Chapter 17
Themes, discussion questions, Christ connections, and denomination lenses.
Just read this chapter →Scripture
KJV1And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the LORD, and pitched in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drink.
2Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the LORD?
3And the people thirsted there for water; and the 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?
4And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me.
5And the LORD said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go.
6Behold, 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.
7And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the LORD, saying, Is the LORD among us, or not?
8Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim.
9And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand.
10So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.
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, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.
13And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.
14And the LORD said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.
15And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi:
16For he said, Because the LORD hath sworn that the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.
“Behold, 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.”
Overview
Israel camps at Rephidim, where there is no water. The people contend with Moses so fiercely that he cries out, 'They be almost ready to stone me.' God instructs Moses to strike the rock at Horeb with the same rod used on the Nile, and water gushes forth. The place is named Massah and Meribah (testing and strife). Then Amalek attacks Israel. Moses stands on a hill with the rod of God raised, and as long as his hands are lifted, Israel prevails; when they drop, Amalek prevails. Aaron and Hur support Moses' arms until sunset, and Joshua defeats Amalek. God declares perpetual war against Amalek.
Key Themes
Water from the Rock
God brings life-giving water from a seemingly lifeless rock — provision comes from the most unlikely source, entirely by God's power and command.
The Intercession of Raised Hands
Moses' raised hands determine the outcome of battle — not magic, but a picture of dependence on God. When the intercessor grows weary, the community must support him.
Testing God at Massah and Meribah
Israel's quarrel is not merely with Moses but with God — they ask 'Is the LORD among us, or not?' doubting His presence despite all they have witnessed.
Study Questions
How does Israel's question 'Is the LORD among us, or not?' (v. 7) represent the fundamental temptation of doubt, and how do we combat it?
What is the significance of God commanding Moses to strike the rock with the same rod used to bring judgment on Egypt — how does this connect judgment and provision?
How does the pattern of Moses' raised hands and Israel's victory/defeat illustrate the role of prayer and intercession in spiritual warfare?
What does the need for Aaron and Hur to support Moses' hands teach about the communal nature of faith and ministry?
Why does God declare perpetual war against Amalek (v. 16), and what does Amalek represent in the spiritual life of God's people?
Connection to Christ
Paul identifies the rock that gave water as Christ: 'They drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ' (1 Corinthians 10:4). The smitten rock pouring out life-giving water is a profound picture of Christ, stricken on the cross, from whose side flowed blood and water (John 19:34) to give life to the world.
Personal Reflection
Take time to journal or meditate on what God is teaching you through Exodus 17. How can these truths transform your thinking and actions today?