Old/New Testament
The Meribah Springs(A)
20 The entire community of the Israelis entered the Zin wilderness during the first month. The people stayed in Kadesh. Miriam died and was buried there.
2 But there was no water for the community, so they gathered together against Moses and Aaron. 3 As the people argued with Moses, they told him, “We wish that we had died when our relatives died in the Lord’s presence! 4 Why did you bring the assembly of the Lord into this wilderness? So we and our cattle could die here? 5 Why did you take us out of Egypt and bring us to this terrible place? There’s no place to plant seeds, fig trees, vines, or pomegranates! And there’s no water to drink!”
6 Then Moses and Aaron went into the presence of the community at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and fell on their faces. Then the glory of the Lord appeared to them.
7 The Lord told Moses, 8 “Take the rod, gather the community together, and then you and your brother Aaron are to speak to the rock right before their eyes. It will release water. As you bring water to them from the rock, the community and the cattle will be able to drink.” 9 So Moses took the rod in the Lord’s presence, just as he had commanded.
10 Then Moses and Aaron gathered the community together in front of the rock. “Pay attention, you rebels!” Moses told them. “Are we to bring you water from this rock?” 11 Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod. Lots of water gushed out, and both the community and their cattle were able to drink.
The Lord Disciplines Moses
12 But the Lord rebuked Moses and Aaron, telling Moses: “Because you both[a] didn’t believe me, because you didn’t consecrate me as holy[b] in the presence[c] of the Israelis, you won’t be the ones to bring this congregation into the land that I’m about to give them.” 13 Because the Israelis argued with the Lord and he was set apart among them, this place was called the Meribah Springs.[d]
The Israelis Approach Edom
14 Later, Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom with this message: “This is what your relative Israel says: ‘You know all the hardships we’ve encountered.[e] 15 Our ancestors went down to Egypt, where we lived for many[f] years. But the Egyptians treated us and our ancestors viciously. 16 Then we cried to the Lord and he heard our voice, sending us a messenger who brought us out of Egypt. Now look! We’ve arrived in Kadesh, a city at the extreme end of your territory. 17 Permit us now to pass through your land. We won’t pass through your fields or vineyards, and we won’t drink water[g] from your wells. We’ll keep to the King’s Highway without turning either right or left until we have passed through your territory.’”
18 But Edom replied, “You are not to pass through my land.[h] If you do, I’ll come out and start a war with you.”
19 Then the Israelis replied, “Permit us to travel on the highway. If we and our cattle drink your water, we’ll pay the price you ask. Only please let us walk through, and nothing more.”[i]
20 But still he replied, “No. You’re not to pass through.” Then Edom went out to meet Moses with a vast army and a lot of military might.[j] 21 That’s how Edom refused Israel passage through their territory. So Israel turned away from there.[k]
The Death of Aaron
22 They traveled from Kadesh, and then the entire community of the Israelis arrived at Mount Hor. 23 Then the Lord told Moses and Aaron at Mount Hor, near the territory of Edom, 24 “Aaron is to be gathered to his people, since he is not to enter the land that I’m about to give the Israelis. After all, you both rebelled against my command[l] at the Meribah Springs. 25 So take Aaron and his son Eleazar and ascend Mount Hor. 26 Remove Aaron’s vestments and place them on his son Eleazar, because Aaron is to be gathered to his people[m] and die there.”
27 So Moses did just what the Lord had commanded. They ascended Mount Hor right in front of the entire community. 28 As Moses was stripping Aaron’s garments from him and clothing Aaron’s son Eleazar with them, Aaron died there on top of the mountain. Afterwards, Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain. 29 When the entire community saw that Aaron had died, they mourned in memory of Aaron for 30 days.
The Destruction of Hormah
21 When the Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the Negev,[n] heard that Israel was coming along the Atharim caravan route, he fought against Israel and took some of them captive. 2 Then Israel[o] made this vow in the Lord’s presence: “If you give these people into our control,[p] we intend to devote their cities to total destruction.” 3 When the Lord heard what Israel had decided to do,[q] he delivered the Canaanites to them, and Israel[r] exterminated them and their cities. They named the place Hormah.[s]
The Bronze Serpent
4 After this, they traveled from Mount Hor along the caravan route by way of the Sea of Reeds and went around the land of Edom. But when the people got impatient because it was a long route, 5 the people complained against the Lord and Moses. “Why did you bring us out of Egypt to die in the wilderness?” they asked. “There’s no food[t] and water, and we’re tired of this worthless bread.”[u]
6 In response, the Lord sent poisonous[v] serpents among the people to bite them. As a result, many people of Israel died. 7 Then the people approached Moses and admitted, “We’ve sinned by speaking against the Lord and you. Pray to the Lord, that he’ll remove[w] the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed in behalf of the people.
8 Then the Lord instructed Moses, “Make a poisonous serpent out of brass and fasten it to a pole. Anyone who has been bitten and who looks at it will live.” 9 So Moses made a bronze serpent and fastened it to a pole. If a person who had been bitten by a poisonous serpent looked to the serpent,[x] he lived.
