(Exo 16 NKJV)  And they journeyed from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came to the Wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they departed from the land of Egypt.

 

 

(Exo 17 NKJV)  Then all the congregation of the children of Israel set out on their journey from the Wilderness of Sin, according to the commandment of the LORD, and camped in Rephidim; but there was no water for the people to drink.

 

 

 {2} Therefore the people contended with Moses, and said, "Give us water, that we may drink." And Moses said to them, "Why do you contend with me? Why do you tempt the LORD?" {3} And the people thirsted there for water, and the people complained against Moses, and said, "Why is it you have brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?"

(Exo 17:3 KJV)  And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, . . .”

 

(Exo 17:3 NASB)  But the people thirsted there for water; and they grumbled against Moses and said, . . ."

 

“Complained,” “ murmured,” “grumbled,” well, you get the picture, but how serious was this complaining?

 

 

(1 Cor 10:1-11 NKJV)  Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, {2} all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, {3} all ate the same spiritual food, {4} and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.

 

{5} But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. {6} Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. {7} And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play."

 

(Exo 32:4-6 NKJV)  And he received the gold from their hand, and he fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made a molded calf. Then they said, "This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!" {5} So when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it. And Aaron made a proclamation and said, "Tomorrow is a feast to the LORD."

 

(1 Cor 10:8) Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; {9} nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; {10} nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. {11} Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.

 

 

(Ex 17:4) So Moses cried out to the LORD, saying, "What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me!" {5} And the LORD said to Moses, "Go on before the people, and take with you some of the elders of Israel. Also take in your hand your rod with which you struck the river, and go.

 

(Ex 17:6) "Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink." And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. {7} So he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the contention of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the LORD, saying, "Is the LORD among us or not?"

 

מסה  Massah signifies temptation or trial;   מריבה  Meribah, contention or litigation.

 

 

(Ex 17:8) Now Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim.  {9} And Moses said to Joshua, "Choose us some men and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand." {10} So Joshua did as Moses said to him, and fought with Amalek. And Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.

 

{11} And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. {12} But Moses' hands became heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. {13} So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

 

(Ex 17:14) Then the LORD said to Moses, "Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven."

{15} And Moses built an altar and called its name, The-LORD-Is-My-Banner; {16} for he said, "Because the LORD has sworn: the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation."

 

 

(1 Sam 15:1-3 NKJV)  Samuel also said to Saul, "The LORD sent me to anoint you king over His people, over Israel. Now therefore, heed the voice of the words of the LORD. {2} "Thus says the LORD of hosts: 'I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he ambushed him on the way when he came up from Egypt. {3} 'Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.'"

 

(1 Sam 15:23-24 NKJV)  [Samuel said to Saul:] For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He also has rejected you from being king." {24} Then Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned, for I have transgressed the command-ment of the LORD and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.

 

 

Bible Study with Harley   Scripture quotations marked "NKJV™" are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.