⁵ The Lord answered Moses, “Go out in front of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff^(A) with which you struck the Nile,^(B) and go. ⁶ I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb.^(C) Strike^(D) the rock, and water^(E) will come out of it for the people to drink.” So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. ⁷ And he called the place Massah^[a](F) and Meribah^[b](G) because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the Lord saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”

The Amalekites Defeated

⁸ The Amalekites^(H) came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim.^{(I) 9} Moses said to Joshua,^(J) “Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff^(K) of God in my hands.”

¹⁰ So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur^(L) went to the top of the hill. ¹¹ As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning,^(M) but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. ¹² When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset.^{(N) 13} So Joshua overcame the Amalekite^(O) army with the sword.

¹⁴ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write^(P) this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out^(Q) the name of Amalek^(R) from under heaven.”

¹⁵ Moses built an altar^(S) and called^(T) it The Lord is my Banner. ¹⁶ He said, “Because hands were lifted up against^[c] the throne of the Lord,^[d] the Lord will be at war against the Amalekites^(U) from generation to generation.”^(V)

¹⁷ Remember what the Amalekites^(A) did to you along the way when you came out of Egypt. ¹⁸ When you were weary and worn out, they met you on your journey and attacked all who were lagging behind; they had no fear of God.^(B)

⁴⁰ Early the next morning they set out for the highest point in the hill country,^(A) saying, “Now we are ready to go up to the land the Lord promised. Surely we have sinned!^(B)”

⁴¹ But Moses said, “Why are you disobeying the Lord’s command? This will not succeed!^{(C) 42} Do not go up, because the Lord is not with you. You will be defeated by your enemies,^{(D) 43} for the Amalekites^(E) and the Canaanites^(F) will face you there. Because you have turned away from the Lord, he will not be with you^(G) and you will fall by the sword.”

⁴⁴ Nevertheless, in their presumption they went up^(H) toward the highest point in the hill country, though neither Moses nor the ark of the Lord’s covenant moved from the camp.^{(I) 45} Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites^(J) who lived in that hill country^(K) came down and attacked them and beat them down all the way to Hormah.^(L)