Water from the Rock (Exodus 17:1–7)
1 Brenton And the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, came into the wilderness of Sin, in the first month, and the people abode in Cades; and Mariam died there, and was buried there. BSB BSB: In the first month, the whole congregation of Israel entered the Wilderness of Zin and stayed in Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried.
2 Brenton And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and Aaron. BSB BSB: Now there was no water for the congregation, so they gathered against Moses and Aaron.
3 Brenton And the people reviled Moses, saying, Would we had died in the destruction of our brethren before the Lord! BSB BSB: The people quarreled with Moses and said, “If only we had perished with our brothers before the LORD!
4 Brenton And wherefore have ye brought up the congregation of the Lord into this wilderness, to kill us and our cattle? BSB BSB: Why have you brought the LORD’s assembly into this wilderness for us and our livestock to die here?
5 Brenton And wherefore is this? Ye have brought us up out of Egypt, that we should come into this evil place; a place where there is no sowing, neither figs, nor vines, nor pomegranates, neither is there water to drink. BSB BSB: Why have you led us up out of Egypt to bring us to this wretched place? It is not a place of grain, figs, vines, or pomegranates—and there is no water to drink!”
6 Brenton And Moses and Aaron went from before the assembly to the door of the tabernacle of witness, and they fell upon their faces; and the glory of the Lord appeared to them. BSB BSB: Then Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. They fell facedown, and the glory of the LORD appeared to them.
7 Brenton And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, BSB BSB: And the LORD said to Moses,
8 Brenton Take thy rod, and call the assembly, thou and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye to the rock before them, and it shall give forth its waters; and ye shall bring forth for them water out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their cattle. BSB BSB: “Take the staff and assemble the congregation. You and your brother Aaron are to speak to the rock while they watch, and it will pour out its water. You will bring out water from the rock and provide drink for the congregation and their livestock.”
9 Brenton And Moses took his rod which was before the Lord, as the Lord commanded. BSB BSB: So Moses took the staff from the LORD’s presence, just as he had been commanded.
10 Brenton And Moses and Aaron assembled the congregation before the rock, and said to them, Hear me, ye disobedient ones; must we bring you water out of this rock? BSB BSB: Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly in front of the rock, and Moses said to them, “Listen now, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?”
11 Brenton And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his rod twice; and much water came forth, and the congregation drank, and their cattle. BSB BSB: Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff, so that a great amount of water gushed out, and the congregation and their livestock were able to drink.
12 Brenton And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, Because ye have not believed me to sanctify me before the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them. BSB BSB: But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust Me to show My holiness in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.”
13 Brenton This is the water of Strife, because the children of Israel spoke insolently before the Lord, and he was sanctified in them. BSB BSB: These were the waters of Meribah, where the Israelites quarreled with the LORD, and He showed His holiness among them.
Edom Refuses Passage 14 Brenton And Moses sent messengers from Cades to the king of Edom, saying, Thus says thy brother Israel; Thou knowest all the distress that has come upon us. BSB BSB: From Kadesh, Moses sent messengers to tell the king of Edom, “This is what your brother Israel says: You know all the hardship that has befallen us,
15 Brenton And how our fathers went down into Egypt, and we sojourned in Egypt many days, and the Egyptians afflicted us and our fathers. BSB BSB: how our fathers went down to Egypt, where we lived many years. The Egyptians mistreated us and our fathers,
16 Brenton And we cried to the Lord, and the Lord heard our voice, and sent an angel and brought us out of Egypt; and now we are in the city of Cades, at the extremity of thy coasts. BSB BSB: and when we cried out to the LORD, He heard our voice, sent an angel, and brought us out of Egypt. Now look, we are in Kadesh, a city on the edge of your territory.
17 Brenton We will pass through thy land: we will not go through the fields, nor through the vineyards, nor will we drink water out of thy cistern: we will go by the king's highway; we will not turn aside to the right hand or to the left, until we have passed thy borders. BSB BSB: Please let us pass through your land. We will not go through any field or vineyard, or drink water from any well. We will stay on the King’s Highway; we will not turn to the right or to the left until we have passed through your territory.”
18 Brenton And Edom said to him, Thou shalt not pass through me, and if otherwise, I will go forth to meet thee in war. BSB BSB: But Edom answered, “You may not travel through our land, or we will come out and confront you with the sword.”
19 Brenton And the children of Israel say to him, We will pass by the mountain; and if I and my cattle drink of thy water, I will pay thee: but it is no matter of importance, we will go by the mountain. BSB BSB: “We will stay on the main road,” the Israelites replied, “and if we or our herds drink your water, we will pay for it. There will be no problem; only let us pass through on foot.”
20 Brenton And he said, Thou shalt not pass through me; and Edom went forth to meet him with a great host, and a mighty hand. BSB BSB: But Edom insisted, “You may not pass through.” And they came out to confront the Israelites with a large army and a strong hand.
21 Brenton So Edom refused to allow Israel to pass through his borders, and Israel turned away from him. BSB BSB: So Edom refused to allow Israel to pass through their territory, and Israel turned away from them.
The Death of Aaron 22 Brenton And they departed from Cades; and the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, came to Mount Or. BSB BSB: After they had set out from Kadesh, the whole congregation of Israel came to Mount Hor.
23 Brenton And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron in mount Or, on the borders of the land of Edom, saying, BSB BSB: And at Mount Hor, near the border of the land of Edom, the LORD said to Moses and Aaron,
24 Brenton Let Aaron be added to his people; for ye shall certainly not go into the land which I have given the children of Israel, because ye provoked me at the water of strife. BSB BSB: “Aaron will be gathered to his people; he will not enter the land that I have given the Israelites, because both of you rebelled against My command at the waters of Meribah.
25 Brenton Take Aaron, and Eleazar his son, and bring them up to the mount Or before all the congregation; BSB BSB: Take Aaron and his son Eleazar and bring them up Mount Hor.
26 Brenton and take Aaron's apparel from off him, and put it on Eleazar his son: and let Aaron die there and be added to his people . BSB BSB: Remove Aaron’s priestly garments and put them on his son Eleazar. Aaron will be gathered to his people and will die there.”
27 Brenton And Moses did as the Lord commanded him, and took him up to mount Or, before all the congregation. BSB BSB: So Moses did as the LORD had commanded, and they climbed Mount Hor in the sight of the whole congregation.
28 Brenton And he took Aaron's garments off him, and put them on Eleazar his son, and Aaron died on the top of the mountain; and Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain. BSB BSB: After Moses had removed Aaron’s garments and put them on his son Eleazar, Aaron died there on top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain.
29 Brenton And all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead: and they wept for Aaron thirty days, even all the house of Israel. BSB BSB: When the whole congregation saw that Aaron had died, the entire house of Israel mourned for him thirty days.
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