The Second Book of Moses: Exodus

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- Chapter 17 -

(Numbers 20:1–13)

The whole community of the Israelites journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, following Yahweh’s instructions. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink.

So the people blamed Moses for their situation and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses said, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test Yahweh?”

The people were very thirsty, and they complained against Moses. They said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt? To kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?”

Then Moses cried out to Yahweh, “What should I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.”

Yahweh said to Moses, “Go on ahead of the people, and take with you some elders of Israel. Take with you the staff with which you struck the river, and go.

I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you will strike the rock. Water will come out of it for the people to drink.” Then Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.

He called that place Massah and Meribah because of the Israelites’ complaining, and because they had tested the Lord by saying, “Is Yahweh among us or not?”

The Defeat of the Amalekites

Then an army of the Amalekite people came and attacked Israel at Rephidim.

So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some men and go out. Fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.”

So Joshua fought Amalek as Moses had instructed, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.

While Moses was holding his hands up, Israel was winning; when he let his hands rest, Amalek would begin to win.

When Moses’ hands became heavy, Aaron and Hur took a stone and put it under him for him to sit on. At the same time, Aaron and Hur held his hands up, one person on one side of him, and the other person on the other side. So Moses’ hands were held steady until the sun went down.

So Joshua defeated the people of Amalek with the sword.

Yahweh said to Moses, “Write this in a book and read it in Joshua’s hearing, because I will completely blot out the memory of Amalek from under the skies.”

Then Moses built an altar and he called it “Yahweh is my banner.”

He said, “For a hand was lifted up to the throne of Yahweh-that Yahweh will wage war with Amalek from generation to generation.”

(Numbers 20:1–13)

All the congregation of the children of Israel traveled from the wilderness of Sin, starting according to the LORD’s commandment, and encamped in Rephidim; but there was no water for the people to drink.

Therefore the people quarreled with Moses, and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the LORD?”

The people were thirsty for water there; so the people murmured against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us, our children, and our livestock with thirst?”

Moses cried to the LORD, saying, “What shall I do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.”

The LORD said to Moses, “Walk on before the people, and take the elders of Israel with you, and take the rod in your hand with which you struck the Nile, and go.

Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb. You shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink.” Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.

He called the name of the place Massah,(a) and Meribah,(b) because the children of Israel quarreled, and because they tested the LORD, saying, “Is the LORD among us, or not?”

The Defeat of the Amalekites

Then Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim.

Moses said to Joshua, “Choose men for us, and go out to fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with God’s rod in my hand.”

So Joshua did as Moses had told him, and fought with Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.

When Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed. When he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.

But Moses’ hands were heavy; so they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side. His hands were steady until sunset.

Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

The LORD said to Moses, “Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under the sky.”

Moses built an altar, and called its name “The LORD our Banner”.(c)

He said, “The LORD has sworn: ‘The LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.’”

Footnotes

(a)17:7 Massah means testing.

(b)17:7 Meribah means quarreling.