Water from the Rock

Overview

• Testament: Old
• Book: Exodus 17
• Summary: At Rephidim, the people quarrel for water. God tells Moses to strike a rock, and water flows.

Details

Israel camped at Rephidim and there was no water. The people quarreled with Moses, saying “Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?”

Moses cried out to the LORD. God told him to take the rod with which he smote the river, go to the rock at Horeb, and strike it. Moses struck the rock, and water came out. He called the place Massah and Meribah (“tempting” and “quarreling”).

This same rock-striking event also occurred later at Kadesh (Numbers 20), where Moses struck the rock a second time — but this time he spoke angrily and was told he would not bring Israel into the Promised Land.

Key People Involved

• Moses — Struck the rock
• Israelites — Quarreled for water

Key Places

• Rephidim
• Mount Sinai (Horeb)

Important Verses

• “And the LORD said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, with which thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go.” — Exodus 17:5
• “And Moses smote the rock with his rod twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their cattle.” — Exodus 17:6

Cross-References

• Numbers 20:1-13 — Second water-from-rock incident
• 1 Corinthians 10:4 — “That rock was Christ”
• Deuteronomy 32:13 — “He brought him out of the rocks”
• Psalm 95:8 — “Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, as in the day of Meribah”