said to Moses and Aaron: Because you have not
believed me, to sanctify me before the children of Israel, you shall not
bring these people into the land, which I will give them.

You have not believed, etc... The fault of Moses and Aaron, on this
occasion, was a certain diffidence and weakness of faith; not doubting
of God's power or veracity; but apprehending the unworthiness of that
rebellious and incredulous people, and therefore speaking with some
ambiguity.

20:13. This is the Water of contradiction, where the children of Israel
strove with words against the Lord, and he was sanctified in them.

The Water of contradiction... Or strife. Hebrew, Meribah.

20:14. In the mean time Moses sent messengers from Cades to the king of
Edom, to say: Thus saith thy brother Israel: Thou knowest all the labour
that hath come upon us:

20:15. In what manner our fathers went down into Egypt, and there we
dwelt a long time, and the Egyptians afflicted us and our fathers.

20:16. And how we cried to the Lord, and he heard us, and sent an angel,
who hath brought us out of Egypt. Lo, we are now in the city of Cades,
which is in the uttermost of thy borders,

20:17. And we beseech thee that we may have leave to pass through thy
country. We will not go through the fields, nor through the vineyards,
we will not drink the waters of thy wells, but we will go by the common
highway, neither turning aside to the right hand, nor to the left, till
we are past thy borders.

20:18. And Edom answered them: Thou shalt not pass by me: if thou dost I
will come out armed against thee.

20:19. And the children of Israel said: We will go by the beaten way:
and if we and our cattle drink of thy waters, we will give thee what is
just: there shall be no difficulty in the price, only let us pass
speedily.

20:20. But he answered: Thou shalt not pass. And immediately he came
forth to meet them with an infinite multitude, and a strong hand,

20:21. Neither would he condescend to their desire to grant them passage
through his borders. Wherefore Israel turned another way from him.

20:22. And when they had removed the camp from Cades, they came to mount
Hor, which is in the borders of the land of Edom:

20:23. Where the Lord spoke to Moses:

20:24. Let Aaron, saith he, go to his people: for he shall not go into
the land which I have given the children of Israel, because he was
incredulous to my words, at the waters of contradiction.

20:25. Tak