God’s Word Translation
Exodus 17:7
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?”
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
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. 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. He 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. 9Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some of our men. Then fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill. I will hold in my hand the staff God told me to take along.”
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 20:13This was the oasis of Meribah [Complaining], where the Israelites complained about the Lord and where he showed them he was holy.
- Deuteronomy 9:22You also made the Lord angry at Taberah, Massah, and Kibroth Hattaavah.
- Exodus 17:2So they complained to Moses by saying, “Give us water to drink!” Moses said to them, “Why are you complaining to me? Why are you testing the Lord?”
- Psalms 81:7When you were in trouble, you called out ⌞to me⌟, and I rescued you. I was hidden in thunder, but I answered you. I tested your ⌞loyalty⌟ at the oasis of Meribah. Selah
- Psalms 95:8“Do not be stubborn like ⌞my people were⌟ at Meribah, like the time at Massah in the desert.
- Hebrews 3:8Don’t be stubborn like those who rebelled and tested me in the desert.
- Exodus 34:9Then he said, “Lord, please go with us! Even though we are impossible to deal with, forgive our sin and the wrong we have done, and accept us as your own people.”
- Deuteronomy 31:17On that day I will become angry with them. I will abandon them and turn away from them. They will be destroyed, and many terrible disasters will happen to them. On that day they will ask, ‘Haven’t these disasters happened to us because our God isn’t with us?’
- Joshua 22:31Then Phinehas, son of the priest Eleazar, said to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh, “Today we know the Lord is among us, because you did not commit an unfaithful act against the Lord. Now you have rescued the people of Israel from the Lord’s punishment.”
- Isaiah 12:6Shout loudly, and sing with joy, people of Zion! The Holy One of Israel is great. He is among you.”
- Micah 3:11Your leaders exchange justice for bribes. Your priests teach for a price. Your prophets tell the future for money. But they rely on the Lord when they say, “After all, the Lord is with us. Nothing bad will happen to us.”
- John 1:14The Word became human and lived among us. We saw his glory. It was the glory that the Father shares with his only Son, a glory full of kindness and truth.
- Acts 7:37This is the same Moses who told the Israelites, ‘God will send you a prophet, an Israelite like me.’
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
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