Esodo 17:7

7 E pose nome a quel luogo Massah e Meribah a motivo della contesa de’ figliuoli d’Israele, e perché aveano tentato l’Eterno, dicendo: "L’Eterno è egli in mezzo a noi, si o no?"

Esodo 17:7 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 17:7

And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah
The former signifies "temptation", and the latter "contention": the reason of which names being given by Moses, or whoever was the name of the place, follows: "because of the chiding of the children of Israel"; that was the reason why it was called by the last name, Meribah, because here, the Israelites chid and contended with Moses, and used him opprobriously:

and because they tempted the Lord;
therefore it had the former name of Massah:

saying, is the Lord among us or not?
as if they should say, if we perish through thirst, the Lord is not among us, nor takes any care of us; nor was it he that brought us out of Egypt, but Moses; nor is he in the pillar of cloud and fire, as is said; but if he works a miracle, and gives us water, for us, our children, and cattle, then it will appear he is among us; and thus they tempted the Lord, though without this they had full proof, by many instances, that he was among them, and even in a very extraordinary manner.

Esodo 17:7 In-Context

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’.

6 Ecco, io starò la dinanzi a te, sulla roccia ch’è in Horeb; tu percoterai la roccia, e ne scaturirà dell’acqua, ed il popolo berrà". Mosè fece così in presenza degli anziani d’Israele.

7 E pose nome a quel luogo Massah e Meribah a motivo della contesa de’ figliuoli d’Israele, e perché aveano tentato l’Eterno, dicendo: "L’Eterno è egli in mezzo a noi, si o no?"

8 Allora venne Amalek a dar battaglia a Israele a Refidim.

9 E Mosè disse a Giosuè: "Facci una scelta d’uomini ed esci a combattere contro Amalek; domani io starò sulla vetta del colle col bastone di Dio in mano".