18 oAnd they set out from Hazeroth and camped at Rithmah. 19 And they set out from Rithmah and camped at Rimmon-perez. 20 And they set out from Rimmon-perez and camped at Libnah. 21 And they set out from Libnah and camped at Rissah. 22 And they set out from Rissah and camped at Kehelathah. 23 And they set out from Kehelathah and camped at Mount Shepher. 24 And they set out from Mount Shepher and camped at Haradah. 25 And they set out from Haradah and camped at Makheloth. 26 And they set out from Makheloth and camped at Tahath. 27 And they set out from Tahath and camped at Terah. 28 And they set out from Terah and camped at Mithkah. 29 And they set out from Mithkah and camped at Hashmonah. 30 And they set out from Hashmonah and camped at pMoseroth. 31 And they set out from Moseroth and camped at Bene-jaakan. 32 And they set out from Bene-jaakan and camped at Hor-haggidgad. 33 And they set out from Hor-haggidgad and camped at qJotbathah. 34 And they set out from Jotbathah and camped at Abronah. 35 And they set out from Abronah and camped at Ezion-geber.
The Death of Miriam
1 And the people of Israel, the whole congregation, came into the wilderness of lZin in the first month, and the people stayed in mKadesh. And Miriam died there and was buried there.
The Waters of Meribah
2 nNow there was ono water for the congregation. And they assembled themselves together pagainst Moses and against Aaron. 3 And the people qquarreled with Moses and said, r“Would that we had perished swhen our brothers perished before the Lord! 4 tWhy have you brought the assembly of the Lord into this wilderness, that we should die here, both we and our cattle? 5 And why have you made us come up out of Egypt to bring us to this evil place? uIt 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 vfell on their faces. And the glory of the Lord wappeared to them, 7 and the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 8 “Take the staff, and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and xtell 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.” 9 And Moses took the staff yfrom 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, “Hear now, you zrebels: 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, and water came out abundantly, and the congregation adrank, and their livestock. 12 And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, b“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.” 13 These are the waters of cMeribah,1 where the people of Israel quarreled with the Lord, and through them he dshowed himself holy.
Edom Refuses Passage
14 eMoses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom: “Thus says your brother Israel: You know all the hardship that we have met: 15 how our fathers fwent down to Egypt, and we lived in Egypt ga long time. And the Egyptians hdealt harshly with us and our fathers. 16 And when we icried to the Lord, he jheard our voice and sent an kangel and brought us out of Egypt. And here we are in Kadesh, a city on the edge of your territory. 17 Please llet 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.” 18 mBut 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, and if we drink of your water, I and my livestock, then I will npay for it. Let me only pass through on foot, nothing more.” 20 But he said, “You shall not pass through.” And Edom came out against them with a large army and with a strong force. 21 Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his territory, oso Israel turned away from him.
The Death of Aaron
22 pAnd they journeyed from Kadesh, and the people of Israel, the whole congregation, came to Mount Hor. 23 And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron at Mount Hor, on the border of the land of Edom, 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. 25 Take Aaron and Eleazar his son and qbring them up to Mount Hor. 26 And strip Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son. And Aaron 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 rAnd Moses stripped Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son. And sAaron died there on the top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain.
38 And Aaron the priest went up Mount Hor at the command of the Lord and tdied 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. 39 And uAaron was 123 years old when he died on Mount Hor.
29 And when all the congregation saw that Aaron had perished, all the house of Israel twept for Aaron thirty days.
Book Four
From Everlasting to Everlasting
A Prayer of Moses, the man of God.
1 Lord, you have been pour dwelling place1
in all generations.
2 qBefore the mountains were brought forth,
or ever you had formed the earth and the world,
rfrom everlasting to everlasting you are God.
3 You sreturn man to dust
and say, “Return, O children of man!”2
4 For ta thousand years in your sight
are but as yesterday when it is past,
or as a watch in the night.
5 You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream,
like grass that is renewed in the morning:
6 in the morning it flourishes and is renewed;
in the evening it fades and withers.
7 For we are brought to an end by your anger;
by your wrath we are dismayed.
8 You have set our iniquities before you,
our usecret sins in the light of your presence.
9 For all our days pass away under your wrath;
we bring our years to an end like a sigh.
10 The years of our life are seventy,
or even by reason of strength eighty;
vyet their span3 is but toil and trouble;
wthey are soon gone, and we fly away.
11 Who considers the power of your anger,
and your wrath according to the fear of you?
12 So xteach us to number our days
that we may get a heart of wisdom.
13 Return, O Lord! How long?
yHave pity on your servants!
14 Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,
that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
and for as many years as we have seen evil.
16 Let your work be shown to your servants,
and your glorious power to their children.
17 Let the favor4 of the Lord our God be upon us,
and establish the work of our hands upon us;
yes, establish the work of our hands!
