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.

² Now there was no water^(D) for the community,^(E) and the people gathered in opposition^(F) to Moses and Aaron. ³ They quarreled^(G) with Moses and said, “If only we had died when our brothers fell dead^(H) before the Lord!^{(I) 4} Why did you bring the Lord’s community into this wilderness,^(J) that we and our livestock should die here?^{(K) 5} Why 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)”

⁶ Moses 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. ⁷ The 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.”

⁹ So Moses took the staff^(S) from the Lord’s presence,^(T) just as he commanded him. ¹⁰ He 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) 11} Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water^(W) 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^(X) in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.”^(Y)

²³ At that time I pleaded^(A) with the Lord: ²⁴ “Sovereign Lord, you have begun to show to your servant your greatness^(B) and your strong hand. For what god^(C) is there in heaven or on earth who can do the deeds and mighty works^(D) you do?^{(E) 25} Let me go over and see the good land^(F) beyond the Jordan—that fine hill country and Lebanon.^(G)”

²⁶ But because of you the Lord was angry^(H) with me and would not listen to me. “That is enough,” the Lord said. “Do not speak to me anymore about this matter. ²⁷ Go up to the top of Pisgah^(I) and look west and north and south and east.^(J) Look at the land with your own eyes, since you are not going to cross^(K) this Jordan.^{(L) 28} But commission^(M) Joshua, and encourage^(N) and strengthen him, for he will lead this people across^(O) and will cause them to inherit the land that you will see.” ²⁹ So we stayed in the valley near Beth Peor.^(P)