The Wilderness Years

“We will stay on the main road,” the Israelites replied, “and if we or our herds drink your water, we will pay for it. There will be no problem; only let us pass through on foot.”

But Edom insisted, “You may not pass through.” And they came out to confront the Israelites with a large army and a strong hand.

So Edom refused to allow Israel to pass through their territory, and Israel turned away from them.

After they had set out from Kadesh, the whole congregation of Israel came to Mount Hor.

And at Mount Hor, near the border of the land of Edom, the LORD said to Moses and Aaron,

“Aaron will be gathered to his people; he will not enter the land that I have given the Israelites, because both of you rebelled against My command at the waters of Meribah.

Take Aaron and his son Eleazar and bring them up Mount Hor.

Remove Aaron’s priestly garments and put them on his son Eleazar. Aaron will be gathered to his people and will die there.”

So Moses did as the LORD had commanded, and they climbed Mount Hor in the sight of the whole congregation.

After Moses had removed Aaron’s garments and put them on his son Eleazar, Aaron died there on top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain.

When the whole congregation saw that Aaron had died, the entire house of Israel mourned for him thirty days.

When the Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the Negev, heard that Israel was coming along the road to Atharim, he attacked Israel and captured some prisoners.

So Israel made a vow to the LORD: “If You will deliver this people into our hands, we will devote their cities to destruction.”

And the LORD heard Israel’s plea and delivered up the Canaanites. Israel devoted them and their cities to destruction; so they named the place Hormah.

Then they set out from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, in order to bypass the land of Edom. But the people grew impatient on the journey

and spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you led us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread or water, and we detest this wretched food!”

So the LORD sent venomous snakes among the people, and many of the Israelites were bitten and died.

Then the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned by speaking against the LORD and against you. Intercede with the LORD so He will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses interceded for the people.

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and mount it on a pole. When anyone who is bitten looks at it, he will live.”

So Moses made a bronze snake and mounted it on a pole. If anyone who was bitten looked at the bronze snake, he would live.

Then the Israelites set out and camped at Oboth.

They journeyed from Oboth and camped at Iye-abarim in the wilderness opposite Moab to the east.

From there they set out and camped in the Valley of Zered.

From there they moved on and camped on the other side of the Arnon, in the wilderness that extends into the Amorite territory. Now the Arnon is the border between the Moabites and the Amorites.

Therefore it is stated in the Book of the Wars of the LORD: “Waheb in Suphah and the wadis of the Arnon,