Contention at Kadesh
Numbers 20, verse 1. Now the children of Israel, the whole congregation, came into the Desert of Sin in the first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh; and Miriam died and was buried there. Numbers 20, verse 2. But there was no water for the congregation; so they gathered together against Moses and Aaron. Numbers 20, verse 3. So the people scoffed at Moses and spoke, saying, “Would we had died in the destruction of our brethren before the Lord. Numbers 20, verse 4. Why have you brought up the Lord's congregation into this desert to kill us and our cattle? Numbers 20, verse 5. Why did you also bring us up out of Egypt, to bring us to this evil place?—a place where nothing is sown, neither figs nor vines nor pomegranates; nor is there any water to drink.” Numbers 20, verse 6. So Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the congregation to the door of the tabernacle of testimony and fell on their faces. Then the glory of the Lord appeared to them. Numbers 20, verse 7. The Lord then spoke to Moses, saying, Numbers 20, verse 8. “Take the rod; and you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation together. Speak to the rock before them, and it will give its waters; thus you shall bring them water out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their cattle.” Numbers 20, verse 9. So Moses took the rod from before the Lord as the Lord ordered him. Numbers 20, verse 10. Then Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock; and he said to them, “Hear me, you disobedient ones. Must we bring water for you out of this rock?” Numbers 20, verse 11. Moses then lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their cattle drank. Numbers 20, verse 12. But the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe Me, to sanctify Me before the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this congregation into the land I am giving them.” Numbers 20, verse 13. This was the Water of Contention, because the children of Israel scoffed before the Lord, and He was sanctified among them.
Rejection at Edom
Numbers 20, verse 14. Now Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, saying, “Thus says your brother Israel, ‘You know all the hardship that befell us, Numbers 20, verse 15. how our fathers went down to Egypt, and we dwelt in Egypt a long time, and the Egyptians afflicted us and our fathers. Numbers 20, verse 16. But we cried out to the Lord; and the Lord heard our voice, and sent His Angel and brought us up out of Egypt; now here we are in Kadesh, a city just outside your borders. Numbers 20, verse 17. Let us pass through your country. We will not pass through fields or vineyards, nor will we drink water from wells; we will go along the King's Highway; we will not turn aside to the right hand or to the left until we pass through your borders.’” Numbers 20, verse 18. Then Edom said to him, “You shall not pass through me, lest I come out against you in war.” Numbers 20, verse 19. So the children of Israel said to him, “We would go along the mountainous area, but if I or my cattle should drink any of your water, I would pay you. But the matter is nothing; let us pass along the mountainous area.” Numbers 20, verse 20. But he replied, “You shall not pass through me.” So Edom came out against him with a heavily armed multitude and with a strong hand. Numbers 20, verse 21. Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his borders; and Israel turned away from him.
The Death of Aaron
Numbers 20, verse 22. So the children of Israel, the whole congregation, journeyed from Kadesh and came to Mount Hor. Numbers 20, verse 23. Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron in Mount Hor by the borders of the land of Edom, saying, Numbers 20, verse 24. “Let Aaron be added to his people, for he shall not enter the land I am giving to the children of Israel, because you provoked Me at the Water of Controversy. Numbers 20, verse 25. Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up to Mount Hor before all the congregation; Numbers 20, verse 26. and strip Aaron of his robe, and put it on Eleazar his son; and let Aaron die there and be added to his people.” Numbers 20, verse 27. So Moses did as the Lord ordered, and took him up to Mount Hor before all the congregation. Numbers 20, verse 28. Then Moses stripped Aaron of his garments, and put them on Eleazar his son; and Aaron died there on the top of the mountain, and afterward Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain. Numbers 20, verse 29. Now all the congregation saw Aaron was dead, and all the house of Israel mourned for Aaron thirty days.