²³ When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah.^[a](A)) ²⁴ So the people grumbled^(B) against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?”^(C)

²⁵ Then Moses cried out^(D) to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. He threw^(E) it into the water, and the water became fit to drink.

There the Lord issued a ruling and instruction for them and put them to the test.^(F)

² So they quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water^(A) to drink.”^(B)

Moses replied, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the Lord to the test?”^(C)

³ But the people were thirsty^(A) for water there, and they grumbled^(B) against Moses. They said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die^(C) of thirst?”

Water From the Rock

20 In the first month the whole Israelite community arrived at the Desert of Zin,^(A) and they stayed at Kadesh.^(B) There Miriam^(C) died and was buried.

² Now there was no water^(D) for the community,^(E) and the people gathered in opposition^(F) to Moses and Aaron. ³ They quarreled^(G) with Moses and said, “If only we had died when our brothers fell dead^(H) before the Lord!^{(I) 4} Why did you bring the Lord’s community into this wilderness,^(J) that we and our livestock should die here?^{(K) 5} Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates.^(L) And there is no water to drink!^(M)”

⁶ Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the tent of meeting^(N) and fell facedown,^(O) and the glory of the Lord^(P) appeared to them. ⁷ The Lord said to Moses, ⁸ “Take the staff,^(Q) and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water.^(R) You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink.”

⁹ So Moses took the staff^(S) from the Lord’s presence,^(T) just as he commanded him. ¹⁰ He and Aaron gathered the assembly together^(U) in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?”^{(V) 11} Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water^(W) gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.

¹² But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy^(X) in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.”^(Y)

¹³ These were the waters of Meribah,^[a](Z) where the Israelites quarreled^(AA) with the Lord and where he was proved holy among them.^(AB)