Exodus 17:1

1 igitur profecta omnis multitudo filiorum Israhel de deserto Sin per mansiones suas iuxta sermonem Domini castrametata est in Raphidim ubi non erat aqua ad bibendum populo

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 igitur profecta omnis multitudo filiorum Israhel de deserto Sin per mansiones suas iuxta sermonem Domini castrametata est in Raphidim ubi non erat aqua ad bibendum populo
2 qui iurgatus contra Mosen ait da nobis aquam ut bibamus quibus respondit Moses quid iurgamini contra me cur temptatis Dominum
3 sitivit ergo populus ibi pro aquae penuria et murmuravit contra Mosen dicens cur nos exire fecisti de Aegypto ut occideres et nos et liberos nostros ac iumenta siti
4 clamavit autem Moses ad Dominum dicens quid faciam populo huic adhuc pauxillum et lapidabunt me
5 ait Dominus ad Mosen antecede populum et sume tecum de senibus Israhel et virgam qua percussisti fluvium tolle in manu tua et vade
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.