^21 (A)And they said to them, “Let the Lord look on you and judge, because you have made ^[a]us abhorrent in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us.”

²⁴ And the people ^(A)complained against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?”

² Then the whole congregation of the children of Israel ^(A)complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness.

³ And the people thirsted there for water, and the people ^(A)complained against Moses, and said, “Why is it you have brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our ^(B)livestock with thirst?”

^2 (A)And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness!

³ Why has the Lord brought us to this land to ^[a]fall by the sword, that our wives and ^(A)children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?”

³ And the people ^(A)contended with Moses and spoke, saying: “If only we had died ^(B)when our brethren died before the Lord!