Exodus 17
God gives Israel water after they question him
After that, the entire Israelite caravan left the desert called “Sin” like the Existing One had instructed. They set up camp at Rephidim but it didn’t have any water for them to drink. When the people sarcastically asked Moses for drinking water, Moses said,
“Why are you being sarcastic with me and testing the Existing One?”
But everyone was thirsty and complained to Moses, saying,
“Why did you bring us, our children, and our livestock out of Egypt so we would die of thirst?”
So Moses cried out to the Existing One asking,
“What should I do about these people? If this continues any longer they’ll stone me to death.”
So the Existing One told Moses,
“In front of everyone, take some of Israel’s elders to the rock at Horeb (Sinai). Bring the staff you used to slap the Nile. I’ll be there on the rock. Hit the rock and water will come out of it for everyone to drink.”
So Moses made sure Israel’s elders were watching, and he followed God’s instructions. He named that place Massah (“temptation”) and Meribah (“disagreement”) because of they way Israel disputed with and tested the Existing One by questioning if he was in their midst or not.
Israel defeats Amalek as Moses raises staff
Then Amalek came to Rephidim and waged war against Israel, so Moses told Joshua,
“Select the men you want to battle Amalek. Tomorrow I’ll stand on top of the hill with God’s staff in my hand.”
Joshua did what Moses requested and fought Amalek while Moses, Aaron, and Hur climbed the hilltop. Whenever Moses held up his hands, Israel prevailed, but Moses’s hands were heavy, so they brought a stone for him to sit on while Aaron and Hur each held up one of his hands. So Moses’s hands remained steady until the sun went down and Joshua leveled Amalek and his people with their swords.
Then the Existing One told Moses,
“Write down what happened in a book and give it to Joshua to keep as a memorial, because I will erase the memory of Amalek from the face of the earth.”
Moses built an altar and named it “The Existing One is my Banner,” and he said,
“The Existing One has sworn that he will wage war against Amalek from generation to generation.”
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