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Numbers 20:3
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Moses’ Error at Kadesh

1 Thena the children of Israel, the whole congregation, came into the Wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed in bKadesh; and cMiriam died there and was buried there.  
2 aNow there was no water for the congregation; bso they gathered together against Moses and Aaron.  
3 And the people acontended with Moses and spoke, saying: “If only we had died bwhen our brethren died before the Lord!  
4 aWhy have you brought up the assembly of the Lord into this wilderness, that we and our animals should die here?  
5 And why have you made us come up out of Egypt, to bring us to this evil place? It is not a place of grain or figs or vines or pomegranates; nor is there any water to drink.”
6 So Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the door of the tabernacle of meeting, and athey fell on their faces. And bthe glory of the Lord appeared to them.  
7 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
8 a“Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation together. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water; thus byou shall bring water for them out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their animals.”  
9 So Moses took the rod afrom before the Lord as He commanded him.  
10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock; and he said to them, a“Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?”  
11 Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; aand water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank.  
12 Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Because ayou did not believe Me, to bhallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.”  
13 aThis was the water of1 Meribah, because the children of Israel contended with the Lord, and He was hallowed among them.  

Passage Through Edom Refused

14 aNow Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of bEdom. c“Thus says your brother Israel: ‘You know all the hardship that has befallen us,  
15 ahow our fathers went down to Egypt, band we dwelt in Egypt a long time, cand the Egyptians afflicted us and our fathers.  
Verse Comparison: Numbers 20:3

<< Numbers 20:2   Numbers 20:4 >>

American Standard Version
And the people strove with Moses, and spake, saying, Would that we had died when our brethren died before Jehovah!

Amplified® Bible
And the people contended with Moses, and said, Would that we had died when our brethren died [in the plague] before the Lord!

Contemporary English Version
and complained, "Moses, we'd be better off if we had died along with the others in front of the LORD's sacred tent.

Darby English Version
And the people contended with Moses, and spoke, saying, Would that we had died when our brethren died before Jehovah!

Good News Bible
and complained: "It would have been better if we had died in front of the LORD's Tent along with the other Israelites.

King James Version
And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the LORD!

New American Standard Bible
The people thus contended with Moses and spoke, saying, "If only we had perished when our brothers perished before the LORD!

New International Version
They quarreled with Moses and said, "If only we had died when our brothers fell dead before the LORD!

New King James Version
And the people contended with Moses and spoke, saying: “If only we had died when our brethren died before the LORD!

N.A.S.B. in E-Prime
The people thus contended with Moses and spoke, saying, " If only we had perished when our brothers perished before the LORD!

Revised Standard Version
And the people contended with Moses, and said, "Would that we had died when our brethren died before the LORD!

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

New English Translation
The people contended1 with Moses, saying,2 “If only3 we had died when our brothers died before the Lord!


<< Numbers 20:2   Numbers 20:4 >>

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