Amplified Bible
Exodus 17:7
7He named the place [where this miracle occurred] Massah (test) and Meribah (contention) because of the quarreling of the sons of Israel, and because they tested the [patience of the] Lord, saying, “Is the Lord among us, or not?”
Exodus 17:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the Lord, saying, Is the Lord among us, or not?
- New International Version (NIV)And he called the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the Lord saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the quarreling of the people of Israel, and because they tested the Lord by saying, "Is the Lord among us or not?"
- New King James Version (NKJV)So he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the contention of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”
Context of Exodus 17:7
5Then the Lord said to Moses, “Pass before the people and take with you some of the elders of Israel; and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb; there you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, so that the people may [have something to] drink.” And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. He named the place [where this miracle occurred] Massah (test) and Meribah (contention) because of the quarreling of the sons of Israel, and because they tested the [patience of the] Lord, saying, “Is the Lord among us, or not?” 8Then Amalek [and his people] came and fought with Israel at Rephidim. 9So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose men for us and go out, fight against Amalek [and his people]. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.”
Read all of Exodus 17Exodus 17:7 word by word
וַיִּקְרָא֙ שֵׁ֣ם הַמָּק֔וֹם מַסָּ֖ה וּמְרִיבָ֑ה עַל־רִ֣יב׀ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וְעַ֨ל נַסֹּתָ֤ם אֶת־יְהוָה֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הֲיֵ֧שׁ יְהוָ֛ה בְּקִרְבֵּ֖נוּ אִם־אָֽיִן׃ פRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And he calledקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call byH7121
- the nameשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
- of the placeמָקוֹםmâqôm mâqôm meqômâh meqômâh · placeH4725
- Massahמַסָּהmassâh · MassahH4532
- and Meribahמְרִיבָהmerîybâh · MeribahH4809
- because of the chidingרִיבrîyb rib · strifeH7379
- of the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- and because they temptedנָסָהnâsâh · to testH5254
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Isיֵשׁyêsh · thereH3426
- amongקֶ֫רֶבqereb · entrails: amongH7130
Cross-references for Exodus 17:7
- Numbers 20:13These are the waters of Meribah (contention, strife), where the sons of Israel contended with the Lord, and He showed Himself holy among them.
- Deuteronomy 9:22“At Taberah also and at Massah and at Kibroth-hattaavah you provoked the Lord to wrath.
- Exodus 17:2Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water so we may [have something to] drink.” And Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you tempt the Lord and try His patience?”
- Psalms 81:7You called in [the time of] trouble and I rescued you; I answered you in the secret place of thunder; I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah.
- Psalms 95:8Do not harden your hearts and become spiritually dull as at Meribah [the place of strife], And as at Massah [the place of testing] in the wilderness,
- Hebrews 3:8Do not harden your hearts as [your fathers did] in the rebellion [of Israel at Meribah], On the day of testing in the wilderness,
- Exodus 34:9And he said, “If now I have found favor and lovingkindness in Your sight, O Lord, let the Lord, please, go in our midst, though it is a stiff-necked (stubborn, rebellious) people, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us as Your possession.”
- Deuteronomy 31:17Then My anger will be kindled and burn against them in that day, and I will abandon (turn away from) them and hide My face from them. They will be devoured, and many evils and troubles will come on them, so that they will say in that day, ‘Is it not because our God is not among us that these evils have come on us?’
- Joshua 22:31Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said to the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the sons of Manasseh, “Today we know that the Lord is among us, because you have not committed this unfaithful act against the Lord; indeed you have saved Israel from the hand of the Lord.”
- Isaiah 12:6Rejoice and shout for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, For great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.
- Micah 3:11Her leaders pronounce judgment for a bribe, Her priests teach for a fee, And her prophets foretell for money; Yet they lean on the Lord, saying, “Is not the Lord among us? No tragedy or distress will come on us.”
- John 1:14And the Word (Christ) became flesh, and lived among us; and we [actually] saw His glory, glory as belongs to the [One and] only begotten Son of the Father, [the Son who is truly unique, the only One of His kind, who is] full of grace and truth (absolutely free of deception).
- Acts 7:37This is the Moses who said to the children of Israel, ‘God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your countrymen.’
Commentaries on Exodus 17:7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7He called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah - מסה Massah signifies temptation or trial; and מריבה Meribah, contention or litigation. From 1 Corinthians 10:4, we learn that this rock was a type of Christ, and their drinking of it is represented as their being made partakers of the grace and mercy of God through Christ Jesus; and yet many who drank fell and perished in the wilderness in the very act of disobedience! Reader, be not high minded, but…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7Massah Meribah - See the margin. On the importance of this lesson see our Lord‘s words, Matthew 4:7.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-7On the journey from the sea to Mount Sinai, God continued to care for the people's needs. During the events where he rescued them, he showed his power. Here, he showed that he cares about their basic needs.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. called the name of the place--Massah ("temptation"); Meribah ("chiding," "strife"): the same word which is rendered "provocation" (He 3:8).Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 17:7
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Exodus 17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
Amplified Bible — © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631
Commentaries