Rephidim - Meribah

We stopped here in the middle of the desert to remember two biblical events. The place is called Rephidim in Exodus 17 and is where the Israelites complained to Moses - AGAIN - that they were thirsty, and grumbled asking Moses why he brought them out of Egypt to die in the desert. You may remember that God told Moses to take his staff - the one he used to strike the Nile - and to go to the rock at Horeb and strike the rock and water will come out of it! Moses obeyed and God again provided fresh water to bless the Israelites.

Secondly, this is also the place where Moses stood atop the hill and held his hands up while Joshua led the Israelites in a battle against Amalek. Amalek led the first assault against Israel. As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites prevailed. When he lowered his hand, Amalek and his men prevailed. Eventually, Moses grew tired, and they brought a rock and placed it under him so he could sit down. Then Aaron and Hur supported him, one on each side, holding Moses' hands up for him until the sun set and Joshua defeated Amalek and his army.

Exodus 17:1-13

Water from the Rock

All the congregation of the people of Israel moved on from the wilderness of Sin by stages, according to the commandment of the LORD, and camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink.

Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, "Give us water to drink." And Moses said to them, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the LORD?" 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?"

So Moses cried to the LORD, "What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me."

And the LORD said to Moses, "Pass on before the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel, and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 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. 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?"

Israel Defeats Amalek

Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim. So Moses said to Joshua, "Choose for us men, and go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand." So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.

Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. And Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword.