Numbers 20

The Death of Miriam

1 And the people of Israel, the whole congregation, came k into the wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh. And l Miriam died there and was buried there.

The Waters of Meribah

2 m Now there was no water for the congregation. n And they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. 3 And the people o quarreled with Moses and said, "Would that we had perished p 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 q 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 r fell on their faces. s And the glory of the Lord appeared to them, 7 and the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 8 t "Take the staff, and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and tell the rock before their eyes to yield its water. So u 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 v 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, w "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, u and water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their livestock. 12 And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, "Because x you did not believe in me, y 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 z These are the waters of Meribah, 1 where the people of Israel quarreled with the Lord, and through them he showed himself holy.

Edom Refuses Passage

14 a Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to b the king of Edom: "Thus says c your brother Israel: You know all the hardship that we have met: 15 d how our fathers went down to Egypt, e and we lived in Egypt a long time. f And the Egyptians dealt harshly with us and our fathers. 16 And g when we cried to the Lord, he heard our voice and h sent an angel and brought us out of Egypt. And here we are in Kadesh, a city on the edge of your territory. 17 i Please let us pass through your land. We will not pass through field or vineyard, j 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, k and if we drink of your water, I and my livestock, l then I will pay for it. Let me only pass through on foot, nothing more." 20 But he said, m "You shall not pass through." And Edom came out against them with a large army and with a strong force. 21 Thus Edom n refused to give Israel passage through his territory, so Israel o turned away from him.

The Death of Aaron

22 And they journeyed from p Kadesh, and the people of Israel, the whole congregation, came to q Mount Hor. 23 And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron at Mount Hor, on the border of the land of Edom, 24 r "Let Aaron be gathered to his people, for he shall not enter the land that I have given to the people of Israel, because s 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 r 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 t And Moses stripped Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son. And Aaron died there u 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, v all the house of Israel wept for Aaron thirty days.

