²The people didn’t have any water. So they gathered together to oppose Moses and Aaron. ³They argued with Moses. They said, “We wish we had died when our people fell dead in front of the Lord.

⁴“Why did you bring the Lord’s people into this desert? We and our livestock will die here. ⁵Why did you bring us up out of Egypt? Why did you bring us to this terrible place? It doesn’t have any grain or figs. It doesn’t have any grapes or pomegranates. There isn’t even any water for us to drink!”

⁶Moses and Aaron left the people. They went to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. There they fell with their faces to the ground.

Then the glory of the Lord appeared to them. ⁷The Lord spoke to Moses. He said, ⁸“Get your wooden staff. You and your brother Aaron gather the people together. Then speak to that rock while everyone is watching. It will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community. Then they and their livestock can drink it.”

⁹So Moses took the wooden staff from the tent. He did just as the Lord had commanded him. ¹⁰He and Aaron gathered the people together in front of the rock. Moses said to them, “Listen, you who refuse to obey! Do we have to bring water out of this rock for you?”

¹¹Then Moses raised his arm. He hit the rock twice with his staff. Water poured out. And the people and their livestock drank it.

¹²But the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron. He said, “You did not trust in me enough to honor me. You did not honor me as the holy God in front of the people of Israel. So you will not bring this community into the land I am giving them.”

¹³Those were the waters of Meribah. That’s where the people of Israel argued with the Lord. And that’s where he showed them he is holy.

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