Numbers 20:1-15

In the first month all the people of Israel arrived at the Desert of Zin, and they stayed at Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried. There was no water for the people, so they came together against Moses and Aaron. They argued with Moses and said, “We should have died in front of the LORD as our brothers did. Why did you bring the LORD’s people into this desert? Are we and our animals to die here? Why did you bring us from Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain, figs, grapevines, or pomegranates, and there’s no water to drink!” So Moses and Aaron left the people and went to the entrance of the Meeting Tent. There they bowed facedown, and the glory of the LORD appeared to them. The LORD said to Moses, “Take your walking stick, and you and your brother Aaron should gather the people. Speak to that rock in front of them so that its water will flow from it. When you bring the water out from that rock, give it to the people and their animals.” So Moses took the stick from in front of the LORD, as he had said. Moses and Aaron gathered the people in front of the rock, and Moses said, “Now listen to me, you who turn against God! Do you want us to bring water out of this rock?” Then Moses lifted his hand and hit the rock twice with his stick. Water began pouring out, and the people and their animals drank it. But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe me, and because you did not honor me as holy before the people, you will not lead them into the land I will give them.” These are the waters of Meribah, where the Israelites argued with the LORD and where he showed them he was holy. From Kadesh, Moses sent messengers to the king of Edom. He said, “Your brothers, the Israelites, say to you: You know about all the troubles we have had, how our ancestors went down into Egypt and we lived there for many years. The people of Egypt were cruel to us and our ancestors