New English Translation
Exodus 17:7
7He called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the contending of the Israelites and because of their testing 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
5The Lord said to Moses, “Go over before the people; take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand your staff with which you struck the Nile and go. 6I will be standing before you there on the rock in Horeb, and you will strike the rock, and water will come out of it so that the people may drink.” And Moses did so in plain view of the elders of Israel. He called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the contending of the Israelites and because of their testing the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?” 8Amalek came and attacked Israel in Rephidim. 9So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some of our men and go out, fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on 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, because the Israelites contended with the Lord, and his holiness was maintained among them.
- Deuteronomy 9:22Moreover, you continued to provoke the Lord at Taberah, Massah, and Kibroth-Hattaavah.
- Exodus 17:2So the people contended with Moses, and they said, “Give us water to drink!” Moses said to them, “Why do you contend with me? Why do you test the Lord?”
- Psalms 81:7In your distress you called out and I rescued you. I answered you from a dark thundercloud. I tested you at the waters of Meribah. (Selah)
- Psalms 95:8He says, “Do not be stubborn like they were at Meribah, like they were that day at Massah in the wilderness,
- Hebrews 3:8“Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of testing in the wilderness.
- Exodus 34:9and said, “If now I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, let my Lord go among us, for we are a stiff-necked people; pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance.”
- Deuteronomy 31:17At that time my anger will erupt against them and I will abandon them and hide my face from them until they are devoured. Many disasters and distresses will overcome them so that they will say at that time, ‘Have not these disasters overcome us because our God is not among us?’
- Joshua 22:31Phinehas, son of Eleazar, the priest, said to the Reubenites, Gadites, and the Manassehites, “Today we know that the Lord is among us, because you have not disobeyed the Lord in this. Now you have rescued the Israelites from the Lord’s judgment.”
- Isaiah 12:6Cry out and shout for joy, O citizens of Zion, for the Holy One of Israel acts mightily among you!”
- Micah 3:11Her leaders take bribes when they decide legal cases, her priests proclaim rulings for profit, and her prophets read omens for pay. Yet they claim to trust the Lord and say, “The Lord is among us. Disaster will not overtake us!”
- John 1:14Now the Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We saw his glory – the glory of the one and only, full of grace and truth, who came from the Father.
- Acts 7:37This is the Moses who said to the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers.’
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
New English Translation — © 1996-2016 Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C.
Commentaries