Chapter 17
1Then the whole congregation of Israel left the Desert of Sin, moving from place to place as AO 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.” “Why do you contend with me?” Moses replied. “Why do you test AO?”
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 AO, “What should I do with these people? A little more and they will stone me!”
5And AO said to Moses, “Walk on ahead of the people and take with you some of the elders of Israel. Take along in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile and go.
6Behold, I will stand before you there by the rock at Horeb. And when you strike the rock, water will come out of it for the people to drink.” So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel.
7He named the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested AO saying, “Is AO among us or not?”
8After this, the Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim.
9So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow, I will stand on the hilltop with the staff of God in my hand.”
10Joshua did as Moses had instructed him and fought against the Amalekites, while Moses, Aaron and Hur went up to the top of the hill.
11As long as Moses held up his hands , Israel prevailed but when he lowered [them], Amalek prevailed.
12When Moses’ hands grew heavy, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Then Aaron and Hur held his hands up, one on each side, so that his hands remained steady until the sun went down.
13So Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his army with the sword.
14Then AO said to Moses, “Write this as a reminder on a scroll and recite it to Joshua because I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.”
15And Moses built an altar and named it AO Is My Banner.
16“Indeed,” he said, “a hand was lifted up toward the throne of AO. AO will war against Amalek from generation to generation.”