參考版本 AFV  A  Faithful Version 的希臘文 2009版本   

耶和華的事，不謀利沒有版權

1. Then the children of Israel came, the whole congregation, into the wilderness of Zin in the first month. And the people stayed in Kadesh. And Miriam died there and was buried there.

2. And there was no water for the congregation. And they gathered themselves against Moses and against Aaron.

3. And the people contended with Moses and spoke, saying, “Oh that we had died when our brethren died before the LORD!

4. And why have you brought up the congregation of the LORD into this wilderness, so that we and our livestock should die there?

5. And why have you made us to come up out of Egypt to bring us into this evil place? It is not a place of seed or of figs or of vines or of pomegranates. And there is no water to drink.”

6. And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell upon their faces. And the glory of the LORD appeared to them.

7. And the LORD spoke to Moses saying,

8. “Take the rod, and gather the assembly, you and Aaron your brother, and speak to the rock before their eyes. And it shall give forth its water, and you shall bring forth to them water out of the rock. So you shall give the congregation and their animals water to drink.”

9. And Moses took the rod from before the presence of the LORD as He commanded him.

10. And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels. Must we bring water for you out of this rock?”

11. And Moses lifted up his hand and with his rod he struck the rock twice. And the water came out plentifully, and the congregation and their animals drank.

12. And the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe Me, to sanctify Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.

13. These are the Waters of Strife because the children of Israel contended against the LORD, but He showed Himself holy among them.”

 (A Faithful Version)

1. 以色列人全數在正月這天來到尋這處曠野地，百姓就停留在加低斯這地方。米利暗安息並安葬於這裡。

2. 當時民眾缺水，就聚集到摩西和亞倫面前。

3. 民眾向摩西發怨言：看情況我等兄弟們都會死在耶和華面前！

4. 為何領我們這群耶和華的子民到此，人畜都被渴死。

5. 早知如此收場，為何帶我們離開埃及，領我們到這裡。此地不好撒種，找不到無花果樹、葡萄樹、石榴樹，現在更無水可喝。

6. 摩西和亞倫為此離開會眾，來到會幕前，俯伏在地，此刻耶和華向二人顯現。

7. 耶和華曉諭摩西：

8. 摩西你拿起杖，和你的哥哥亞倫，召聚眾民，對他們說，會讓他們看見有水從岩石而出，可以讓人和牲畜都有水可喝。

9. 於是摩西拿起杖，去履行耶和華所囑咐。

10. 耶和華朝摩西和亞倫說話：集民眾一起到一岩石前，面向民眾說：你們這群不順聽從耶和華的，如今在此讓你們看見有水從岩石中流出來。

11. 摩西於是舉起手杖，擊打兩次在岩石上，大量的水源源流出，讓人與牲畜都有水可喝。

12. 耶和華對摩西和亞倫說：因為這些以色列民眾不相信我是有能者，尊我為聖，為此這些人不會被領進賜給他們那地。

13. 這次鬧水事件，起因是以色列民眾無視耶和華所致。

剛剛描述完一個完整的潔淨禮儀用水的方式，跟隨而來的記述，就是缺水的問題，可見之間必然有一定的關連。

水，直接關乎生命，是要緊的事，擔心是人之常理。只是，以色人從出埃及，有奇事發生才可以離開，不再成為別人的奴役，這事只過了二年。在路上帶出去的糧食用盡，有鵪鶉飛來。無水，有晨早降下的嗎哪。這些人身親自經靂過的事，現在看來是擔心，不是沒有，自己心急祈求。說明什麼？

不是耶和華不供應，也不會不供應，只因仍有水可用，而且是源源不絕。這是人性，不是耶和華沒有信，也不是不去保護照顧。

摩西，作為領袖，他是親身接觸過耶和華的人，在夢中，在思緒上，在明光照耀下，在心靈相對等情況，是有別人沒有的經歷。這些經歷成就了他是領袖的資格。這些經歷讓他知道有耶和華同在，可以解決問題，那又如何？並沒有在信心上加添了應對的智慧。他原本就是血氣行事之人，有份熱情，智慧和愛心不足，愛中的耐性，就是用來思考，他沒有在這方面成長。

當今的領袖，從許多。觀察，如教會發生的事似乎一般情況下，結果跟摩西一樣，等耶和華出手。他是可以免以色列人陷於困境。他有足夠的智慧和經歷，去把耶和華的事提醒，並勸喻以加強他們對耶和華的信心。他沒有，按他自己的描述，是俯伏在地而矣，連出聲都不曉得，是過度氣憤還是氣餒。在這種無奈之下，耶和華親自為摩西提供出路。

摩西是信，因此是享高齡而終，除他以外，其餘出來爭取水源這群人，不得進入迦南，不是懲罰，是信心不足自取其咎。