Exodus 17 - Introduction

The people murmure for water at Rephidim.

5 God sendeth him for water to the rocke in Horeb.

8 Amalek is ouercome by the holding vp of Moses hands.

15 Moses buildeth the Altar IEHOVAH Nissi.

[Murmuring.]

1 And all the Congregation of the children of Israel iourneyed from the wildernesse of Sin after their iourneys, according to the commandement of the Lord, and pitched in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drinke.

2 Wherefore [Note: Numbers 20:4.] the people did chide with Moses and said, Giue vs water that wee may drinke. And Moses said vnto them, Why chide you with mee? Wherefore doe ye tempt the Lord ?

3 And the people thirsted there for water, and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought vs vp out of Egypt, to kill vs and our children, and our cattell with thirst?

4 And Moses cried vnto the Lord, saying, What shall I doe vnto this people? They be almost ready to stone me.

5 And the Lord said vnto Moses, Goe on before the people, and take with thee of the Elders of Israel: and thy rod wherewith [Note: Exodus 7:20.] thou smotest the riuer, take in thine hand, and goe.

6 [Note: Numbers 20:9; Psalms 78:15; Psalms 105:41; Genesis 11:4; 1 Corinthians 10:4.] Behold, I will stand before thee there, vpon the rocke in Horeb, and thou shalt smite the rocke, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drinke. And Moses did so, in the sight of the Elders of Israel.

7 And hee called the name of the place [Note: That is, Tentation.] [Note: That is, Chiding: or, strife.] Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the Lord, saying, Is the Lord amongst vs, or not?

8 [Note: Deuteronomy 25:17; Genesis 11:3.] Then came Amalek, & fought with Israel in Rephidim.

9 And Moses said vnto [Note: Called Iesus, Acts 7:45.] Ioshua, Choose vs out men, and goe out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill, with the rodde of God in mine hand.

10 So Ioshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went vp to the top of the hill.

11 And it came to passe when Moses held vp his hand, that Israel preuailed: and when he let downe his hand, Amalek preuailed.

12 But Moses hands were heauie, and they tooke a stone, and put it vnder him, and he sate thereon: and Aaron and Hur stayed vp his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other

[Moses his sonnes.]

side, and his handes were steady vntill the going downe of the Sunne.

13 And Ioshua discomfited Amalek, and his people, with the edge of the sword.

14 And the Lord said vnto Moses, Write this for a memoriall in a booke, and rehearse it in the eares of Ioshua: for [Note: Numbers 24:20; 1 Samuel 15:3.] I will vtterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from vnder heauen.

15 And Moses built an Altar, and called the name of it [Note: That is, The Lord my banner.] IEHOUAH Nissi.

16 For he said, [Note: Or, because the hand of Amalek is against the throne of the LORD, therfore etc. cf2\i Hebrew: The hand vpon the throne of the Lord.] Because the Lord hath sworne that the Lord will haue warre with Amalek from generation to generation.