Water from the Rock
Israel camps at Rephidim with no water, and the people's thirst becomes a quarrel with Moses. Their complaint sharpens into fear of death, and Moses cries to the LORD under threat from the crowd.
T1hen the whole congregation of Israel left the Desert of Sin, moving from place to place as the LORD commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. 2So the people contended with Moses, “Give us water to drink.” 3But the people thirsted for water there, and they grumbled against Moses: “Why have you brought us out of Egypt — to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?” 4Then Moses cried out to the LORD, “What should I do with these people? A little more and they will stone me!”
The LORD tells Moses to go ahead with the elders and strike the rock at Horeb with the staff. Water comes out, and Moses names the place Massah and Meribah because Israel quarreled and tested the LORD's presence.
5And the LORD said to Moses, “Walk on ahead of the people and take some of the elders of Israel with you. Take along in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6Behold, I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. And when you strike the rock, water will come out of it for the people to drink.” 7So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. He named the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled, and because they tested the LORD, saying, “Is the LORD among us or not?”