Exodus 17

Water from the Rock

1 Then *Ex. 16:1all the congregation of the children of Israel set out on their journey from the Wilderness of *Num. 33:11–15Sin, according to the commandment of the Lord, and camped in Rephidim; but therewas no water for the people to *Ex. 15:22; Num. 20:2drink. 2 *Ex. 14:11; Num. 20:2, 3, 13Therefore 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 *(Deut. 6:16); Ps. 78:18, 41; (Matt. 4:7); 1 Cor. 10:9tempt the Lord?"

3 And the people thirsted there for water, and the people *Ex. 16:2, 3complained against Moses, and said, "Why is it you have brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our *Ex. 12:38livestock with thirst?"

4 So Moses *Ex. 14:15cried out to the Lord, saying, "What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to *John 8:59; 10:31stone me!"

5 And the Lord said to Moses, *Ezek. 2:6"Go on before the people, and take with you some of the elders of Israel. Also take in your hand your rod with which *Num. 20:8you struck the river, and go. 6 *Num. 20:10, 11; Deut. 8:15; Neh. 9:15; Ps. 78:15; 105:41; 114:8; (1 Cor. 10:4)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. 7 So he called the name of the place *Num. 20:13, 24; 27:14; Ps. 81:7Massah and Meribah, because of the contention of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the Lord, saying, "Is the Lord among us or not?"

Victory over the Amalekites

8 *Gen. 36:12; Num. 24:20; Deut. 25:17–19; 1 Sam. 15:2Now Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim. 9 And Moses said to Joshua, "Choose us some men and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with *Ex. 4:20the rod of God in my hand." 10 So Joshua did as Moses said to him, and fought with Amalek. And Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 And so it was, when Moses *(James 5:16)held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. 12 But Moses’ hands became heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. 13 So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

14 Then the Lord said to Moses, *Ex. 24:4; 34:27; Num. 33:2"Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua, that *Deut. 25:19; 1 Sam. 15:3; 2 Sam. 1:1; 1 Chr. 4:43I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven." 15 And Moses built an altar and called its name, The-Lord-Is-My-Banner; 16 for he said, "Because the Lord has *Gen. 22:14–16sworn: the Lordwillhave war with Amalek from generation to generation."