  1. Cross References
    Numbers 13:21
    So they went up and spied out the land from the wilderness of Zin to Rehob, near Lebo-hamath.
  2. Cross References
    Numbers 12:1
    Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman.
    Numbers 26:59
    The name of Amram's wife was Jochebed the daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi in Egypt. And she bore to Amram Aaron and Moses and Miriam their sister.
    Exodus 15:20
    Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women went out after her with tambourines and dancing.
  3. Cross References
    Exodus 17:1
    All the congregation of the people of Israel moved on from the wilderness of Sin by stages, according to the commandment of the Lord, and camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink.
  4. Cross References
    Numbers 16:19
    Then Korah assembled all the congregation against them at the entrance of the tent of meeting. And the glory of the Lord appeared to all the congregation.
    Numbers 16:42
    And when the congregation had assembled against Moses and against Aaron, they turned toward the tent of meeting. And behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord appeared.
  5. Cross References
    Numbers 14:2
    And all the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The whole congregation said to them, "Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness!
    Exodus 17:2
    Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, "Give us water to drink." And Moses said to them, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord ?
  6. Cross References
    Numbers 11:1
    And the people complained in the hearing of the...
    Numbers 11:33
    While the meat was yet between their teeth, bef...
    Numbers 14:37
    The men who brought up a bad report of the land...
    Numbers 16:32 - 33
    And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed th...
    Numbers 16:35
    And fire came out from the Lord and consumed th...
    Numbers 16:49
    Now those who died in the plague were 14,700, b...
  7. Cross References
    Exodus 17:3
    But the people thirsted there for water, and the people grumbled against Moses and said, "Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?
  8. Cross References
    Numbers 14:5
    Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the people of Israel.
    Numbers 16:4
    When Moses heard it, he fell on his face.
    Numbers 16:22
    And they fell on their faces and said, "O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and will you be angry with all the congregation?
    Numbers 16:45
    Get away from the midst of this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment." And they fell on their faces.
  9. Cross References
    Leviticus 9:23
    And Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting, and when they came out they blessed the people, and the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people.
  10. Cross References
    Exodus 17:5
    And the Lord said to Moses, "Pass on before the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel, and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go.
  11. Cross References
    Exodus 17:6
    Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink." And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel.
  12. Cross References
    Numbers 17:10
    And the Lord said to Moses, "Put back the staff of Aaron before the testimony, to be kept as a sign for the rebels, that you may make an end of their grumblings against me, lest they die.
  13. Cross References
    Psalms 106:32 - 33
    They angered him at the waters of Meribah, and it went ill with Moses on their account.
  14. Cross References
    Numbers 20:8
    "Take the staff, and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and tell the rock before their eyes to yield its water. So you shall bring water out of the rock for them and give drink to the congregation and their cattle."
  15. Cross References
    Numbers 27:14
    Because you rebelled against my word in the wilderness of Zin when the congregation quarreled, failing to uphold me as holy at the waters before their eyes." (These are the waters of Meribah of Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.)
    Deuteronomy 1:37
    Even with me the Lord was angry on your account and said, 'You also shall not go in there.
    Deuteronomy 3:26
    But the Lord was angry with me because of you and would not listen to me. And the Lord said to me, 'Enough from you; do not speak to me of this matter again.
    Deuteronomy 32:51
    Because you broke faith with me in the midst of the people of Israel at the waters of Meribah-kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin, and because you did not treat me as holy in the midst of the people of Israel.
  16. Cross References
    Ezekiel 20:41
    As a pleasing aroma I will accept you, when I bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you have been scattered. And I will manifest my holiness among you in the sight of the nations.
    Ezekiel 36:23
    And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them. And the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Lord God, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes.
    Ezekiel 38:16
    You will come up against my people Israel, like a cloud covering the land. In the latter days I will bring you against my land, that the nations may know me, when through you, O Gog, I vindicate my holiness before their eyes.
  17. Cross References
    Numbers 27:14
    Because you rebelled against my word in the wil...
    Exodus 17:7
    And he called the name of the place Massah and ...
    Deuteronomy 32:51
    Because you broke faith with me in the midst of...
    Deuteronomy 33:8
    And of Levi he said, "Give to Levi your Thummim...
    Psalms 81:7
    In distress you called, and I delivered you; I ...
    Psalms 95:8
    Do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as on...
    Psalms 106:32
    They angered him at the waters of Meribah, and ...
  18. Cross References
    Judges 11:16 - 17
    But when they came up from Egypt, Israel went through the wilderness to the Red Sea and came to Kadesh.
  19. Cross References
    Genesis 36:31 - 39
    These are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom, before any king reigned over the Israelites.
  20. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 2:4
    And command the people, "You are about to pass through the territory of your brothers, the people of Esau, who live in Seir; and they will be afraid of you. So be very careful.
    Deuteronomy 2:8
    So we went on, away from our brothers, the people of Esau, who live in Seir, away from the Arabah road from Elath and Ezion-geber. "And we turned and went in the direction of the wilderness of Moab.
