1The sons of Israel, the whole congregation, came into the wilderness of Zin in the first month. The people settled at Kadesh, and Miriam died there and was buried there.2There was no water for the congregation, so they assembled against Moses and Aaron.3The people quarreled with Moses and said, "If only we had died when our brothers died before the LORD."4Why have you brought the assembly of the LORD into this wilderness to die there, both we and our cattle?5Why did you bring us up from Egypt to bring us to this bad place, a place without seed or fig or vine or pomegranate, and with no water to drink?6Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the entrance of the tent of meeting and fell on their faces, and the glory of the LORD appeared to them.7The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,8"Take the rod and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and speak to the rock before their eyes, that it may give its water; you shall bring water out of the rock for them and give drink to the congregation and their cattle."9Moses took the rod from before the LORD, just as he had commanded him.10Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly before the rock, and he said to them, "Listen now, you rebels; shall we bring water for you out of this rock?"11Moses raised his hand and struck the rock with his rod twice, and abundant water came out; the congregation and their cattle drank.12The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not believe in me to consecrate me before the eyes of the sons of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them."13These are the waters of Meribah, where the sons of Israel contended with the LORD, and he was hallowed among them.