God's New Bible

The Second Book of Moses: Exodus

World English Bible Catholic :: King James Version

- Chapter 17 -

(Numbers 20:1–13)
1
All the congregation of the children of Israel traveled from the wilderness of Sin, starting according to the LORD’s commandment, and encamped in Rephidim; but there was no water for the people to drink.
2
Therefore the people quarreled with Moses, and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the LORD?”
3
The people were thirsty for water there; so the people murmured against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us, our children, and our livestock with thirst?”
4
Moses cried to the LORD, saying, “What shall I do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.”
5
The LORD said to Moses, “Walk on before the people, and take the elders of Israel with you, and take the rod in your hand with which you struck the Nile, and go.
6
Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb. You shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink.” Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.
7
He called the name of the place Massah,(a) and Meribah,(b) because the children of Israel quarreled, and because they tested the LORD, saying, “Is the LORD among us, or not?”

The Defeat of the Amalekites

8
Then Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim.
9
Moses said to Joshua, “Choose men for us, and go out to fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with God’s rod in my hand.”
10
So Joshua did as Moses had told him, and fought with Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.
11
When Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed. When he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.
12
But Moseshands were heavy; so they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side. His hands were steady until sunset.
13
Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.
14
The LORD said to Moses, “Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under the sky.”
15
Moses built an altar, and called its nameThe LORD our Banner”.(c)
16
He said, “The LORD has sworn: ‘The LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.’”

Footnotes

(a)17:7 Massah means testing.
(b)17:7 Meribah means quarreling.
(c)17:15 Or, The LORD Nissi
(Numbers 20:1–13)
1
And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the Lord , and pitched in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drink.
2
Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the Lord ?
3
And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?
4
And Moses cried unto the Lord , saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me.
5
And the Lord said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine 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 chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the Lord , saying, Is the Lord among us, or not?(a) (b)

The Defeat of the Amalekites

8
Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim.
9
And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand.(c)
10
So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.
11
And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.
12
But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.
13
And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.
14
And the Lord said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.
15
And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it JEHOVAH–nissi:(d)
16
For he said, Because the Lord hath sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.(e) (f)

Footnotes

(a)17:7 Massah: that is, Temptation
(b)17:7 Meribah: that is, Chiding, or, Strife
(c)17:9 Joshua: called Jesus
(d)17:15 JEHOVAH–nissi: that is, The Lord my banner
(e)17:16 Because…: or, Because the hand of Amalek is against the throne of the Lord, therefore, etc
(f)17:16 the Lord hath…: Heb. the hand upon the throne of the Lord