17Exodus 17

The Gives Water from a Rock

1The Israelites left the desert and moved from one place to another each time the Lord ordered them to. Once they camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for them to drink.Select Exodus 17:1

2The people started complaining to Moses, “Give us some water!” Moses replied, “Why are you complaining to me and trying to put the Lord to the test?”Select Exodus 17:2

3But the people were thirsty and kept on complaining, “Moses, did you bring us out of Egypt just to let us and our families and our animals die of thirst?”Select Exodus 17:3

4Then Moses prayed to the Lord, “What am I going to do with these people? They are about to stone me to death!”Select Exodus 17:4

5The Lord answered, “Take some of the leaders with you and go ahead of the rest of the people. Also take along the walking stick with which you struck the Nile River.Select Exodus 17:5

6When you get to the rock at Mount Sinai, I will be there with you. Strike the rock with the stick, and water will pour out for the people to drink.” Moses did this while the leaders watched.Select Exodus 17:6

7The people had complained and tested the Lord by asking, “Is the Lord really with us?” So Moses named that place Massah, which means “testing” and Meribah, which means “complaining.”Select Exodus 17:7

Israel Defeats the Amalekites

8When the Israelites were at Rephidim, they were attacked by the Amalekites.Select Exodus 17:8

9So Moses told Joshua, “Have some men ready to attack the Amalekites tomorrow. I will stand on a hilltop, holding this walking stick that has the power of God.”Select Exodus 17:9

10Joshua led the attack as Moses had commanded, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur stood on the hilltop.Select Exodus 17:10

11The Israelites out-fought the Amalekites as long as Moses held up his arms, but they started losing whenever he lowered them.Select Exodus 17:11

12After a while, his arms were so tired that Aaron and Hur got a rock for him to sit on. Then they stood beside him and supported his arms in the same position until sunset.Select Exodus 17:12

13That's how Joshua defeated the Amalekites.Select Exodus 17:13

14Afterwards, the Lord said to Moses, “Write an account of this victory and read it to Joshua. I want the Amalekites to be forgotten forever.”Select Exodus 17:14

15Moses built an altar and named it “The Lord Gives Me Victory.”Select Exodus 17:15

16Then Moses explained, “This is because I depended on the Lord. But in future generations, the Lord will fight the Amalekites again and again.”Select Exodus 17:16