17The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place as the LORD commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink.H5712H1121H3478H5265H4057H5512H4550H6310H3068H2583H7508H4325H5971H83542So they quarreled with Moses and said, "Give us water to drink." Moses replied, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the LORD to the test?"H5971H7378H4872H559H5414H4325H8354H4872H559H7378H5254H30683But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, "Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?"H5971H6770H4325H5971H3885H4872H559H5927H4714H4191H1121H4735H67724Then Moses cried out to the LORD, "What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me."H4872H6817H3068H559H6213H5971H4592H56195The LORD answered Moses, "Walk on ahead of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go.H3068H559H4872H5674H6440H5971H3947H2205H3478H4294H5221H2975H3947H3027H19806I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink." So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel.H5975H6440H6697H2722H5221H6697H3318H4325H5971H8354H4872H6213H5869H2205H34787And he called the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the LORD saying, "Is the LORD among us or not?"H7121H8034H4725H4532H4809H7379H1121H3478H5254H3068H559H3426H3068H7130
The Amalekites Defeated
8The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim.H935H6002H3898H3478H75089Moses said to Joshua, "Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands."H4872H559H3091H977H582H3318H3898H6002H4279H5324H7218H1389H4294H430H302710So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill.H3091H6213H4872H559H3898H6002H4872H175H2354H5927H7218H138911As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning.H4872H7311H3027H3478H1396H5117H3027H6002H139612When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset.H4872H3027H3515H3947H68H7760H3427H175H2354H8551H3027H259H259H3027H530H935H812113So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.H3091H2522H6002H5971H6310H271914Then the LORD said to Moses, "Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven."H3068H559H4872H3789H2146H5612H7760H241H3091H4229H4229H2143H6002H806415Moses built an altar and called it The LORD is my Banner.H4872H1129H4196H7121H8034H307116He said, "For hands were lifted up to the throne of the LORD. The LORD will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation."H559H3050H3027H3676H3068H4421H6002H1755H1755