Exodus 17:2 kjv
Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the LORD?
Exodus 17:2 nkjv
Therefore the people contended with Moses, and said, "Give us water, that we may drink." So Moses said to them, "Why do you contend with me? Why do you tempt the LORD?"
Exodus 17:2 niv
So 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?"
Exodus 17:2 esv
Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, "Give us water to drink." And Moses said to them, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the LORD?"
Exodus 17:2 nlt
So once more the people complained against Moses. "Give us water to drink!" they demanded. "Quiet!" Moses replied. "Why are you complaining against me? And why are you testing the LORD?"
Exodus 17 2 Cross References
Verse | Text | Reference |
---|---|---|
Ex 15:24 | So the people grumbled against Moses... | Grumbling at Marah (water) |
Ex 16:2-3 | The whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled... | Grumbling for food (Manna, Quail) |
Num 11:1 | Now the people complained... the fire of the Lord burned among them. | Complaint leading to God's wrath |
Num 14:27 | "How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who grumble against Me?" | God's weariness with grumbling |
Num 20:2-5 | ...they quarreled with Moses... "Why have you brought us up...to die?" | Miriam's death & lack of water at Kadesh |
Num 21:5 | The people spoke against God and against Moses... | Complaining about food and water again |
Dt 6:16 | You shall not put the Lord your God to the test, as you tested Him at Massah. | Explicit command not to test God |
Dt 8:2 | ...to humble you, and to test you, to know what was in your heart... | God tests Israel (distinct from Israel testing God) |
Ps 78:18-20 | They tested God in their heart by demanding the food they craved... | Testing God for selfish desires |
Ps 78:40-41 | How often they rebelled against Him in the wilderness...and grieved Him! | Israel's frequent rebellion |
Ps 81:7 | In trouble you called, and I delivered you... I tested you at the waters of Meribah. | God testing Israel at Meribah |
Ps 95:8-9 | "Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: when your fathers tested Me..." | Warning against testing God (from Ex 17) |
Isa 7:12 | But Ahaz said, "I will not ask, nor will I test the Lord." | King Ahaz refuses to test God (context: trusting human means) |
Jer 9:7 | "Behold, I will refine them and test them..." | God's testing for purification |
1 Cor 10:9 | We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed. | New Testament warning against testing Christ |
1 Cor 10:10 | Nor grumble, as some of them grumbled and were destroyed by the Destroyer. | New Testament warning against grumbling |
Heb 3:7-11 | Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness... | NT application of Psalm 95 to avoid hardening hearts |
Mt 4:7 / Lk 4:12 | Jesus said to him, "Again it is written, 'You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.'" | Jesus quoting Dt 6:16 during temptation |
Ja 1:13 | Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted with evil. | God cannot be tempted by evil (He tests, is not tested by evil) |
Ex 4:1 | Moses answered, "But behold, they will not believe me..." | Moses' own earlier doubt in God's ability to convince Israel |
Num 16:3 | They assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron... | Korah's rebellion: direct challenge to authority |
Rom 10:21 | All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people. | Israel's long history of rebellion (from Isa 65:2) |
Exodus 17 verses
Exodus 17 2 Meaning
Exodus 17:2 depicts a moment of severe discontent and rebellion among the Israelites against Moses, born out of a desperate lack of water in the wilderness. Their demand for water quickly escalates into an accusation and a profound questioning of God's presence and care, thus "testing the Lord." Moses challenges their actions, recognizing that their quarrel with him is ultimately a direct affront to God and a demonstration of their lack of faith in His divine provision.
Exodus 17 2 Context
Exodus chapter 17 continues the Israelites' journey through the wilderness after their miraculous deliverance from Egypt, the crossing of the Red Sea, and God's provision of manna and quail. They have arrived at Rephidim, a place devoid of water. This verse occurs immediately following their arrival, highlighting a critical point of physical need that quickly devolves into spiritual failure. The people, rather than patiently trusting in God who had already performed great wonders and consistently provided, respond with an aggressive demand. This incident follows closely on the heels of their complaint about bitter water at Marah (Ex 15:24-25) and their grumbling for food (Ex 16:2-3), establishing a recurring pattern of faithlessness in the face of trials. It sets the stage for the significant event where water is provided from the rock, and gives rise to the names "Massah" (testing) and "Meribah" (quarreling).
