Exodus 17:1
AFTER THEIR JOURNEYS] RV 'by their journeys' (RM 'stages').... [ Continue Reading ]
AFTER THEIR JOURNEYS] RV 'by their journeys' (RM 'stages').... [ Continue Reading ]
REPHIDIM. MURMURING FOR WATER. OPPOSITION OF AMALEK Leaving the maritime plain the Israelites now strike inland, and after halting at Dophkah and Alush (see Numbers 33:12) they come to Rephidim. This is usually identified with the modern Wady Feiran, lying about 20 m. N. of Sinai. It is one of the... [ Continue Reading ]
TEMPT THE LORD] challenge His power and willingness to provide for them, put Him to the proof by their unbelief: cp. Exodus 17:7 see also Numbers 14:22; Numbers 20:13; Deuteronomy 6:16; Matthew 4:7. Their unbelief was the less warranted as they had lately experienced God's providence in supplying th... [ Continue Reading ]
HOREB] see on 31. Tradition identifies the rock with a great detached fragment under the ridge of Ras es-Sufsafeh. This, however, is a long way from the supposed site of Eephidim. At the same time Moses and the elders are represented as going on before the people, so that the people obtained the wat... [ Continue Reading ]
MASSAH] 'trial' or 'proving.' MERIBAH] 'chiding.' The names are formed from the words used in Exodus 17:2. Meribah is the name given to the place where water was again provided (see Numbers 20:13), but to distinguish it from the present Meribah it is called Meribah Kadesh in Deuteronomy 32:51. Some... [ Continue Reading ]
AMALEK] The Amalekites, here described collectively in the singular number, were a nomadic tribe, very fierce and warlike, roaming over the desert country S. of Canaan, including the Sinaitic peninsula where the Israelites first encountered them. They probably regarded the Israelites as their rivals... [ Continue Reading ]
The first mention of JOSHUA. He was an Ephraimite, the son of Nun. He appears here as captain of the host, and later as the personal attendant of Moses (Exodus 24:13; Exodus 32:17; Exodus 33:11). He was one of the spies sent to view the land of Canaan (Numbers 13:8; Numbers 14:6), and was afterwards... [ Continue Reading ]
According to Jewish tradition, Hur was the husband of Miriam: see on Exodus 31:2.... [ Continue Reading ]
The holding up of Moses' hands signified an appeal to God in intercession. His holding up the 'rod of God' in his hand was, at the same time, an appeal to his fighting men to remember what God had already done for them. The rod was associated with many wonderful deliverances, notably that at the Red... [ Continue Reading ]
WRITE THIS., IN A BOOK] Written records, contemporary with the events described in them, were no doubt preserved for many generations, and would afford material for future historians. One of these early records was called the 'Book of the Wars of Jehovah': see on Numbers 21:14.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUILT AN ALTAR] for the double purpose of offering sacrifices of thanksgiving, and of commemorating the victory by means of a monument: cp. Genesis 33:20; Genesis 35:7; Joshua 22:26; Joshua 22:27. JEHOVAHNISSI] 'Jehovah is my banner,' meaning, 'under His banner, in His name and strength, I fight and... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR HE SAID] RV 'and he said.' The words following are literally, 'because a hand upon the throne (of) Jah,' which may be rendered, 'because his (i.e. Amalek's) hand is against the throne of Jehovah, (therefore) will the Lord,' etc.... [ Continue Reading ]