Travels in the Wilderness
10 After this, the Israelis traveled and encamped at Oboth. 11 Then they traveled from Oboth and encamped at Iye-abarim, in the wilderness that is in the vicinity of Moab’s eastern border. 12 From there, they traveled and encamped in the valley of Zered. 13 Then they traveled to the other side of Arnon and camped in the wilderness that borders the territory of the Amorites. (Arnon borders Moab between Moab and the Amorites, 14 which is why the Book of the Wars of the Lord[y] reads, “Waheb and Suphah and the wadis[z] of the Arnon, 15 and the slope of the valleys, that extends to the dwelling places of Ar and the borders of Moab.”)
16 From there they traveled[aa] to the Well of Beer, where the Lord had instructed Moses, “Gather the people together and I’ll give you water.” 17 That’s also where Israel sang this song:
Rise up, well!
Sing to it!
18 It’s the well that the leaders dug,
the one carved out by the nobles of the people
with their scepters and staffs.
Then they moved on in the wilderness from there to Mattanah, 19 then from Mattanah to Nahaliel, from Nahaliel to Bamoth, 20 and from Bamoth to the valley of Moab where their fields are, and from there to the top of Mount Pisgah, that looks down toward the open desert.
Israel Conquers the Amorites
21 Later, Israel sent messengers to Sihon, king of the Amorites, who conveyed this request:[ab] 22 “Permit us to pass through your land. We won’t trespass in your fields or vineyards. We won’t drink water from any well, and we’ll only travel along the King’s Highway until we’ve passed through your territory.”
23 Instead of letting Israel pass through his territory, Sihon mustered his entire army and marched out to meet them in the wilderness. He arrived at Jahaz and attacked Israel. 24 But Israel defeated[ac] him in battle[ad] and took possession of all his lands from Arnon to Jabbok, including the Ammonites, even though the border of the Ammonites was strong. 25 So Israel captured all of those cities, occupied[ae] all the Amorite cities in Heshbon, and all its towns.[af] 26 Heshbon was the capital city of Sihon, king of the Amorites, who fought against the previous king of Moab and captured all his land from his capital city[ag] to Arnon. 27 Therefore the ones who speak in proverbs say:
Come to Heshbon
and let it be built!
Let the city of Sihon be established!
28 A fire has gone out from Heshbon,
and a flame from the city of Sihon.
It consumed Ar of Moab
and the lords of the high places who lived in Arnon.
29 Woe to you, Moab!
You are destroyed, you people of Chemosh!
He has given up his sons as fugitives
and his daughters have gone into captivity
to Sihon, king of the Amorites.
30 We’ve fired at them.
Heshbon has perished as far as Dibon.
We’ve destroyed them as far as Nophah
even as far as Medeba.
31 So Israel lived in Amorite territory.
Israel Conquers Bashan
32 Then Moses sent out explorers to scout Jazer. They captured its towns[ah] and drove out the Amorites who were there. 33 Then they turned toward Bashan. However, Og, the king of Bashan, mustered his army and went out to attack them at Edrei. 34 The Lord told Moses, “You are not to fear him, because I’m going to deliver him, his entire army, and his land into your control. Do to him just what you’ve done to Sihon, king of the Amorites, who used to live in Heshbon.” 35 So they attacked him, his sons, and his entire army, until there wasn’t even a single survivor left. Then they took possession of his land.
Balak Summons Balaam
22 The Israelis continued their travels, eventually[ai] encamping on the plains of Moab beside the Jordan River[aj] opposite Jericho. 2 Zippor’s son Balak saw everything that Israel had done to the Amorites. 3 As a result, Moab greatly feared the people, because they were so numerous. Because a sense of impending doom was afflicting the Moabites as they faced the Israelis, 4 the Moabites told the elders of Midian, “This horde of people is about to lick up everything around us, like an ox licks up the green ground.”
At that time, Zippor’s son Balak was the king of Moab. 5 He sent messengers to Beor’s son Balaam in Pethor, near the Euphrates[ak] River, the land where the descendants of his people originated,[al] to summon his aid. He said, “Look! A group of[am] people have escaped from Egypt. They cover the surface of the whole earth, and are sitting here right in front of me. 6 So come right now and curse this people for me, because there are too many of them for me to handle.[an] Perhaps I’ll be able to strike them down and drive them out of the land, since I know that whomever you bless is blessed and whomever you curse is cursed.”
7 So the elders of Moab and Midian left to visit Balaam, bringing an honorarium with them,[ao] and communicated Balak’s concerns to him. 8 In answer, Balaam[ap] told them, “Stay here for the night and I’ll bring back a message[aq] to you, depending on what the Lord says to me.” So the officers of Moab stayed with Balaam overnight.
God Forbids Balaam to Cooperate
9 God visited Balaam and asked him, “Who are these men with you?”
10 Then Balaam told God, “Zippor’s son Balak, king of Moab, sent them to me and said, 11 ‘Look! A group of[ar] people have escaped from Egypt. They cover the surface of the whole earth! So come right now and curse them for me. Perhaps I’ll be able to fight against them and drive them out.’”
