1The people murmur for water at Rephidim, and are sent for it by God to the rock in Horeb. 8Amalek is overcome by the holding up of Moses' hands. 14God's vengeance against Amalek, in token of which Moses buildeth the altar JEHOVAH-nissi.
1AND all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after 1their journeys, 2according to the commandment of the LORD, and pitched in 3Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drink.
1 Their journeys were these: from Sin to Dophkah; from Dophkah to Alush; from Alush to Rephidim, Num. 33:12, 13, 14. Moses does not mention in this chapter all the journeys and resting places of the people; but only those in which there happened something extraordinary.
2 Hebr. upon, or, after the mouth of.
3 Rephidim is a place in the wilderness at Mount Horeb. This was the eleventh camp.
2Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, 4Give us water that we may drink. And Mosesa said unto them, Why chideb ye with me? wherefore do ye 5tempt the LORD?
4 Namely, ye Moses and Aaron.
a Num. 20:3, 4.
b emphatically express anger or disappointment; complain
5 Namely, by your unbelief, for, they doubted still whether the LORD was among them, verse 7, which they would have Him make appear by miracles. This is to tempt God, Psalm 78:18, 19; Mat. 16:1.
3And the people thirsted there for water; and 6the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?
6 Understand not all the people, but some ill-disposed ones among them.
4And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be 7almost ready to stone me.
7 Hebr. yet a little, and they will stone me. With the similar words they threatened Moses also in Num. 14:10.
5And the LORD said unto Moses, 8Go on before the people, and take with thee 9of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, 10wherewithc thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go.
8 Namely, unto Mount Horeb.
9 That they may be witnesses of what shall happen there.
10 That is, wherewith thou didst command Aaron to smite the same.
c Exod. 7:20.
6Behold,d I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.
d Num. 20:9; Psalm 78:15; 114:8; 1 Cor. 10:4.
7And he called the name of the place 11Massah, and 12Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the LORD, saying, Is the LORD among us, or not?
11 That is, temptation.
12 That is, strife, contention. See of another Meribah, Num. 20:13.
8¶Thene came 13Amalek, and fought 14with Israel in Rephidim.
e Deut. 25:17, 18.
13 That is, the Amalekites, the descendants of Esau, Jacob’s brother, Gen. 36:15, 16. What is related here happened when Moses was marching with the Israelites towards Horeb. See Deut. 25:17, 18.
14 That is, against the Israelites.
9And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the 15top of the hill with 16the rod of God in mine hand.
15 Hebr. head.
16 That is, the rod, whereby God wrought many and great wonders.
10So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and 17Hur went up to the top of the hill.
17 This Hur is to be distinguished from Hur the father of Bezaleel, and the son of Caleb, 1 Chron. 2:19.
11And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.
12But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, 18the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.
18 Hebr. hence one, and thence one.
13And Joshua 19discomfited 20Amalek and his people with the 21edge of the sword.
19 Or, weakened, broke.
20 It seems that by Amalek here is to be understood the king or chief leader of the Amalekites, and by his people, their camp or army. Others understand by Amalek, the Amalekites; and by his people, other nations that were come to their assistance.
21 Hebr. the mouth of.
14And the LORD said unto Moses, Write this for 22a memorial in a book, and 23rehearsefit in the ears of Joshua: forg I will 24utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek 25from under heaven.
22 Namely, wherein thou shalt describe the history of the Israelites.
23 That is, repeat it often, imprint it well in thy successor’s apprehension.
f report, declare
g Num. 24:20; Deut. 25:17, 18, 19; 1 Sam. 15:2, 3.
24 Hebr. extirpating shall extirpate.
25 That is, everywhere, as far as the heavens extends itself.
15And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it 26Jehovah-nissi:
26 Or, The LORD is my banner. Thus Moses called this altar in remembrance of the victory over Amalek.
16For he said, 27Because the LORD hath sworn thath the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.
27 Or, Because the hand of Amalek is against the throne of the LORD, therefore, that is, was against Him and His people. By the throne there may likewise be understood the church of God. Some interpret it of God’s swearing an oath. Or, Hebr. the hand upon the throne of the LORD. Understand by the hand here, the hand of God, that is, His power which He stretches forth from heaven (as being His throne) for the protection of His people and the suppression of His enemies; the place here is somewhat obscure.
h 1 Sam. 15:2.