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Numbers 20:2-13
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Numbers 20:2-13
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Need for Water at Kadesh. 2 Since the community had no water, they held an assembly against Moses and Aaron. 3 The people quarreled with Moses, exclaiming, “Would that we had perished when our kindred perished before the Lord! 4 Why have you brought the Lord’s assembly into this wilderness for us and our livestock to die here? 5 Why have you brought us up out of Egypt, only to bring us to this wretched place? It is not a place for grain nor figs nor vines nor pomegranates! And there is no water to drink!” 6 But Moses and Aaron went away from the assembly to the entrance of the tent of meeting, where they fell prostrate.
Sin of Moses and Aaron. Then the glory of the Lord appeared to them, 7 and the Lord said to Moses: 8 Take the staff and assemble the community, you and Aaron your brother, and in their presence command the rock to yield its waters. Thereby you will bring forth water from the rock for them, and supply the community and their livestock with water. 9 So Moses took the staff from its place before the Lord, as he was ordered. 10 Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly in front of the rock, where he said to them,(A) “Just listen, you rebels! Are we to produce water for you out of this rock?” 11 (B)Then, raising his hand, Moses struck the rock twice[a] with his staff, and water came out in abundance, and the community and their livestock drank. 12 [b]But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron: Because you did not have confidence in me, to acknowledge my holiness before the Israelites, therefore you shall not lead this assembly into the land I have given them.
13 These are the waters of Meribah,(C) where the Israelites quarreled with the Lord, and through which he displayed his holiness.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 20:11 Twice: perhaps because he did not have sufficient faith to work the wonder with the first blow. Cf. v. 12.
- 20:12–13 What lay behind Moses and Aaron’s lack of confidence is not made explicit in the text. Holiness: an allusion to the name of the place, Kadesh, which means “holy, sanctified, sacred.” Meribah means “contention.” Cf. Ex 17:7.
Numbers 20:2-13
New International Version
Numbers 20:2-13
New International Version
2 Now there was no water(A) for the community,(B) and the people gathered in opposition(C) to Moses and Aaron. 3 They quarreled(D) with Moses and said, “If only we had died when our brothers fell dead(E) before the Lord!(F) 4 Why did you bring the Lord’s community into this wilderness,(G) that we and our livestock should die here?(H) 5 Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates.(I) And there is no water to drink!(J)”
6 Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the tent of meeting(K) and fell facedown,(L) and the glory of the Lord(M) appeared to them. 7 The Lord said to Moses, 8 “Take the staff,(N) and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water.(O) You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink.”
9 So Moses took the staff(P) from the Lord’s presence,(Q) just as he commanded him. 10 He and Aaron gathered the assembly together(R) in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?”(S) 11 Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water(T) gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.
12 But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy(U) in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.”(V)
13 These were the waters of Meribah,[a](W) where the Israelites quarreled(X) with the Lord and where he was proved holy among them.(Y)
Footnotes
- Numbers 20:13 Meribah means quarreling.
New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)
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