“And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the LORD, and pitched in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drink.”
Moses here noteth not every place where they camped, as Num. 33 , but only those places, where some notable thing was done. Hebrew, at the mouth.
“Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the LORD?”
Why distrust you God? why look ye not for succor of him without murmuring against us? Cross references: : Num. 20:4
“And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me.”
How ready the people are for their own matters to slay the true Prophets, and how slow they are to revenge God’s cause against his enemies and false Prophets.
“Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.”
Num. 2:9 ; Ps. 78:15 ; Ps. 105:41 ; 1 Cor. 10:4
“And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the LORD, saying, Is the LORD among us, or not? Massah: that is, Temptation Meribah: that is, Chiding, or, Strife”
Or, tentation. Or, strife. When in adversity we think God to be absent, then we neglect his promise, and make him a liar.
“Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim.”
Deut. 25:17 Who came of Eliphaz, son of Esau, Gen. 36:12 .
“And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. Joshua: called Jesus”
That is, Horeb, which is also called Sinai.
“And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.”
So that we see how dangerous a thing it is to faint in prayer.
“And the LORD said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.”
Num. 24:20 ; 1 Sam. 15:3 In the book of the Law. Hebrew, put it in the ears of Joshua.
“And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi: Jehovahnissi: that is, The LORD my banner”
That is, the Lord is my banner as he declared by holding up his rod and his hands.
“For he said, Because the LORD hath sworn that the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation. Because: or, Because the hand of Amalek is against the throne of the LORD, therefore, etc the LORD hath: Heb. the hand upon the throne of the LORD”
Hebrew, the hand of the Lord upon the throne.