    Deuteronomy 23:7
    You shall not abhor an Edomite, for he is your brother. You shall not abhor an Egyptian, because you were a sojourner in his land.
    Obadiah 1:10
    Because of the violence done to your brother Jacob, shame shall cover you, and you shall be cut off forever.
    Obadiah 1:12
    But do not gloat over the day of your brother in the day of his misfortune; do not rejoice over the people of Judah in the day of their ruin; do not boast in the day of distress.
  21. Cross References
    Genesis 46:6
    They also took their livestock and their goods, which they had gained in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob and all his offspring with him.
    Acts 7:15
    And Jacob went down into Egypt, and he died, he and our fathers.
  22. Cross References
    Exodus 12:40
    The time that the people of Israel lived in Egypt was 430 years.
  23. Cross References
    Exodus 1:11
    Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with heavy burdens. They built for Pharaoh store cities, Pithom and Raamses.
    Deuteronomy 26:6
    And the Egyptians treated us harshly and humiliated us and laid on us hard labor.
  24. Cross References
    Exodus 2:23
    During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God.
    Exodus 3:7
    Then the Lord said, "I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings.
  25. Cross References
    Exodus 3:2
    And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed.
    Exodus 14:19
    Then the angel of God who was going before the host of Israel moved and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them.
    Exodus 23:20
    Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared.
    Exodus 33:2
    I will send an angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanites, the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
  26. Cross References
    Numbers 21:22
    "Let me pass through your land. We will not turn aside into field or vineyard. We will not drink the water of a well. We will go by the King's Highway until we have passed through your territory."
    Deuteronomy 2:27
    Let me pass through your land. I will go only by the road; I will turn aside neither to the right nor to the left.
  27. Cross References
    Numbers 20:19
    And the people of Israel said to him, "We will go up by the highway, and if we drink of your water, I and my livestock, then I will pay for it. Let me only pass through on foot, nothing more.
  28. Cross References
    Numbers 20:17
    Please let us pass through your land. We will not pass through field or vineyard, 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.
  29. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 2:6
    You shall purchase food from them for money, that you may eat, and you shall also buy water of them for money, that you may drink.
    Deuteronomy 2:28
    You shall sell me food for money, that I may eat, and give me water for money, that I may drink. Only let me pass through on foot.
  30. Cross References
    Judges 11:17
    Israel then sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, 'Please let us pass through your land,' but the king of Edom would not listen. And they sent also to the king of Moab, but he would not consent. So Israel remained at Kadesh.
    Amos 1:11
    Thus says the Lord : "For three transgressions of Edom, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment, because he pursued his brother with the sword and cast off all pity, and his anger tore perpetually, and he kept his wrath forever.
  31. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 2:29
    As the sons of Esau who live in Seir and the Moabites who live in Ar did for me, until I go over the Jordan into the land that the Lord our God is giving to us.
  32. Cross References
    Numbers 21:4
    From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way.
    Deuteronomy 2:8
    So we went on, away from our brothers, the people of Esau, who live in Seir, away from the Arabah road from Elath and Ezion-geber. "And we turned and went in the direction of the wilderness of Moab.
    Judges 11:18
    Then they journeyed through the wilderness and went around the land of Edom and the land of Moab and arrived on the east side of the land of Moab and camped on the other side of the Arnon. But they did not enter the territory of Moab, for the Arnon was the boundary of Moab.
  33. Cross References
    Numbers 33:37
    And they set out from Kadesh and camped at Mount Hor, on the edge of the land of Edom.
  34. Cross References
    Numbers 21:4
    From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way.
    Numbers 33:37
    And they set out from Kadesh and camped at Mount Hor, on the edge of the land of Edom.
  35. Cross References
    Numbers 27:13
    When you have seen it, you also shall be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was.
    Deuteronomy 32:50
    And die on the mountain which you go up, and be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother died in Mount Hor and was gathered to his people.
    Numbers 31:2
    "Avenge the people of Israel on the Midianites. Afterward you shall be gathered to your people."
    Genesis 25:8
    Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people.
  36. Cross References
    Numbers 20:12
    And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not believe in me, 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.
  37. Cross References
    Numbers 20:24
    Let Aaron be gathered to his people, for he shall not enter the land that I have given to the people of Israel, because you rebelled against my command at the waters of Meribah.
  38. Cross References
    Exodus 29:29 - 30
    The holy garments of Aaron shall be for his sons after him; they shall be anointed in them and ordained in them.
  39. Cross References
    Numbers 33:38
    And Aaron the priest went up Mount Hor at the command of the Lord and died there, in the fortieth year after the people of Israel had come out of the land of Egypt, on the first day of the fifth month.
    Deuteronomy 32:50
    And die on the mountain which you go up, and be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother died in Mount Hor and was gathered to his people.
    Deuteronomy 10:6
    (The people of Israel journeyed from Beeroth Bene-jaakan to Moserah. There Aaron died, and there he was buried. And his son Eleazar ministered as priest in his place.
  40. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 34:8
    And the people of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days. Then the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
Previous Book Next Book