the Lord! 4 (I)Why have you brought up the assembly of the Lord into this wilderness, that we and our animals should die here? 5 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.” 6 So Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the door of the tabernacle of meeting, and (J)they [a]fell on their faces. And (K)the glory of the Lord appeared to them.
7 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 8 (L)“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 (M)you shall bring water for them out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their animals.” 9 So Moses took the rod (N)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, (O)“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; (P)and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank.
12 Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Because (Q)you did not believe Me, to (R)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 (S)This was the water of [b]Meribah, because the children of Israel contended with the Lord, and He was hallowed among them.
Passage Through Edom Refused
14 (T)Now Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of (U)Edom. (V)“Thus says your brother Israel: ‘You know all the hardship that has befallen us, 15 (W)how our fathers went down to Egypt, (X)and we dwelt in Egypt a long time, (Y)and the Egyptians [c]afflicted us and our fathers. 16 (Z)When we cried out to the Lord, He heard our voice and (AA)sent the Angel and brought us up out of Egypt; now here we are in Kadesh, a city on the edge of your border. 17 Please (AB)let us pass through your country. We will not pass through fields or vineyards, nor will we drink water from wells; we will go along the King’s Highway; we will not turn aside to the right hand or to the left until we have passed through your territory.’ ”
18 Then (AC)Edom said to him, “You shall not pass through my land, lest I come out against you with the sword.”
19 So the children of Israel said to him, “We will go by the Highway, and if I or my livestock drink any of your water, (AD)then I will pay for it; let me only pass through on foot, nothing more.”
20 Then he said, (AE)“You shall not pass through.” So Edom came out against them with many men and with a strong hand. 21 Thus Edom (AF)refused to give Israel passage through his territory; so Israel (AG)turned away from him.
Death of Aaron
22 Now the children of Israel, the whole congregation, journeyed from (AH)Kadesh (AI)and came to Mount Hor. 23 And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron in Mount Hor by the border of the land of Edom, saying: 24 “Aaron shall [d]be (AJ)gathered to his people, for he shall not enter the land which I have given to the children of Israel, because you rebelled against My word at the water of Meribah. 25 (AK)Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up to Mount Hor; 26 and strip Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son; for Aaron shall be gathered to his people and die there.” 27 So Moses did just as the Lord commanded, and they went up to Mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation. 28 (AL)Moses stripped Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son; and (AM)Aaron died there on the top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain. 29 Now when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, all the house of Israel mourned for Aaron (AN)thirty days.
Footnotes
- Numbers 20:6 prostrated themselves
- Numbers 20:13 Lit. Contention
- Numbers 20:15 did evil to
- Numbers 20:24 Die and join his ancestors
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
