WATER FROM THE ROCK
Key verse: 6
NIV
Water From the Rock
17 The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin,(A) traveling from place to place as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim,(B) but there was no water(C) for the people to drink. 2 So they quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water(D) to drink.”(E)
Moses replied, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the Lord to the test?”(F)
3 But the people were thirsty(G) for water there, and they grumbled(H) against Moses. They said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die(I) of thirst?”
4 Then Moses cried out to the Lord, “What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone(J) me.”
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(K) with which you struck the Nile,(L) and go. 6 I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb.(M) Strike(N) the rock, and water(O) 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](P) and Meribah[b](Q) because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the Lord saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”
Footnotes
- Exodus 17:7 Massah means testing.
- Exodus 17:7 Meribah means quarreling.
Cross references
- Exodus 17:1 : S Ex 16:1
- Exodus 17:1 : ver 8; Ex 19:2; Nu 33:15
- Exodus 17:1 : Nu 20:5; 21:5; 33:14
- Exodus 17:2 : Nu 20:2; 33:14; Ps 107:5
- Exodus 17:2 : S Ex 14:12
- Exodus 17:2 : Dt 6:16; Ps 78:18, 41; 106:14; Mt 4:7; 1Co 10:9
- Exodus 17:3 : S Ex 15:22
- Exodus 17:3 : S Ex 15:24
- Exodus 17:3 : S Ex 14:11
- Exodus 17:4 : Nu 14:10; 1Sa 30:6; S Jn 8:59
- Exodus 17:5 : S Ex 4:2; S 10:12-13
- Exodus 17:5 : Ex 7:20
- Exodus 17:6 : S Ex 3:1
- Exodus 17:6 : Nu 20:8
- Exodus 17:6 : Nu 20:11; Dt 8:15; Jdg 15:19; 2Ki 3:20; Ne 9:15; Ps 74:15; 78:15-16; 105:41; 107:35; 114:8; Isa 30:25; 35:6; 43:19; 48:21; 1Co 10:4
- Exodus 17:7 : Dt 6:16; 9:22; 33:8; Ps 95:8
- Exodus 17:7 : Nu 20:13, 24; 27:14; Ps 81:7; 106:32
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
Water from the Rock
17 (A)All the congregation of the people of Israel moved on from the wilderness of Sin by stages, according to the commandment of the Lord, and camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. 2 (B)Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” And Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you (C)test the Lord?” 3 But the people thirsted there for water, and (D)the people grumbled against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?” 4 So Moses cried to the Lord, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready (E)to stone me.” 5 And the Lord said to Moses, “Pass on before the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel, and take in your hand the staff with (F)which you struck the Nile, and go. 6 (G)Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink.” And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7 And he called the name of the place (H)Massah[a] and (I)Meribah,[b] because of the quarreling of the people of Israel, and because they tested the Lord by saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Exodus 17:7 Massah means testing
- Exodus 17:7 Meribah means quarreling
Cross references
- Exodus 17:1 : ch. 16:1; Num. 33:12, 14
- Exodus 17:2 : Num. 20:3, 4
- Exodus 17:2 : Deut. 6:16; Ps. 78:18, 41; 95:8, 9; Isa. 7:12; Matt. 4:7; 1 Cor. 10:9; Heb. 3:8, 9
- Exodus 17:3 : ch. 15:24; 16:2
- Exodus 17:4 : Num. 14:10; 1 Sam. 30:6; 2 Chr. 24:21; Matt. 23:37; Luke 13:34; John 8:59; 10:31-33; 11:8; Acts 7:58; 14:5, 19; 2 Cor. 11:25; Heb. 11:37; [Josh. 9:25; 1 Kgs. 21:13]
- Exodus 17:5 : ch. 7:20
- Exodus 17:6 : Num. 20:8-11; Deut. 8:15; Neh. 9:15; Ps. 78:15, 16, 20; 105:41; 114:8; Isa. 43:20; 48:21; 1 Cor. 10:4
- Exodus 17:7 : Ps. 95:8
- Exodus 17:7 : Num. 20:13; Ps. 81:7; 95:8
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
The Israelite community had been delivered from Egypt in a miraculous way through the Red Sea, while the Egyptians who pursued them all drowned. It was a great miracle. After this, God provided the whole community with manna to eat—another miracle. Now the community came to Rephidim, but there was no water. What did they do? Did they seek water from the Lord who had been providing everything for them? No, they came to Moses and quarreled with him. They accused him of bringing them out into the desert to die of thirst. They forgot the miracles they had received and only grumbled against Moses, through whom God had worked so powerfully. They forgot God’s grace so quickly.
What did Moses do? He prayed and he obeyed. Moses first came to God and cried out to him. He prayed out of frustration and desperation. Moses prayed and God answered. God promised to be with him. He instructed Moses to stand before the rock and strike it. Moses obeyed the word of the Lord. He struck the rock, and it produced water for the entire Israelite community. They had tested the Lord saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?” The Lord revealed himself once again. Though they were quick to forget God’s grace, the Lord was indeed among them. The Lord is ever faithful.
Prayer: Lord, help me to be mindful of your gracious presence in my life. Teach me to pray and obey you with trust.
One Word: Trust in God’s faithfulness
