Summary

Chukat (חֻקַּת‎ ) is the Hebrew for word for decree. God spoke to Moses and Aaron and said that the Israelite people need to bring a red cow without blemishes (imperfections) and slaughter it.  Miriam then died and soon after there was a lack of water for the people in the desert. God instructed Moses to command a rock with his rod for water. Instead Moses struck the rock, and God sentenced him to die in the wilderness. Not long afterward, the people complained again of thirst, and they were afflicted with a plague.