Exodus 17:1-7

Expanded Bible

Water from a Rock

17 The whole ·Israelite community [congregation/assembly of the sons/^Tchildren of Israel] left the ·Desert [Wilderness] of Sin and ·traveled from place to place [journeyed by stages], as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water there for the people to drink. ² So the people ·quarreled with [accused; made a case against] Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.”

Moses said to them, “Why do you ·quarrel with [accuse; make a case against] me? Why are you ·testing [putting on trial] the Lord?”

³ But the people were very thirsty for water, so they ·grumbled [complained] against Moses. They said, “Why did you bring us out of Egypt? Was it to kill us, our children, and our farm animals with thirst?”

⁴ So Moses cried to the Lord, “What can I do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me to death.”

⁵ The Lord said to Moses, “Go ahead of the people, and take some of the elders of Israel with you. Carry with you the ·walking stick [staff] that you used to strike the Nile River [14:21]. Now go! ⁶ I will stand in front of you on a rock at ·Mount Sinai [^LHoreb; ^Canother name for Sinai; 3:1]. ·Hit [Strike] that rock with the ·stick [staff], and water will come out of it so that the people can drink.” Moses did these things as the elders of Israel watched. ⁷ He named that place Massah [^CHebrew for “test”], because the Israelites tested the Lord when they asked, “Is the Lord with us or not?” He also named it Meribah [^CHebrew for “quarrel”], because they ·quarreled [accused; made a case].