All the congregation of Bani-Israel traveled from the wilderness of Sin, by their journeys, according to Allah’s commandment, and encamped in Rephidim; but there was no water for the people to drink. 2Therefore the people quarreled with Musa, and said, “Give us water to drink.“
Musa said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test Allah?“
3The people were thirsty for water there; and the people murmured against Musa, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us, our children, and our livestock with thirst?“
4Musa cried to Allah, saying, “What shall I do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.“
5Allah said to Musa, “Walk on before the people, and take the elders of Israel with you, and take the rod in your hand with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb. You shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink.“ Musa did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7He called the name of the place Massah,[1] and Meribah,[2] because Bani-Israel quarreled, and because they tested Allah, saying, “Is Allah among us, or not?“
8Then Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim. 9Musa said to Yusha, “Choose men for us, and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with God’s rod in my hand.“ 10So Yusha did as Musa had told him, and fought with Amalek; and Musa, Harun, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11It happened, when Musa held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. 12But Musa’s hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat on it. Harun and Hur held up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side. His hands were steady until sunset. 13Yusha defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. 14Allah said to Musa, “Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Yusha: that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under the sky.“ 15Musa built an altar, and called its name Allah our Banner. 16He said, “Allah has sworn: ‘Allah will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.‘”
[1]17:7 Massah means testing.
[2] 17:7 Meribah means quarreling.