Water from the Rock(A)

17 Then (B)all the congregation of the children of Israel set out on their journey from the Wilderness of (C)Sin, according to the commandment of the Lord, and camped in Rephidim; but there was no water for the people to (D)drink. (E)Therefore the people contended with Moses, and said, “Give us water, that we may drink.”

So Moses said to them, “Why do you contend with me? Why do you (F)tempt the Lord?”

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

So Moses (I)cried out to the Lord, saying, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to (J)stone[a] me!”

And the Lord said to Moses, (K)“Go on before the people, and take with you some of the elders of Israel. Also take in your hand your rod with which (L)you struck the river, and go. (M)Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink.”

And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. So he called the name of the place (N)Massah[b] and [c]Meribah, because of the contention of the children of Israel, and because they [d]tempted the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”

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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 17:4 Put me to death by stoning
  2. Exodus 17:7 Lit. Tempted
  3. Exodus 17:7 Lit. Contention
  4. Exodus 17:7 tested

17 And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the Wilderness of Sin after their journeys, according to the commandment of the Lord, and pitched camp in Rephidim; and there was no water for the people to drink.

Therefore the people chided Moses and said, “Give us water that we may drink.” And Moses said unto them, “Why chide ye me? Why do ye tempt the Lord?”

And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses and said, “Why is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?”

And Moses cried unto the Lord, saying, “What shall I do unto this people? They are almost ready to stone me!”

And the Lord said unto Moses, “Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod with which thou smotest the river, take in thine hand and go.

Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink.” And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.

And he called the name of the place Massah [that is, Temptation], and Meribah [that is, Chiding], because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”

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