4. Did you bring the Lord’s assembly into this desert just to have us and our animals die here?
5. Why did you make us leave Egypt and bring us into this terrible place? This is no place to plant crops. Even figs, grapes, and pomegranates won’t grow here. And there’s no water to drink!”
6. Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance of the tent of meeting. Immediately, they bowed with their faces touching the ground, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them.
7. The Lord said to Moses,
8. “Take your staff, then you and your brother Aaron gather the community. Right before their eyes, tell the rock to give up its water. In this way you will give the community water from the rock for them and their animals to drink.”
9. Moses took his staff out of ⌊the tent in⌋ the Lord’s presence as he had been commanded.
10. Then Moses and Aaron assembled the community in front of the rock and said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring water out of this rock for you?”
11. Moses raised his hand and hit the rock twice with the staff. Water came pouring out, and all the people and their animals drank.
12. But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “You didn’t trust me! You didn’t show the Israelites how holy I am! So you will not bring this congregation into the land I’m giving them.”
13. This was the oasis of Meribah [Complaining], where the Israelites complained about the Lord and where he showed them he was holy.
14. Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom. He said, “This is what your brother Israel says: You know all the hardships we’ve had.