13These are the waters of Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with Yahweh, and he was sanctified in them.
14Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, Thus says your brother Israel, You know all the travail that has befallen us:
15how our fathers went down into Egypt, and we lived in Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians dealt ill with us, and our fathers:
16and when we cried to Yahweh, he heard our voice, and sent an angel, and brought us forth out of Egypt: and, behold, we are in Kadesh, a city in the uttermost of your border.
17Please let us pass through your land: we will not pass through field or through vineyard, neither will we drink of the water of the wells: we will go along the king`s highway; we will not turn aside to the right hand nor to the left, until we have passed your border.
18Edom said to him, You shall not pass through me, lest I come out with the sword against you.
19The children of Israel said to him, We will go up by the highway; and if we drink of your water, I and my cattle, then will I give the price of it: let me only, without [doing] anything [else], pass through on my feet.