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Exodus 17:1-7
International Standard Version
Exodus 17:1-7
International Standard Version
God Provides Water from a Rock(A)
17 The whole congregation of the Israelis set out from the desert[a] of Sin, traveling from place to place according to the command[b] of the Lord. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink.
2 The people quarreled with Moses: “Give us water to drink.”
Moses told them, “Why are you quarreling with me? Why are you testing the Lord?”
3 But the people were thirsty there for water, so they[c] complained against Moses: “Why did you bring us up from Egypt to kill us, our children, and our livestock with thirst?”
4 So Moses cried out to the Lord: “What am I to do with these people? Just a little more and they’ll stone me.”
5 Then the Lord told Moses, “Go over in front of the people and take some of the elders of Israel with you. Take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6 I’ll be standing there in front of you on the rock at Horeb. You are to strike the rock and water will come out of it, so the people can drink.” Moses did this in front of the elders of Israel.
7 He named the place Massah[d] and Meribah,[e] because the Israelis quarreled and tested the Lord by saying: “Is the Lord really among us or not?”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Exodus 17:1 Or wilderness
- Exodus 17:1 Lit. mouth
- Exodus 17:3 Lit. the people
- Exodus 17:7 The Heb. name Massah means Testing
- Exodus 17:7 The Heb. name Meribah means Quarreling
Exodus 17:1-7
New International Version
Exodus 17:1-7
New International Version
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.
International Standard Version (ISV) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
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