God’s Word Translation
Exodus 17:6
6I’ll be standing in front of you there by a rock at Mount Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.” Moses did this while the leaders of Israel watched him.
Exodus 17:6 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.
- New International Version (NIV)I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.” So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink." And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink.” And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.
Context of Exodus 17:6
4So Moses cried out to the Lord, “What should I do with these people? They’re almost ready to stone me!” 5The Lord answered Moses, “Bring some of the leaders of Israel with you, and go to where the people can see you. Take the staff you used to strike the Nile River. I’ll be standing in front of you there by a rock at Mount Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.” Moses did this while the leaders of Israel watched him. 7He named that place Massah [Testing] and Meribah [Complaining] because the Israelites complained and because they tested the Lord, asking, “Is the Lord with us or not?” 8The Amalekites fought Israel at Rephidim.
Read all of Exodus 17Exodus 17:6 word by word
הִנְנִ֣י עֹמֵד֩ לְפָנֶ֨יךָ שָּׁ֥ם׀ עַֽל־הַצּוּר֮ בְּחֹרֵב֒ וְהִכִּ֣יתָ בַצּ֗וּר וְיָצְא֥וּ מִמֶּ֛נּוּ מַ֖יִם וְשָׁתָ֣ה הָעָ֑ם וַיַּ֤עַשׂ כֵּן֙ מֹשֶׁ֔ה לְעֵינֵ֖י זִקְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Behold, I will standעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- thee there upon the rockצוּרtsûr tsûr · rockH6697
- in Horebחֹרֵבchôrêb · HorebH2722
- and thou shalt smiteנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
- and there shall comeיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
- waterמַיmayim · waterH4325
- out of it, that the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- may drinkשָׁתָהshâthâh · to drinkH8354
- And Mosesמֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872
- didעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- so in the sightעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eye: seeingH5869
- of the eldersזָקֵןzâqên · old: elderH2205
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
Cross-references for Exodus 17:6
- Exodus 16:10While Aaron was speaking to the whole community of Israelites, they looked toward the desert. Suddenly, they saw the glory of the Lord in the ⌞column of⌟ smoke.
- Exodus 17:10Joshua did as Moses told him and fought the Amalekites, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went to the top of the hill.
- Exodus 17:12Eventually, Moses’ hands felt heavy. So Aaron and Hur took a rock, put it under him, and he sat on it. Aaron held up one hand, and Hur held up the other. His hands remained steady until sunset.
- Exodus 3:1Moses was taking care of the sheep of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian. As he led the sheep to the far side of the desert, he came to Horeb, the mountain of God.
- Numbers 20:9Moses took his staff out of ⌞the tent in⌟ the Lord’s presence as he had been commanded.
- Deuteronomy 8:15He was the one who led you through that vast and dangerous desert—a thirsty and arid land, with poisonous snakes and scorpions. He was the one who made water come out of solid rock for you.
- Nehemiah 9:15You gave them bread from heaven to satisfy their hunger and made water flow from a rock to quench their thirst. You told them to take possession of the land that you swore you would give them.
- Psalms 78:15He split rocks in the desert. He gave them plenty to drink, an ocean of water.
- Psalms 105:41He opened a rock, and water gushed and flowed like a river through the dry places.
- Psalms 114:8He turns a rock into a pool filled with water and turns flint into a spring flowing with water.
- Isaiah 48:21They weren’t thirsty when he led them through the deserts. He made water flow from a rock for them. He split a rock, and water gushed out.
- 1 Corinthians 10:4and all of them drank the same spiritual drink. They drank from the spiritual rock that went with them, and that rock was Christ.
- Psalms 46:4There is a river whose streams bring joy to the city of God, the holy place where the Most High lives.
- Isaiah 41:17“The poor and needy are looking for water, but there is none. Their tongues are parched with thirst. I, the Lord, will answer them. I, the God of Israel, will not abandon them.
- Isaiah 43:19I am going to do something new. It is already happening. Don’t you recognize it? I will clear a way in the desert. I will make rivers on dry land.
- John 4:10Jesus replied to her, “If you only knew what God’s gift is and who is asking you for a drink, you would have asked him for a drink. He would have given you living water.”
Commentaries on Exodus 17:6
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6I will stand before thee there, upon the rock in Horeb - The rock, הצור hatstsur . It seems as if God had directed the attention of Moses to a particular rock, with which he was well acquainted; for every part of the mount and its vicinity must have been well known to Moses during the time he kept Jethro's flocks in those quarters. Dr. Priestley has left the following sensible observations upon this miracle: - "The luminous cloud, the symbol of the Divine…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6The rock in Horeb - (a rock situated, according to Arab tradition, in Wady Feiran. Horeb was a name given to the whole desert of Sinai and subsequently attached to the mountain. Palmer). It is questioned whether the water thus supplied ceased with the immediate occasion; see 1 Corinthians 10:4, the general meaning of which appears to be that their wants were ever supplied from Him, of whom the rock was but a symbol, and who accompanied them in all their…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6Mount Sinai: See study note on 3:1. water will come out of it: Note the similar way God provided for the people in Numbers 20:11 (see also Psalms 78:15–16; 105:41; 114:8; Isaiah 48:21).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-71. the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin--In the succinct annals of this book, those places only are selected for particular notice by the inspired historian, which were scenes memorable for their happy or painful interest in the history of the Israelites. A more detailed itinerary is given in the later books of Moses, and we find that here two stations are omitted (Nu 33:1-56). according to the commandment of the Lord, &c.--not…Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 17:6
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
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