Exodus 17:1

1 All the congregation of the children of Yisra'el journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, by their journeys, according to the LORD's mitzvah, and encamped in Refidim; but there was no water for the people to drink.

Exodus 17:1 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 17:1

And all the congregation of the children of Israel
journeyed from the wilderness of Sin
Where they had stayed some time, at least a week, as it should seem, from the gathering the manna there six days, and resting on the seventh:

after their journeys:
first from the wilderness of Sin to Dophkah, and from Dophkah to Alusb, and from Alush to Rephidim, as appears from ( Numbers 33:12-14 ) their two stations at Dophkah and Alush are here omitted, nothing very remarkable or of any moment happening at either place:

according to the commandment;
or "mouth of the Lord" F4, who, either with an articulate voice out of the cloud, ordered when they should march, and where they should encamp; or else this was signified by the motion or rest of the pillar of cloud or fire, which always went before them, in which the Lord was:

and pitched in Rephidim;
which was a place on the western side of Mount Sinai: according to Bunting F5, Dophkah was twelve miles from the wilderness of Sin, and Alush twelve miles from Dophkah, and Rephidim eight miles from Alush: and Jerom says F6, according to the propriety of the Syriac language, it signifies a remission of hands: and to which the Targum of Jonathan seems to have respect, adding,

``the place where their hands ceased from the precepts of the law, wherefore the fountains were dried up;''

and it follows:

and there was no water for the people to drink;
being a sandy desert place.


FOOTNOTES:

F4 (yp le) "super ore", Montanus, "ad os", Vatablus.
F5 Travels, p. 82.
F6 Epist. ad Fabiolam de 42 mansion. tom. 3. fol. 15. B.

Exodus 17:1 In-Context

1 All the congregation of the children of Yisra'el journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, by their journeys, according to the LORD's mitzvah, and encamped in Refidim; but there was no water for the people to drink.
2 Therefore the people quarreled with Moshe, and said, "Give us water to drink." Moshe said to them, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the LORD?"
3 The people were thirsty for water there; and the people murmured against Moshe, and said, "Why have you brought us up out of Mitzrayim, to kill us, our children, and our livestock with thirst?"
4 Moshe cried to the LORD, saying, "What shall I do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me."
5 The LORD said to Moshe, "Walk on before the people, and take the Zakenim of Yisra'el with you, and take the rod in your hand with which you struck the Nile, and go.
The Hebrew Names Version is in the public domain.