² There was no water for the community, so they assembled against Moses and Aaron. ³ The people quarreled with Moses and said,^(A) “If only we had perished when our brothers perished before the Lord.^{(B) 4} Why have you brought the Lord’s assembly into this wilderness^(C) for us and our livestock to die here?^{(D) 5} Why have you led us up from Egypt to bring us to this evil place? It’s not a place of grain, figs, vines, and pomegranates,^(E) and there is no water to drink!”

⁶ Then Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the doorway of the tent of meeting. They fell facedown, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them. ⁷ The Lord spoke to Moses, ⁸ “Take the staff^(F) and assemble the community. You and your brother Aaron are to speak to the rock^(G) while they watch, and it will yield its water. You will bring out water for them from the rock and provide drink for the community and their livestock.”

⁹ So Moses took the staff from the Lord’s presence^(H) just as he had commanded him. ¹⁰ Moses and Aaron summoned the assembly in front of the rock, and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels! Must we bring water out of this rock for you?” ¹¹ Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff, so that abundant water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.^(I)

¹² But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust me to demonstrate my holiness in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this assembly into the land I have given them.”^{(J) 13} These are the Waters of Meribah,^[a](K) where the Israelites quarreled with the Lord, and he demonstrated his holiness to them.^(L)

²³ “At that time I begged the Lord: ²⁴ Lord God, you have begun to show your greatness and your strong hand to your servant, for what god is there in heaven or on earth who can perform deeds and mighty acts like yours? ²⁵ Please let me cross over and see the beautiful land^(A) on the other side of the Jordan, that good hill country and Lebanon.

²⁶ “But the Lord was angry with me because of you^[a] and would not listen to me. The Lord said to me, ‘That’s enough! Do not speak to me again about this matter. ²⁷ Go to the top of Pisgah and look to the west, north, south, and east, and see it with your own eyes, for you will not cross the Jordan.^{(B) 28} But commission Joshua and encourage and strengthen him, for he will cross over ahead of the people and enable them to inherit this land that you will see.’^{(C) 29} So we stayed in the valley facing Beth-peor.