New Living Translation

New King James Version

Water from the Rock

At the LORD’s command, the whole community of Israel left the wilderness of Sina and moved from place to place. Eventually they camped at Rephidim, but there was no water there for the people to drink.

1

Water from the Rock

Then all the congregation of the children of Israel set out on their journey from the Wilderness of Sin, according to the commandment of the Lord, and camped in Rephidim; but there was no water for the people to drink.

2

So once more the people complained against Moses. “Give us water to drink!” they demanded.
“Quiet!” Moses replied. “Why are you complaining against me? And why are you testing the LORD?”

2

Therefore the people contended with Moses, and said, “Give us water, that we may drink.”
So Moses said to them, “Why do you contend with me? Why do you tempt the Lord?”

3

But tormented by thirst, they continued to argue with Moses. “Why did you bring us out of Egypt? Are you trying to kill us, our children, and our livestock with thirst?”

3

And the people thirsted there for water, and the people complained against Moses, and said, “Why is it you have brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?”

4

Then Moses cried out to the LORD, “What should I do with these people? They are ready to stone me!”

4

So Moses cried out to the Lord, saying, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone[a] me!”

5

The LORD said to Moses, “Walk out in front of the people. Take your staff, the one you used when you struck the water of the Nile, and call some of the elders of Israel to join you.

5

And the Lord said to Moses, “Go on before the people, and take with you some of the elders of Israel. Also take in your hand your rod with which you struck the river, and go.

6

I will stand before you on the rock at Mount Sinai.b Strike the rock, and water will come gushing out. Then the people will be able to drink.” So Moses struck the rock as he was told, and water gushed out as the elders looked on.

6

Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink.”
And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.

7

Moses named the place Massah (which means “test”) and Meribah (which means “arguing”) because the people of Israel argued with Moses and tested the LORD by saying, “Is the LORD here with us or not?”

7

So he called the name of the place Massah[b] and [c]Meribah, because of the contention of the children of Israel, and because they [d]tempted the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”

8

Israel Defeats the Amalekites

While the people of Israel were still at Rephidim, the warriors of Amalek attacked them.

8

Victory over the Amalekites

Now Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim.

9

Moses commanded Joshua, “Choose some men to go out and fight the army of Amalek for us. Tomorrow, I will stand at the top of the hill, holding the staff of God in my hand.”

9

And Moses said to Joshua, “Choose us some men and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand.”

10

So Joshua did what Moses had commanded and fought the army of Amalek. Meanwhile, Moses, Aaron, and Hur climbed to the top of a nearby hill.

10

So Joshua did as Moses said to him, and fought with Amalek. And Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.

11

As long as Moses held up the staff in his hand, the Israelites had the advantage. But whenever he dropped his hand, the Amalekites gained the advantage.

11

And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.

12

Moses’ arms soon became so tired he could no longer hold them up. So Aaron and Hur found a stone for him to sit on. Then they stood on each side of Moses, holding up his hands. So his hands held steady until sunset.

12

But Moses’ hands became [e]heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.

13

As a result, Joshua overwhelmed the army of Amalek in battle.

13

So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

14

After the victory, the LORD instructed Moses, “Write this down on a scroll as a permanent reminder, and read it aloud to Joshua: I will erase the memory of Amalek from under heaven.”

14

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.”

15

Moses built an altar there and named it Yahweh-Nissi (which means “the LORD is my banner”).

15

And Moses built an altar and called its name, [f]The-Lord-Is-My-Banner;

16

He said, “They have raised their fist against the LORD’s throne, so nowc the LORD will be at war with Amalek generation after generation.”

16

for he said, “Because [g]the Lord has sworn: the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.”

Parallel

New Living Translation

New King James Version

Exodus 17

Exodus 17