Kadesh

At the end of these years of wanderings, the tribes were a second time gathered together at Kadesh. During their stay here at this time Miriam died and was buried. Here the people murmured for want of water, as their forefathers had done formerly at Rephidim; and Moses, irritated by their chidings, "with his rod smote the rock twice," instead of "speaking to the rock before their eyes," as the Lord had commanded him (Compare Numbers 27:14; Deuteronomy 9:23; Psalm 106:32,33 ). Because of this act of his, in which Aaron too was involved, neither of them was to be permitted to set foot within the Promised Land (Numbers 20:12,24 ). The king of Edom would not permit them to pass on through his territory, and therefore they commenced an eastward march, and "came unto Mount Hor" (20:22).

This place has been identified with 'Ain el-Kadeis, about 12 miles east-south-east of Beersheba. (See SPIES .)