But the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against these people, because they are stronger than we are!”

Moses said to the Lord, “When the Egyptians hear it – for you brought up this people by your power from among them –

And early in the morning they went up to the crest of the hill country, saying, “Here we are, and we will go up to the place that the Lord commanded, for we have sinned.”

“Speak to the Israelites and tell them, ‘When you enter the land where you are to live, which I am giving you,

Because he has despised the word of the Lord and has broken his commandment, that person must be completely cut off. His iniquity will be on him.’”

Therefore you and all your company have assembled together against the Lord! And Aaron – what is he that you murmur against him?”

“Tell Eleazar son of Aaron the priest to pick up the censers out of the flame, for they are holy, and then scatter the coals of fire at a distance.

You must write Aaron’s name on the staff of Levi; for one staff is for the head of every tribe.

And you may eat it in any place, you and your household, because it is your wages for your service in the tent of meeting.

“‘This is the law: When a man dies in a tent, anyone who comes into the tent and all who are in the tent will be ceremonially unclean seven days.

When all the community saw that Aaron was dead, the whole house of Israel mourned for Aaron thirty days.

When the Canaanite king of Arad who lived in the Negev heard that Israel was approaching along the road to Atharim, he fought against Israel and took some of them prisoner.

And the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness, for there is no bread or water, and we detest this worthless food.”

From there they moved on and camped on the other side of the Arnon, in the wilderness that extends from the regions of the Amorites, for Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites.

But the Israelites defeated him in battle and took possession of his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, as far as the Ammonites, for the border of the Ammonites was strongly defended.

For fire went out from Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon. It has consumed Ar of Moab and the lords of the high places of Arnon.

And the Moabites were greatly afraid of the people, because they were so numerous. The Moabites were sick with fear because of the Israelites.

But God said to Balaam, “You must not go with them; you must not curse the people, for they are blessed.”

So Balaam got up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, “Go to your land, for the Lord has refused to permit me to go with you.”

For I will honor you greatly, and whatever you tell me I will do. So come, put a curse on this nation for me.’”