Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

107 Praise the LORD, because He is good; for His mercy endures forever.

² Let those who have been redeemed by the LORD show how He has delivered them from the hand of the oppressor—

³ and gathered them out of the lands—from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.

⁴ They wandered in the desert wilderness, out of the way, and found no city to dwell in.

⁵ Both hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.

⁶ Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble. He delivered them from their distress

⁷ and led them forth by the right way, so that they might go to a city of habitation.

⁸ Let them confess, before the LORD, His lovingkindness and His wonderful works before the sons of men.

⁹ For He satisfied the thirsty soul and filled the hungry soul with goodness.

¹⁰ Those who dwell in darkness and in the shadow of death (being bound in misery and iron

¹¹ because they rebelled against the words of the LORD and despised the counsel of the Most High

¹² when He humbled their heart with heaviness), they fell down; and there was no helper.

¹³ Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble. He delivered them from their distress.

¹⁴ He brought them out of darkness, and the shadow of death, and broke their bands apart.

¹⁵ Let them confess, before the LORD, His lovingkindness, and his wonderful works, before the sons of men.

¹⁶ For He has broken the gates of brass and burst the bars of iron apart.

20 Then the children of Israel came with the whole Congregation to the desert of Zin in the first month. And the people stayed at Kadesh, where Miriam died and was buried.

² But there was no water for the Congregation; and they assembled themselves against Moses and against Aaron.

³ And the people argued with Moses, and spoke, saying, “We wish that we had perished when our brothers died before the LORD!

⁴ “Why have you brought the Congregation of the LORD into this wilderness, so that we and our cattle should die here?

⁵ “Why now have you made us come up from Egypt, to bring us into this miserable place, which is no place of seed or figs or vines or pomegranates? Nor is there any water to drink.”

⁶ Then Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation and fell upon their faces. And the Glory of the LORD appeared to them.

⁷ And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

⁸ “Take the branch, and you and your brother Aaron gather the Congregation together. And speak to the rock before their eyes. And it shall give forth its water. And you shall bring them water out of the rock. So you shall give the Congregation and the beasts drink.”

⁹ Then Moses took the branch from before the LORD, as He had Commanded him.

¹⁰ And Moses and Aaron gathered the Congregation before the rock and said to them, “Hear now you rebels! Shall we bring you water out of this rock?”

¹¹ Then Moses lifted up his hand; and with his rod, he struck the rock twice. And the water came out, abundantly. So the Congregation, and their beasts, drank.

¹² Again, the LORD said to Moses, and to Aaron, “Because you did not believe Me (to sanctify Me in the presence of the children of Israel), therefore you 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.

⁶ Now these things are our examples, to the intent that we should not also lust after evil things as they lusted,

⁷ nor be idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.”

⁸ Nor let us commit fornication, as some of them committed fornication. And twenty-three thousand fell in one day.

⁹ Nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted Him, and were destroyed by serpents.

¹⁰ Nor murmur, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed by the destroyer.

¹¹ Now all these things came to them for examples, and were written to admonish us, upon whom the ends of the world have come.

¹² Therefore, let him who thinks he stands take heed, lest he fall.

¹³ No trial has overtaken you except what is common to man. And God is faithful, Who will not allow you to be tried above that which you are able, but will also give you a means of escape with the trial, that you may be able to bear it.