1The whole community of Israel started out from the Desert of Sin. They travelled from place to place, just as the LORD commanded. They camped at Rephidim. But there wasn’t any water for the people to drink.2So they argued with Moses. They said, ‘Give us water to drink.’ Moses replied, ‘Why are you arguing with me? Why are you testing the LORD?’3But the people were thirsty for water there. So they told Moses they weren’t happy with him. They said, ‘Why did you bring us up out of Egypt? Did you want us, our children and our livestock to die of thirst?’4Then Moses cried out to the LORD. He said, ‘What am I going to do with these people? They are almost ready to kill me by throwing stones at me.’5The LORD answered Moses. ‘Go out in front of the people. Take some of the elders of Israel along with you. Take in your hand the walking stick you used when you struck the River Nile. Go.6I will stand there in front of you by the rock at Mount Horeb. Hit the rock. Then water will come out of it for the people to drink.’ So Moses hit the rock while the elders of Israel watched.7Moses called the place Massah and Meribah. That’s because the people of Israel argued with him there. They also tested the LORD. They asked, ‘Is the LORD among us or not?’
Joshua wins the battle over the Amalekites
8The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim.9Moses said to Joshua, ‘Choose some of our men. Then go out and fight against the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill. I’ll stand there holding the walking stick God gave me.’10So Joshua fought against the Amalekites, just as Moses had ordered. Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill.11As long as Moses held up his hand, the Israelites were winning. But every time he lowered his hands, the Amalekites began to win.12When Moses’ arms got tired, Aaron and Hur got a stone and put it under him. Then he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held up his hands. Aaron was on one side, and Hur was on the other. Moses’ hands remained steady until sunset.13So Joshua destroyed the Amalekite army with swords.14Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘This is something to be remembered. So write it on a scroll. Make sure Joshua knows you have done it. I will completely erase the memory of the Amalekites from the earth.’15Then Moses built an altar. He called it The LORD Is My Banner.16He said, ‘The Amalekites opposed the authority of the LORD. So the LORD will fight against the Amalekites for all time to come.’
Exodus 17
English Standard Version
Water from the Rock
1All 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. (Ex 16:1; Nu 33:12; Nu 33:14)2Therefore 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 test the Lord?” (Nu 20:3; De 6:16; Ps 78:18; Ps 78:41; Ps 95:8; Isa 7:12; Mt 4:7; 1Co 10:9; Heb 3:8)3But the people thirsted there for water, and 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?” (Ex 15:24; Ex 16:2)4So Moses cried to the Lord, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.” (Nu 14:10; Jos 9:25; 1Sa 30:6; 1Ki 21:13; 2Ch 24:21; Mt 23:37; Lu 13:34; Joh 8:59; Joh 10:31; Joh 11:8; Ac 7:58; Ac 14:5; Ac 14:19; 2Co 11:25; Heb 11:37)5And 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 which you struck the Nile, and go. (Ex 7:20)6Behold, 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. (Nu 20:8; De 8:15; Ne 9:15; Ps 78:15; Ps 78:20; Ps 105:41; Ps 114:8; Isa 43:20; Isa 48:21; 1Co 10:4)7And he called the name of the place Massah[1] and Meribah,[2] because of the quarreling of the people of Israel, and because they tested the Lord by saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?” (Nu 20:13; Ps 81:7; Ps 95:8)
Israel Defeats Amalek
8Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim. (De 25:17; 1Sa 15:2)9So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose for us men, and go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.” (Ex 4:20; Ex 24:13; Ex 32:17; Ex 33:11)10So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. (Ex 17:9; Ex 24:14; Ex 31:2)11Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. (1Ti 2:8)12But Moses’ hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. (Ex 17:10)13And Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword. (Ex 17:9)14Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this as a memorial in a book and recite it in the ears of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.” (Ex 17:9; Nu 24:20; De 25:19; 1Sa 15:3; 1Sa 15:7; 1Sa 30:1; 1Sa 30:17; 2Sa 8:12)15And Moses built an altar and called the name of it, The Lord Is My Banner, (Jud 6:24)16saying, “A hand upon the throne[3] of the Lord! The Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.” (Ex 17:14)