Water from the Rock
(Numbers 20.1-13)1 The whole Israelite community left the desert of Sin, moving from one place to another at the command of the Lord. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water there to drink. 2 They complained to Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.”
Moses answered, “Why are you complaining? Why are you putting the Lord to the test?”
3 But the people were very thirsty and continued to complain to Moses. They said, “Why did you bring us out of Egypt? To kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?”
4 Moses prayed earnestly to the Lord and said, “What can I do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.”
5 The Lord said to Moses, “Take some of the leaders of Israel with you, and go on ahead of the people. Take along the stick with which you struck the Nile. 6 I will stand before you on a rock at Mount Sinai. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.” Moses did so in the presence of the leaders of Israel.
7 The place was named Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites complained and put the Lord to the test when they asked, “Is the Lord with us or not?”
War with the Amalekites
8 The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. 9 Moses said to Joshua, “Pick out some men to go and fight the Amalekites tomorrow. I will stand on top of the hill holding the stick that God told me to carry.” 10 Joshua did as Moses commanded him and went out to fight the Amalekites, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 As long as Moses held up his arms, the Israelites won, but when he put his arms down, the Amalekites started winning. 12 When Moses' arms grew tired, Aaron and Hur brought a stone for him to sit on, while they stood beside him and held up his arms, holding them steady until the sun went down. 13 In this way Joshua totally defeated the Amalekites.
14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write an account of this victory, so that it will be remembered. Tell Joshua that I will completely destroy the Amalekites.” 15 Moses built an altar and named it “The Lord is my Banner.” 16 He said, “Hold high the banner of the Lord! The Lord will continue to fight against the Amalekites forever!”
1 And all the Congregation of the children of Israel departed from the wildernesse of Sin, by their iourneyes at the commandement of the Lord, and camped in Rephidim, where was no water for the people to drinke. 2 Wherefore the people contended with Moses, and sayde, Giue vs water that we may drinke. And Moses sayde vnto them, Why contende yee with me? wherefore do ye tempt the Lord? 3 So the people thirsted there for water, and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore hast thou thus brought vs out of Egypt to kill vs and our children and our cattel with thirst? 4 And Moses cried to the Lord, saying, What shall I do to this people? for they be almost ready to stone me. 5 And ye Lord answered to Moses, Goe before the people, and take with thee of the Elders of Israel: and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the riuer, take in thine hand, and go: 6 Behold, I will stand there before thee vpon the rocke in Horeb, and thou shalt smite on the rocke, and water shall come out of it, that the people may drinke. 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 contention of the children of Israel, and because they had tempted the Lord, saying, Is the Lord among vs, or no? 8 Then came Amalek and fought with Israel in Rephidim. 9 And Moses sayde to Ioshua, Chuse vs out men, and go fight with Amalek: to morowe I will stande on the toppe of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. 10 So Ioshua did as Moses bad him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur, went vp to the top of the hill. 11 And when Moses helde vp his hande, Israel preuailed: but when he let his hande downe, Amalek preuailed. 12 Nowe Moses handes were heauy: therefore they tooke a stone and put it vnder him, and hee sate vpon it: and Aaron and Hur stayed vp his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side: so his hands were steady vntill the going downe of the sunne. 13 And Ioshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. 14 And the Lord sayde to Moses, Write this for a remembrance in the booke, and rehearse it to Ioshua: for I will vtterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from vnder heauen. 15 (And Moses builte an altar and called the name of it, Iehouah-nissi) 16 Also he said, The Lord hath sworne, that he will haue warre with Amalek from generation to generation.