# Exodus 17 đź“–: Water from the Rock
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> [!info] Table of Contents
> [[#đź“ś Scripture Text (NET)]]
> [[#đź“– Verse-by-Verse Commentary]]
> [[#🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]]
> [[#🧠Chapter Summary]]
> [[#✝️ Christ in This Chapter]]
> [[#🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application]]
> [[#đź’¬ Discussion Questions]]
> [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]]
> [[#đź”— Related Passages/Cross Reference]]
> [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]]
> [[#đź“‚ Internal Notes]]
## đź“ś Scripture Text (NET)
(The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005)
## Water at Massah and Meribah
[[#Verse 01.]] The whole community of the Israelites traveled on their journey from the wilderness of Sin according to the Lord’s instruction, and they pitched camp in Rephidim. Now there was no water for the people to drink.
[[#Verse 02.]] So the people contended with Moses, and they said, “Give us water to drink!” Moses said to them, “Why do you contend with me? Why do you test the Lord?”Â
[[#Verse 03.]] But the people were very thirsty there for water, and they murmured against Moses and said, “Why in the world did you bring us up from Egypt—to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?”
[[#Verse 04.]] Then Moses cried out to the Lord, “What will I do with this people?—a little more and they will stone me!”Â
[[#Verse 05.]] The Lord said to Moses, “Go over before the people; take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand your staff with which you struck the Nile and go.Â
[[#Verse 06.]] I will be standing before you there on the rock in Horeb, and you will strike the rock, and water will come out of it so that the people may drink.” And Moses did so in plain view of the elders of Israel.
[[#Verse 07.]] He called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the contending of the Israelites and because of their testing the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”
## Victory over the Amalekites
> [!illustration] WE NEED EACH OTHER
> Help Each Other
> Scripture: Exodus 17:8-13
> Summary: Moses was tired, even though he was serving God. He needed the help of others.
> Point: Receive help and BE a help to others.
> Tags: #illustration
> Used: [[Sermon- Unity (Sparta 2026)]]
[[#Verse 08.]] Amalek came and attacked Israel in Rephidim.Â
[[#Verse 09.]] So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some of our men and go out, fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.”
[[#Verse 10.]] So Joshua fought against Amalek just as Moses had instructed him, and Moses and Aaron and Hur went up to the top of the hill.Â
[[#Verse 11.]] Whenever Moses would raise his hands, then Israel prevailed, but whenever he would rest his hands, then Amalek prevailed.
[[#Verse 12.]] When the hands of Moses became heavy, they took a stone and put it under him, and Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side and one on the other, and so his hands were steady until the sun went down.Â
[[#Verse 13.]] So Joshua destroyed Amalek and his army with the sword.
[[#Verse 14.]] The Lord said to Moses, “Write this as a memorial in the book, and rehearse it in Joshua’s hearing; for I will surely wipe out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.”Â
[[#Verse 15.]] Moses built an altar, and he called it “The Lord is my Banner,”
[[#Verse 16.]] for he said, “For a hand was lifted up to the throne of the Lord—that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.”
## đź“– Verse-by-Verse Commentary
###### Overall.
###### Verse 01.
###### Verse 02.
###### Verse 03.
###### Verse 04.
###### Verse 05.
###### Verse 06.
###### Verse 07.
###### Verse 08.
###### Verse 09.
###### Verse 10.
###### Verse 11.
###### Verse 12.
###### Verse 13.
###### Verse 14.
###### Verse 15.
###### Verse 16.
## 🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights
1. Massah means "testing" and Meribah means "quarreling" (17:7).
2. Moses struck the rock in the sight of the elders of Israel (17:6).
3. The Amalekites descended from Esau through his grandson Amalek (Genesis 36:12).
4. Deuteronomy 25:17-18 says Amalek attacked the weak and weary stragglers at the back of Israel's line.
5. This is the first time Joshua appears in the Bible (17:9).
6. Hur appears again as a leader alongside Aaron while Moses is on the mountain (24:14).
7. This is the first time in the Bible that God tells someone to write something down (17:14).
8. "The Lord is my Banner" is *Yahweh Nissi* in Hebrew (17:15).
9. A banner was a pole or standard raised to rally troops in battle.
10. Psalm 95:8-9 warns God's people not to harden their hearts as at Meribah and Massah, and Hebrews 3 quotes that warning.
## 🧠Chapter Summary
> [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way.
## ✝️ Christ in This Chapter
Christ is the Rock struck for His people. Water flowed from the rock at Horeb (17:6), and Paul says the rock was Christ (1 Corinthians 10:4). From Jesus flows living water for all who thirst (John 7:37-38).
## 🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application
> [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way.
## đź’¬ Discussion Questions
1. The people asked, "Is the Lord among us or not?" (17:7). When are you tempted to ask that question?
2. Moses' hands grew tired, and Aaron and Hur held them up (17:12). Who holds up your arms, and whose arms can you hold up?
3. Moses named the altar "The Lord is my Banner" (17:15). What does it mean to fight under God's banner?
## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember
- đź“– verse 6: Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.
- đź“– verse 12: Aaron and Hur held up Moses' hands until sunset.
- đź“– verse 15: Moses builds an altar and calls it "The Lord is my Banner."
## đź”— Related Passages/Cross Reference
- đź”— [[1 Corinthians 10#Verse 04.|1 Corinthians 10:4]] - That rock was Christ.
- đź”— [[John 07#Verse 37.|John 7:37-38]] - Rivers of living water.
- đź”— [[Psalm 95#Verse 07.|Psalm 95:7-9]] - Do not harden your hearts as at Meribah.
- đź”— [[Deuteronomy 25#Verse 17.|Deuteronomy 25:17-19]] - Remember what Amalek did.
- đź”— [[Numbers 20#Verse 07.|Numbers 20:7-12]] - Moses strikes the rock a second time.
## 🙏 Devotional Reflection
đź“ť SOAP: [[Exodus 17- SOAP|Be A Helper]]
## đź“‚ Internal Notes