12 But God told Balaam, “Don’t go with them. Don’t curse the people, because they’re blessed.”
13 So Balaam got up the next morning and told Balak’s officials, “Go back to your homeland, because the Lord has refused me permission to go with you.”
14 So Balak’s officials got up, returned to Balak and reported, “Balaam refused to come with us.”
15 In response, Balak sent more officers—higher ranking ones, at that!— 16 who approached Balaam with this message: “This is what Zippor’s son Balak says: ‘Don’t let anything get in the way of your coming to me. 17 I’m determined to reward you generously, and I’ll do everything you tell me to do. So come right away and curse this people for me.’”
18 Balaam responded to Balak’s entourage by saying, “Even if Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I won’t double-cross the command of the Lord my God in even the slightest way.[as] 19 Meanwhile, stay here overnight so I may learn what the Lord might say to me.”
20 God came to visit Balaam that same night and told him, “If the men come to call on you, get up and go with them, but be sure to do only what I tell you to do.” 21 The next morning, Balaam got up, saddled his donkey, and started to leave, accompanied by the Moabite officials.
Balaam’s Donkey Rebukes its Owner
22 At this, the anger of the Lord flared up against Balaam, because he was leaving. So the angel of the Lord stood in the way to oppose him. As Balaam[at] was riding his donkey, accompanied by two of his servants, 23 all of a sudden the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, with an unsheathed sword in his hand! The donkey turned off the road and went into an open field. Balaam started beating the donkey in order to turn her back to the road, 24 but the angel of the Lord stood on a narrow path that crossed the vineyards. It had walls on both sides of the path. 25 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she squeezed herself so close to the wall that Balaam’s foot was pressed to the wall. So he beat her again!
26 Then the angel of the Lord went along a little further and stood in a much narrower space, where it was impossible[au] to turn either right or left. 27 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she crouched down under Balaam. As a result, Balaam got so angry that he started to whip[av] the donkey with his staff.
28 That’s when the Lord enabled the donkey to speak.[aw] She asked Balaam, “What did I do to you that you would beat me in the space of only[ax] three footsteps?”
29 “Because you’re playing a dirty trick on me,” Balaam answered the donkey. “If only I had a sword in my hand! I’d kill you right now!”
30 But in response, the donkey asked Balaam, “I’m your donkey that you’ve ridden on in the past without incident,[ay] am I not, and I’m the same donkey you’re riding on right now, am I not? Am I in the habit of treating you like this?”
“No,” he admitted.
31 Then the Lord enabled Balaam to see, so he observed the angel of the Lord standing in the way, with an unsheathed sword in his hand. So he bowed down and prostrated himself on his face.
32 Then the angel of the Lord asked him, “Why did you beat your donkey in the space of only[az] three footsteps? I’ve come to oppose you, because I say that what you’re doing is perverted. 33 The donkey saw me and turned in front of me in the space of those three footsteps. 34 If she hadn’t turned away from me, I would have killed you by now and left her alive!”
At this, Balaam replied to the angel of the Lord, “I’ve sinned! I didn’t know that you were standing to meet me on the road. So now, since it displeases you, let me go back.”[ba]
35 But the angel of the Lord told Balaam, “Go with the men, but deliver only the message that I’m going to give you.” So Balaam went with Balak’s officials.
36 When Balak heard that Balaam had arrived, he went out to meet him in the city of Moab on the border of Arnon at the extreme end of his territory. 37 Balak asked Balaam, “Didn’t I repeatedly send for you to summon you? Why didn’t you come to me? I can pay you well,[bb] can’t I?”
38 Balaam answered Balak, “Well, I’m here now. I’ve come to you, but I can’t just say anything, can I? I’ll speak only what God puts in my mouth to say.” 39 So accompanied by Balaam and Balak’s officials, Balak traveled to Kiriath-huzoth, 40 where he sacrificed oxen and sheep. 41 The next day, Balak brought Balaam up to Bamoth-baal, where he could see part of the community of Israel.
Jesus Challenges the Tradition of the Elders(A)
7 The Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus.[a] 2 They noticed that some of his disciples were eating[b] with unclean hands, that is, without washing them. 3 (The Pharisees—and indeed all the Jewish people—don’t eat unless they wash their hands properly,[c] following the tradition of their elders. 4 They don’t eat anything from the marketplace unless they dip it in water. They also observe many other traditions, such as the proper washing of washing cups, jars, brass pots, and dinner tables.)[d] 5 So the Pharisees and the scribes asked Jesus,[e] “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders? Instead, they eat[f] with unclean hands.”
6 He told them, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites. As it is written,
‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
7 Their worship of me is worthless,
because they teach human rules as doctrines.’[g]
8 You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition.”
9 Then he told them, “You have such a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to keep your own tradition! 10 Because Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’[h] and, ‘Whoever curses his father or mother must certainly be put to death.’[i] 11 But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or mother, “Whatever support you might have received from me is Corban,”’ (that is, an offering to God) 12 ‘you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother.’ 13 You are destroying the word of God through your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many other things like that.”
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