Exodus 17

Exodus 17:8-16

Two passages of flory are recorded in this chapter. 1. The watering of the holt of Israel. (1) In the wilderness they wanted water, ver. 1. (2.) In their want they shid with Moses, ver. 2. (3.) Moses cried to God, ver. 4. (4.) God ordered him to incite the rock, and fetch water out of that, and he did so, ver. 5. (5.) The place named from it, ver. 7. 2. The defnoting of the holt of Amalek. 1. The victory obtained by the prayer of Moses, ver. 8—12. 2. By the sword of Joshua, ver. 13. 3. A record kept of it, ver. 14—16.

1. AND all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the LORD, and pitched in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drink. 2. Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide you with me? wherefore do ye tempt the LORD? ¶ Pl. how. 3. And the people thirded there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is

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This that thou hail brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us, and our children, and our cattle with thrift? 4. And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me. 5. And the LORD said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel: and thy rod wherewith thou smores the river, take in thine hand, and go. 6. Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb, and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7. And he called the name of the place: Maffah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the LORD, saying, Is the LORD among us, or not?

9. 1—7. In the way of duty we may meet with difficulties. 1. The children of Israel again want water, and as before but too impatient, quarrel with their bed found, and question, after all they had seen, the reality of God’s care and providence. Note, (1.) It is no uncommon thing for the greatest kindnesses to be thou ill required. (2.) Who hath not sometimes felt the same provoking questions of unbelief under distressing circumstances, even to the very doubt of the providence, perhaps of the being of God? Such is man’s fallen nature.

10. Moses rebukes their unbelief, flies to God, calls his burdens before him, for they threatened his life, and begs his assistance in their perfect perilous situation. Such dangers must they sometimes run, who stand up eminently for God. Note, Prayer is the best means to compose our spirits under every disturbance, and to obtain direction in all our difficulties.

11. God hears and answers. Instead of pouring out his wrath on the rebellious, he pours out his water on the thrifty, and floods on the dry ground. Moses is commanded to fonte the rock; instant the copious torrent flowed. Deep drank the parched Israelites of these living streams; nor only quenched their perfect thrift, but all the desert through, the rock follows them, and pours around its miraculous waters. Note, (1.) God can open in our deepest distress the most abundant suppious. (2.) Every believer spiritually experiences the same favour. This rock is Christ, sintered by the rod of God for our offences, opening a fountain in his side, quenching the thrift of the guilty soul, satisfying the heart with the abundance of his consolations, and never leaving us, but springing up in our hearts as a wall of water unto everlasting life.

12. The name of the place, v. 7. Maffah, Templeton, and Meribah, Sirefo. We should long remember our sins, and the places where and when committed, for our constant humiliation, and for our future caution.

1 Deut. xxv. 17. 1 Sam. 18. 2. Wolf. 19. 3. 4 Called Jefes, Affa. vi- 20. 1 Chap. le- 20. 5 Num. xxv. 20. 1 Sam. 18. 3, 7, & xxx, 1, 17. 6 Sam. xxv. 18. 4. Ears vi- 20. 7 i. e. The Lord my heaven, See Jodg. vi. 84. 7 i. e. besaid the hand of Amalek is agreat the theme of the Lord, therefore, do: 7 i. e. The Jodg. upon the theme of the Lord.

8. ¶ Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. 9. And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to-morrow I will stand on the top of the hill, with the rod of God in mine hand. 10. So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur, went up to the top of the hill. 11. And it came to pain when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. 12. But Moses’s hands were heavy, and they took a flame, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. 13. And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. 14. And the LORD said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. 15. And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it JE-HOVAH-niff. 16. For he said, Because the LORD hath sworn, that the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.

The first mention is now made of Israel’s wars, and of Joshua, who from henceforth becomes so eminent.

1. The Amalekites, the potterity of Esau, and heirs of their father’s quarrel against Jacob, attack their rest; a violation for their late mornings, and a proof, how soon the death they feared might find them, if God but withdrew his care of them.

2. The engagement under the conduct of Joshua, and the prayers of Moses. A detachment of selected men go forth to fight, and Moses gave up to the mount, with the rod of God in his hand, to encourage them, by this banner on the hill, with the assurance of victory, and by his prayers to secure it. Note, The prayer of the faithful can do more, than the drawn sword, in turning to fight the armies of the aliens. Weary at last, his

hands begin to fail, his rod declines, and Amalek seems to rise victorious. Note, Everest prayer is a weariness to the flesh, and too apt are we to faint and grow tired of the blessed work; and whenever this is the case, sin infallibly prevails. But now Aaron and Hur stay up his arms, and the day is crowned with a compleat victory. Note, (1.) They who continue instant in prayer, cannot fail to be conquerors in the end. (2.) Christ is to us instead of all; he is our unwearied and prevailing advocate, better than Moses; our almighty captain, greater than Joshua, on whose banners victory sits enthroned; and our Aaron too, who holds up our fainting arms and feeble knees, that we may be enabled to persevere in faith and prayer, until the sun of life shall set, and death, our last enemy, be overcome.

3. The monument raised to God in the altar, acknowledging under whose banner they fought and conquered. Let it be ever remembered, in our victory over our corruptions, to the praise of the glory of God, that it is not I, but the grace of God which was with me. It is entred also upon record, that Amalek shall rue the day. Their enmity against Israel shall receive delivered judgment: the destruction now begins, and their name shall finally be blotted out from under heaven. Let assurance of victory inspire us with courage. Christ shall surely and shortly bruise all his enemies and ours under his feet.