The Wilderness Years

`And every one who cometh, on the face of the field, against the pierced of a sword, or against the dead, or against a bone of man, or against a grave, is unclean seven days;

and they have taken for the unclean person of the ashes of the burning of the cleansing , and he hath put upon it running water unto a vessel;

and a clean person hath taken hyssop, and hath dipped it in water, and hath sprinkled on the tent, and on all the vessels, and on the persons who have been there, and on him who is coming against a bone, or against one pierced, or against the dead, or against a grave.

`And the clean hath sprinkled it on the unclean on the third day, and on the seventh day, and hath cleansed him on the seventh day, and he hath washed his garments, and hath bathed with water, and hath been clean in the evening.

`And the man who is unclean, and doth not cleanse himself, even that person hath been cut off from the midst of the assembly; for the sanctuary of Jehovah he hath defiled; water of separation is not sprinkled upon him; he is unclean.

`And it hath been to them for a statute age-during, that he who is sprinkling the water of separation doth wash his garments, and he who is coming against the water of separation is unclean till the evening,

and all against which the unclean person cometh is unclean, and the person who is coming against it is unclean till the evening.'

And the sons of Israel come in, --all the company--to the wilderness of Zin, in the first month, and the people abide in Kadesh, and Miriam dieth there, and is buried there.

And there hath been no water for the company, and they are assembled against Moses, and against Aaron,

and the people strive with Moses, and speak, saying, `And oh that we had expired when our brethren expired before Jehovah!

and why have ye brought in the assembly of Jehovah unto this wilderness to die there, we and our beasts?

and why hast thou brought us up out of Egypt to bring us in unto this evil place? no place of seed, and fig, and vine, and pomegranate; and water there is none to drink.

And Moses and Aaron go in from the presence of the assembly unto the opening of the tent of meeting, and fall on their faces, and the honour of Jehovah is seen by them.

And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying,

`Take the rod, and assemble the company, thou and Aaron thy brother; and ye have spoken unto the rock before their eyes, and it hath given its water, and thou hast brought out to them water from the rock, and hast watered the company, and their beasts.'

And Moses taketh the rod from before Jehovah, as He hath commanded him,

and Moses and Aaron assemble the assembly unto the front of the rock, and he saith to them, `Hear, I pray you, O rebels, from this rock do we bring out to you water?'

and Moses lifteth up his hand, and smiteth the rock with his rod twice; and much water cometh out, and the company drink, also their beasts.

And Jehovah saith unto Moses, and unto Aaron, `Because ye have not believed in Me to sanctify Me before the eyes of the sons of Israel, therefore ye do not bring in this assembly unto the land which I have given to them.'

These are waters of Meribah, because the sons of Israel have `striven' with Jehovah, and He is sanctified upon them.

And Moses sendeth messengers from Kadesh unto the king of Edom, `Thus said thy brother Israel, Thou--thou hast known all the travail which hath found us;

that our fathers go down to Egypt, and we dwell in Egypt many days, and the Egyptians do evil to us and to our fathers;

and we cry unto Jehovah, and He heareth our voice, and sendeth a messenger, and is bringing us out of Egypt; and lo, we are in Kadesh, a city in the extremity of thy border.

Let us pass over, we pray thee, through thy land; we pass not over through a field, or through a vineyard, nor do we drink waters of a well; the way of the king we go, we turn not aside--right or left--till that we pass over thy border.'

And Edom saith unto him, `Thou dost not pass over through me, lest with sword I come out to meet thee.'