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Exodus 17

At Rephidim there is no water and the people quarrel with Moses; at God's word he strikes the rock at Horeb and water flows. Amalek attacks, and Israel prevails while Moses' hands are held up by Aaron and Hur.

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RephidimJebel Serbal

Also in this chapter

Water from the rockThe battle with Amalekʾĕmûnâ אֱמוּנָה

How sure can we be?

  • Textually stated

    Moses struck the rock at Horeb with the staff he had struck the Nile with, before the elders of Israel.

    Exodus 17:5–6.

  • Textually stated

    Aaron and Hur held up Moses' hands, one on one side and one on the other, and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.

    Exodus 17:12.

  • Textually stated

    The basic idea of ʾĕmûnâ is steadiness.

    In Exodus 17:12 Moses' raised hands 'were steady' (ʾĕmûnâ) until sunset.

  • Strongly supported

    Joshua (Yĕhôšuaʿ) means 'the LORD saves'.

    Strong's derives Joshua (H3091) from the divine name and yāšaʿ, and Isaiah (H3470) from yāšaʿ and Yah. Names built from a verb plus God's name are common in Hebrew.

  • Plausible

    “As the scripture hath said” gathers several Old Testament promises of water rather than quoting one verse.

    No verse matches the words. Zechariah 14 joins living waters from Jerusalem with the Feast of Tabernacles (14:8, 14:16); Ezekiel 47 sees water flowing from the temple; Isaiah 58:11 promises a spring that does not fail; the wilderness rock (Exodus 17:6, Psalm…

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King James Version (KJV) Chinese Union Version, 1919 (Wikisource)