*Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, ainto the desert of Zin in the first month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and bMiriam died there, and was buried there. 2 cAnd there was no water for the congregation: dand they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. 3 And the people echode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died fwhen our brethren died before the Lord! 4 And gwhy have ye brought up the congregation of the Lord into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there? 5 And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place? it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink. 6 And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and hthey fell upon their faces: and ithe glory of the Lord appeared unto them.

7 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 8 kTake the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and lthou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink. 9 And Moses took the rod mfrom before the Lord, as he commanded him. 10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, nHear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock? 11 And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and othe water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.

12 And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because pye believed me not, to qsanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them. 13 rThis is the water of ||Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with the Lord, and he was sanctified in them.