Exodus 17:3 kjv

And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?

Exodus 17:3 nkjv

And the people thirsted there for water, and the people complained against Moses, and said, "Why is it you have brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?"

Exodus 17:3 niv

But 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?"

Exodus 17:3 esv

But the people thirsted there for water, and the people grumbled against Moses and said, "Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?"

Exodus 17:3 nlt

But tormented by thirst, they continued to argue with Moses. "Why did you bring us out of Egypt? Are you trying to kill us, our children, and our livestock with thirst?"

Exodus 17 verses

Exodus 17 3 Meaning

Exodus 17:3 reveals the deep distress and lack of faith among the Israelites when they faced severe thirst in the wilderness of Rephidim. Despite having witnessed numerous miraculous deliverances and provisions from God, they turned their frustration and fear into grumbling and direct accusation against Moses, and ultimately, against the Lord Himself. They questioned God's purpose for leading them out of Egypt, imagining He intended to destroy them and their families through thirst. The verse culminates in their profound doubt regarding God's active presence and concern among them.

Exodus 17 3 Context

Exodus 17:3 occurs within the narrative of the Israelites' journey through the wilderness after their miraculous deliverance from Egyptian bondage and the parting of the Red Sea. They had recently experienced the bitterness of the waters at Marah (Exo 15:23-25) and had been miraculously sustained by manna and quails in the Wilderness of Sin (Exo 16). Having just arrived at Rephidim, located in the dry and barren region of the Sinai peninsula, they faced an acute shortage of water. This verse marks a peak of their frustration and rebellion, preceding God's provision of water from the rock and the subsequent battle with Amalek. The immediate context of chapter 17 sets the stage for God to reveal His nature as a provider and protector in the face of human doubt and threat. Historically, nomadic survival depended entirely on access to water, making its absence a life-threatening crisis, highlighting their vulnerability and testing their trust in Yahweh who promised to lead and sustain them.

Exodus 17 3 Word analysis

• But: (Hebrew: וַיִּצְמָא - vayyitsma) - This conjunctive indicates a direct consequence or transition from the previous calm and journeying. It highlights a sharp turn in the people's disposition.
• the people (Hebrew: הָעָם - ha'am) - "The people" refers to the entire Israelite community, emphasizing the widespread nature of the discontent. It underscores their collective response, which implied a unified rebellion rather than isolated individual complaints.
• thirsted there for water, (Hebrew: שָׁם לַמַּיִם - sham lammayim) - Yitsma (from צָמֵא tsame), meaning "to thirst," denotes a profound and acute physical need. The repetition "thirsted for water" highlights the severity of their condition, which, while real, escalated into rebellion rather than prayerful petition. The word "there" points to the specific geographical location, Rephidim, underscoring the immediacy of their suffering in that desolate place.
• and the people grumbled against Moses (Hebrew: וַיָּלֶן הָעָם עַל־מֹשֶׁה - vayyalen ha'am 'al-mosheh) - Vayyalen (from לוּן lun) means "to lodge, complain, murmur." It describes a deep-seated, ongoing complaint, distinct from a simple expression of need. This murmuring was not merely about the lack of water but a direct act of accusation and opposition against Moses' leadership, reflecting an underlying rebellion against God Himself who had appointed Moses.
• and said, "Why did you bring us up from Egypt (Hebrew: וַיֹּאמְרוּ לָמָּה הֶעֱלִיתָנוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם - vayyomru lamah he'elitanu mimmitzrayim) - This question reveals regret and bitterness about their exodus. They accused Moses (and by extension, God) of having malicious intent, suggesting their deliverance was a ruse for destruction, revealing their short memory of God's power and mercy.
• to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?" (Hebrew: לְהָמִית אֹתִי וְאֶת־יְלָדֵינוּ וְאֶת־מִקְנֵנוּ בַּצָּמָא - lehamit oti ve'et-yeladeynu ve'et-mikneynu batzama) - This hyperbolic statement reflects extreme fear and paranoia, projecting genocidal intent onto God and Moses. It encompasses their entire well-being: personal, familial, and economic survival. This dramatic overstatement is a classic expression of panic and unbelief common in wilderness narratives.
• Word-Group Analysis:
  • "Why did you bring us up... to kill us...?": This phrase represents the pinnacle of their unbelief. Instead of seeing the exodus as divine salvation, they reframe it as a journey to a painful demise. This demonstrates a rejection of God's stated purpose and goodness. This questioning echoes similar complaints about death in the wilderness (e.g., Num 14:2-3).
  • "Is the Lord among us or not?" (Hebrew: הֲיֵשׁ יְהוָה בְּקִרְבֵּנוּ אִם־אַיִן - hayesh Adonai beqirbenu im-'ayin) - This rhetorical question is the gravest aspect of their rebellion. It's a direct challenge to the reality of God's active, saving presence (YHWH, the covenant name). Beqirbenu (בְּקִרְבֵּנוּ) literally means "in our midst" or "in our inward part," questioning God's immediate and intimate involvement and power to save them at that moment. This becomes the essence of "Massah," testing God's very nature and faithfulness. It reveals a demand for proof rather than trust based on His past acts. This phrase highlights the crisis of faith, moving beyond mere physical discomfort to spiritual doubt and insolence.

Exodus 17 3 Bonus section

The event described in Exodus 17:1-7, including verse 3, is famously named "Massah" and "Meribah." "Massah" (מַסָּה) means "testing" or "temptation," referring to the Israelites testing the Lord. "Meribah" (מְרִיבָה) means "quarreling" or "strife," referring to their quarrel with Moses. This episode becomes a foundational reference in later biblical texts (e.g., Psa 95:8, Heb 3:8), serving as a paradigmatic example of disobedience and hardened hearts. The Lord's subsequent provision of water from the rock, despite their testing, highlights His persistent grace and faithfulness, but also sets a precedent for judgment for sustained rebellion, as seen later with their wandering for forty years and exclusion from the Promised Land for the unbelieving generation. This serves as a warning not to take God's goodness for granted and not to exhaust His patience through persistent unbelief and complaint.

Exodus 17 3 Commentary

Exodus 17:3 vividly portrays the destructive power of unbelief and grumbling. The Israelites' genuine physical suffering from thirst became a catalyst for a deeper spiritual problem: their doubt in God's goodness, presence, and leadership. Their accusatory rhetoric, fueled by fear, shifted from simply expressing need to demanding that God (through Moses) justify His actions. The climactic question, "Is the Lord among us or not?", signifies their fundamental mistrust, a spiritual "testing" of God Himself, His nature, and His covenant promises. This event serves as a solemn warning that even after experiencing divine miracles, humanity's default inclination, apart from persistent faith, is to question God's love and purpose when faced with adversity. Their desire to return to Egyptian servitude rather than face hardship in God's path further underscores their spiritual immaturity and preference for predictable slavery over the perceived uncertainty of divine liberty. This highlights the crucial lesson for all believers: genuine faith trusts God's presence and provision even when circumstances seem dire, rather than giving in to despair and questioning His character.