Exodus 17 2 Word analysis
- Therefore (וַיָּרֶב): Indicates a consequence. The lack of water was the immediate trigger for their behavior, suggesting a cause-and-effect relationship stemming from their perceived hardship.
- the people (הָעָם֙): Refers collectively to the children of Israel, highlighting a widespread and communal act of rebellion rather than individual isolated complaints.
- quarreled (יָּרֶב): From the Hebrew root riv (רִיב). This word implies more than simple grumbling or complaint; it denotes contention, strife, a dispute, or even a legal accusation. It signifies a direct confrontation and a challenging of authority, demanding satisfaction as if in a lawsuit. Their contention was not just an emotional outburst but a serious accusation.
- with Moses (עִם־מֹשֶׁ֖ה): Moses, as God's chosen leader and representative, is the direct object of their dispute, yet the ultimate target is God Himself.
- and said (וַיֹּאמְר֔וּ): Their spoken words carry the weight of their contentious attitude.
- "Give us water" (תְּנוּ־לָ֥נוּ מַ֖יִם): A blunt command, not a humble request. It expresses their entitlement and assumes Moses (and by extension, God) has failed in their responsibility to provide.
- "that we may drink" (וְנִשְׁתֶּֽה): States the essential need, yet the tone is one of demand, not desperate pleading.
- And Moses said (וַיֹּ֥אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֖ה): Moses' direct response, highlighting his position as mediator and leader facing immense pressure.
- "Why do you quarrel with me?" (מָה־תְּרִיב֖וּן עִמָּ֑דִי): Moses' initial question reveals his awareness of the contentious nature of their action and the challenge to his own leadership. He perceives it as a personal attack.
- "Why do you test the Lord?" (מָה־תְּנַסּוּן֙ אֶת־יְהוָֽה): The crucial theological insight. Nassah (נַסָּה) means to try, prove, test, or tempt. In this context, it is to test God's patience, power, presence, and faithfulness. It implies doubt and a presumptuous demand for God to perform a miracle on their terms, challenging His sovereignty and assuming He is absent or incapable. It reflects a fundamental lack of trust despite His past demonstrated faithfulness.
Exodus 17 2 Bonus section
The location where this event occurs, Rephidim, becomes famously associated with two significant names derived from the events: Massah ("testing") and Meribah ("quarreling" or "contention"), marking the spot where Israel "tested" and "quarreled" with God. These names later serve as perpetual reminders of Israel's faithlessness, frequently referenced in Psalms (Ps 95:8, Ps 81:7) and echoed in the New Testament as a warning to Christians (Heb 3:8). The immediate outcome of this event is God providing water from the rock through Moses, demonstrating His boundless grace despite their direct sin, laying groundwork for New Testament understanding of Christ as the spiritual rock providing living water.
Exodus 17 2 Commentary
Exodus 17:2 stands as a powerful illustration of the persistent human tendency to doubt and complain when faced with adversity, even after experiencing divine deliverance. The people's "quarrel" was not a simple grievance but a full-blown contentious dispute, aimed initially at Moses but fundamentally at the Lord Himself. This action is acutely labeled by Moses as "testing the Lord," a grave sin stemming from unbelief. To "test" God in this context means to question His presence, power, or goodness, demanding proof of His involvement as if He were beholden to human whims or had to re-prove His faithfulness. It shows a lack of enduring trust in the One who had consistently provided for them. This incident foreshadows a pattern of rebellion throughout their wilderness journey and serves as a profound biblical warning against presumption and hardening one's heart against God's loving care and guidance in times of trial. For the believer today, it underscores the importance of trusting God's provision even when circumstances are dire and avoiding the temptation to grumble against divinely appointed leadership or question God's character.