Esodo 17:1

1 Poi tutta la raunanza de’ figliuoli d’Israele partì dal deserto di Sin, marciando a tappe secondo gli ordini dell’Eterno, e si accampò a Refidim; e non c’era acqua da bere per il popolo.

Esodo 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.

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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.

Esodo 17:1 In-Context

1 Poi tutta la raunanza de’ figliuoli d’Israele partì dal deserto di Sin, marciando a tappe secondo gli ordini dell’Eterno, e si accampò a Refidim; e non c’era acqua da bere per il popolo.

2 Allora il popolo contese con Mosè, e disse: "Dateci dell’acqua da bere". E Mosè rispose loro: "Perché contendete con me? perché tentate l’Eterno?"

3 Il popolo dunque patì quivi la sete, e mormorò contro Mosè, dicendo: "Perché ci hai fatti salire dall’Egitto per farci morire di sete noi, i nostri figliuoli e il nostro bestiame?"

4 E Mosè gridò all’Eterno, dicendo: "Che farò io per questo popolo? Non andrà molto che mi lapiderà".

5 E l’Eterno disse a Mosè: "Passa oltre in fronte al popolo, e prendi teco degli anziani d’Israele; piglia anche in mano il bastone col quale percotesti il fiume, e va’.