1 Toda a assembléia dos filhos de Israel chegou ao deserto de Sin no primeiro mês. O povo ficou em Cades; ali morreu Maria, que foi sepultada no mesmo lugar.2 Como não houvesse água para a assembléia, o povo se ajuntou contra Moisés e Aarão,3 procurou disputar com Moisés e gritou: "Oxalá tivéssemos perecido com nossos irmãos diante do Senhor!4 Por que conduziste a assembléia do Senhor a este deserto, para nos deixares morrer aqui com os nossos rebanhos?5 Por que nos fizeste sair do Egito e nos trouxeste a este péssimo lugar, em que não se pode semear, e onde não há figueira, nem vinha, nem romãzeira, e tampouco há água para beber?"6 Moisés e Aarão deixaram a assembléia e dirigiram-se à entrada da tenda de reunião, onde se prostraram com a face por terra. Apareceu-lhes a glória do Senhor,7 e o Senhor disse a Moisés:8 "Toma a tua vara e convoca a assembléia, tu e teu irmão Aarão. Ordenareis ao rochedo, diante de todos, que dê as suas águas; farás brotar a água do rochedo e darás de beber à assembléia e aos seus rebanhos."9 Tomou Moisés a vara que estava diante do Senhor, como ele lhe tinha ordenado.10 Em seguida, tendo Moisés e Aarão convocado a assembléia diante do rochedo, disse-lhes Moisés: "Ouvi, rebeldes: acaso faremos nós brotar água deste rochedo?"11 Moisés levantou a mão e feriu o rochedo com a sua vara duas vezes; as águas jorraram em abundância, de sorte que beberam, o povo e os animais.12 Em seguida, disse o Senhor a Moisés e Aarão: "Porque faltastes à confiança em mim para fazer brilhar a minha santidade aos olhos dos israelitas, não introduzireis esta assembléia na terra que lhe destino."13 Estas são as águas de Meribá, onde os israelitas se queixaram do Senhor, e onde este fez resplandecer a sua santidade.14 De Cades, Moisés enviou mensageiros ao rei de Edom: "Eis, disseram-lhe eles, as palavras que te dirige o teu irmão Israel: sabes todos os males que temos passado.15 Nossos pais tinham descido ao Egito, onde habitamos durante muito tempo. Os egípcios, porém, nos maltrataram, a nós e a nossos pais.16 Clamamos ao Senhor, ele nos ouviu, e mandou-nos um anjo que nos tirou do Egito. Eis-nos agora aqui em Cades, cidade situada nos confins de teu território.17 Deixa-nos passar pela tua terra. Não atravessaremos os campos, nem as vinhas e não beberemos a água dos poços; mas seguiremos a estrada real sem nos desviarmos nem para a direita nem para a esquerda, até que tenhamos passado o teu território."18 Edom respondeu: "Tu não passarás pela minha terra; do contrário, sairei ao teu encontro com a espada na mão."19 Disseram-lhe os israelitas: "Tomaremos a estrada comum, e se bebermos de tua água, eu e os meus rebanhos, pagar-te-ei o preço. Não há perigo algum; só queremos passar."20 Edom replicou: "Tu não passarás." E veio em massa ao encontro deles com as armas na mão.21 Recusando Edom a passagem através do seu território, Israel tomou outra direção.22 Partiram de Cades. Toda a assembléia dos israelitas chegou ao monte Hor.23 Nesse lugar, que está nas fronteiras da terra de Edom, o Senhor disse a Moisés e a Aarão:24 Aarão vai ser reunido aos seus, porque ele não entrará na terra que destino aos filhos de Israel, visto terdes sido rebeldes à minha ordem nas águas de Meribá.25 Toma Aarão e seu filho Eleazar, e leva-os ao monte Hor.26 Despojarás Aarão de suas vestes e revestirás com elas o seu filho Eleazar. Aarão será reunido aos seus, e aí morrerá."27 Moisés fez como ordenou o Senhor: subiram o monte Hor à vista da assembléia.28 Despojando Aarão de suas vestes, Moisés revestiu com elas Eleazar, filho do sacerdote. Aarão morreu ali, no cimo do monte. Moisés e Eleazar desceram de novo,29 e toda a assembléia, ao saber da morte de Aarão, chorou-o durante trinta dias.
1 And the children of Israel, the whole congregation, came into the desert of Zin in the first month, and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there.2 And there was no water for the congregation; and they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron.3 And the people quarreled with Moses, and said thus, Oh that we had but perished when our brethren perished before the Lord!4 And why have ye brought the congregation of the Lord into this wilderness, to die there, we and our cattle!5 And wherefore have ye caused us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place? it is no place for sowing, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; and water even there is none to drink.6 And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell upon their faces: and the glory of the Lord appeared unto them.7 And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying,8 Take the staff, and gather the assembly together, thou, with Aaron thy brother, and ye shall speak unto the rock before their eyes, that it shall give forth its water; and thou shalt bring forth for them water out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their cattle.9 And Moses took the staff from before the Lord, as he had commanded him.10 And Moses and Aaron assembled the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels! shall we out of this rock bring forth water for you?11 And Moses lifted up his hand, and he smote the rock with his staff twice: and there came out much water, and the congregation drank, together with their cattle.12 And the Lord said unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye have not confided in me, to sanctify me before the eyes of the children of Israel: therefore shall ye not bring this congregation into the land which I have given to them.13 These are the waters of Meribah; where the children of Israel quarreled with the Lord, and through which he was sanctified.14 And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh unto the king of Edom, Thus hath said thy brother Israel, Thou knowest all the hardship that hath befallen us.15 How our fathers went down into Egypt, and we dwelt in Egypt many days; and the Egyptians did evil to us, and to our fathers:16 And we cried unto the Lord, and he heard our voice, and he sent a messenger, and caused us to go forth out of Egypt; and, behold, we are in Kadesh, a city at the outmost end of thy border.17 Let us pass, we pray thee, through thy country; we will not pass through field, or through vineyard, and we will not drink the water of the wells: by the kings highway will we go, we will not turn to the right hand nor to the left, until we have passed thy border.18 And Edom said unto him, Thou shalt not pass through my land, lest I come against thee with the sword.19 And the children of Israel said unto him, We will go by the highway: and if we drink of thy water, I and my cattle, then will I pay its value; I will do thee no injury, only on foot will I pass through.20 And he said, Thou shalt not pass through; and Edom came out against him with much people, and with a strong hand.21 And as Edom thus refused to permit Israel to pass through his border, Israel turned away from him.22 And they set forward from Kadesh; and the children of Israel, the whole congregation, came unto mount Hor.23 And the Lord said unto Moses and Aaron at mount Hor, by the boundary of the land of Edom, as followeth,24 Aaron shall be gathered unto his people; for he shall not enter into the land which I have given unto the children of Israel, because ye rebelled against my order at the waters of Meribah.25 Take Aaron and Elazar, his son, and cause them to go up unto mount Hor:26 And cause Aaron to take off his garments, and clothe therewith Elazar his son; and Aaron shall be gathered in, and he shall die there.27 And Moses did as the Lord had commanded; and they went up to mount Hor before the eyes of all the congregation.28 And Moses caused Aaron to take off his garments, and he clothed therewith Elazar his son; and Aaron died there on the top of the mount; and Moses and Elazar then came down from the mount.29 And when all the congregation saw that Aaron was departed, they wept for Aaron thirty days, even all the house of Israel.