Water at Massa and Meribah

17:1 1 The whole community2 of the Israelites traveled on their journey3 from the Desert of Sin according to the Lord’s instruction, and they pitched camp in Rephidim.4 Now5 there was no water for the people to drink.6 17:2 So the people contended7 with Moses, and they said, “Give us water to drink!”8 Moses said to them, “Why do you contend9 with me? Why do you test10 the Lord?” 17:3 But the people were very thirsty11 there for water, and they murmured against Moses and said, “Why in the world12 did you bring us up out of Egypt—to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?”13

17:4 Then Moses cried out to the Lord, “What will I do with14 this people?—a little more15 and they will stone me!”16 17:5 The Lord said to Moses, “Go over before the people;17 take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand your staff with which you struck the Nile and go. 17:6 I will be standing18 before you there on19 the rock in Horeb, and you will strike20 the rock, and water will come out of it so that the people may drink.”21 And Moses did so in plain view22 of the elders of Israel.

17:7 He called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the contending of the Israelites and because of their testing the Lord,23 saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”