Here is an extract from the story of Moses, taken from the Bible. The text is from the Contemporary English Version of the Bible (pictured left). To order your copy of this fresh, new version, click here for Amazon UK or US. |
Moses hits the rock
The Israelites had no water, so they went to Moses and Aaron and complained, "Moses, we'd be better off if we had died along with the others in front of the Lord's sacred tent. You brought us into this desert, and now we and our livestock are going to die!É."
Moses and Aaron went to the entrance to the sacred tent, where they bowed down. The Lord appeared to them in all of his glory and said, "Moses, get your walking stick. Then you and Aaron call the people together and command that rock to give you water. That's how you will provide water for the people of Israel and their livestock."
Moses obeyed and took his stick from the sacred tent. After he and Aaron had gathered the people around the rock, he said, "Look, you rebellious people, and you will see water flow from this rock!"
He raised his stick in the air and struck the rock two times. At once, water gushed from the rock, and the people and their livestock had water to drink. But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you refused to believe in my power, these people did not respect me. And so, you will not be the ones to lead them into the land I have promised."
The Book of Exodus |
