Names of God

Exoduschapter 17

16 verses · ASV

This chapter sends 156 cross-references outward and receives 175 — heaviest partner: Exodus.

Chapter summary

Water from the rock at Rephidim. The people chide Moses again; he cries to the LORD; he is told to smite the rock with the rod that smote the river — and water comes out. The place is named Massah and Meribah. Then Amalek attacks. Joshua leads the men in battle; Moses stands on the hill with his rod; when his hands are raised Israel prevails, when they fall Amalek prevails. Aaron and Hur hold them up till the going down of the sun. ‘Write this for a memorial in a book … I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.’ 1 Corinthians 10:4 reads the rock as Christ.

Drafted from Matthew Henry, Calvin, Gill, Clarke, JFB, and Barnes.

Context

Law · Moses — see the Exodus overview for the book's full setting.

15–16 Names of God

1 And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, by their journeys, according to the commandment of Jehovah, and encamped in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drink.

2 Wherefore the people strove with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why strive ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt Jehovah?

3 And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore hast thou brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?

4 And Moses cried unto Jehovah, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they are almost ready to stone me.

5 And Jehovah said unto Moses, Pass on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thy hand, and go.

6 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.

7 And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the striving of the children of Israel, and because they tempted Jehovah, saying, Is Jehovah among us, or not?

8 Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim.