Reference: Massah and Meribah
Hastings
Ex 17:1-7 (Jewish Encyclopedia) tells of a miraculous gift of water at a spot near Horeb, which was called Massah and Meribah ('testing' and 'contention') because the people tested Jahweh by doubting His providence and contended with Moses. It is implied that this occurred about a year after the Exodus. Nu 20:1-18, a later narrative (Priestly Narrative), gives a similar account, but puts it thirty-seven years later, and with important variations. The scene is now laid at Kadesh, which receives the name Meribah from the contention of Israel with Jahweh. Moses and Aaron also sin against Him. There are references to the first passage in De 6:16; 9:22; Ps 95:8; and to the second in De 32:51; Ps 106:32; in Ps 81:7 the two are apparently confused. De 33:8 regards the events at Kadesh in a peculiar light: here Jahweh proves Levi at Massah and strives with (or for) him at Meribah. The tendency of recent criticism is to consider Ex 17 and Nu 20 as duplicate records of the same event, the locality of which must be fixed at Kadesh, where the spring 'Ain Kad
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They turned back and came to En-mishpat (Kadesh), and subdued all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites who lived in Hazazon-tamar.
The entire congregation of Israelites left the desert of Sin and traveled from place to place as Jehovah commanded them. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. So they complained to Moses about this: Give us water to drink! Moses said: Why do you complain to me? Why do you test Jehovah? read more. The people were thirsty for water. They complained to Moses and asked: Why did you bring us out of Egypt? Was it to make us, our children, and our livestock die of thirst? Moses cried out to Jehovah: What should I do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me! Jehovah said to Moses: Go in front of the people. Take the elders of Israel with you. Take your rod with which you struck the river, in your hand, and go. Behold! I will stand before you there upon the rock in Horeb. Strike the rock and water will come out of it. Then the people may drink. Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. He called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the complaining of the children of Israel, and because they tested Jehovah, saying: Is Jehovah among us or not?
In the first month the whole congregation of Israel came into the Desert of Zin, and they stayed at Kadesh. Miriam died and was buried there. The congregation was without water. So they gathered to confront Moses and Aaron. read more. The people complained to Moses. They said: If only we had died when the other Israelites died in Jehovah's presence! Did you bring Jehovah's assembly into this desert just to have us all die and our animals? Why did you make us leave Egypt and bring us into this terrible place? This is no place to plant crops. Even figs, grapes, and pomegranates will not grow here. And there is no water to drink! Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance of the tent of meeting. They bowed with their faces touching the ground. The glory of Jehovah appeared to them. Jehovah said to Moses: Take your staff and you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation. Right before their eyes, tell the rock to give up its water. In this way you will give the congregation water from the rock for them and their animals to drink. Moses took his staff out of the tent in Jehovah's presence as he had been commanded. Moses and Aaron assembled the congregation in front of the rock and said to them: Listen, you rebels, must we bring water out of this rock for you? Moses raised his hand and hit the rock twice with the staff. Water came pouring out! All the people and their animals drank. Jehovah said to Moses and Aaron: You did not trust me! You did not show the Israelites how holy I am! So you will not bring this congregation into the land I am giving them. This was the oasis of Meribah (Complaining), where the Israelites complained about Jehovah and where he showed them he was holy. Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom. He said: This is what your brother Israel says: 'You know all the hardships we have had. Our ancestors went to Egypt. We lived there for many years. The Egyptians mistreated our ancestors and us. We cried to Jehovah for help. He heard our cry and sent an angel, who led us out of Egypt. Now we are at Kadesh, a town at the border of your territory. Please permit us to pass through your land. We, including our cattle, will not leave the road or go into your fields or vineyards. We will not drink from your wells. We will stay on the main (king's) road until we are out of your territory.' But the Edomites answered: We refuse to let you pass through our country! If you try, we will march out and attack you.
The houses will be full of good things that you did not put in them. There will be wells that you did not dig. There will be vineyards and olive orchards that you did not plant. Jehovah will bring you into this land and you will have all you want to eat.
Do not test Jehovah your God like you tested him in Massah.
You broke faith with me among the sons of Israel at the waters of Meribah-kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin. You did not treat me as holy among of the sons of Israel.
Jehovah came from Mount Sinai. He rose like the sun over Edom and shone on his people from Mount Paran. Ten thousand angels were with him. A flaming fire was at his right hand.
Let Your Thummim and Your Urim belong to your godly man, whom you tested at Massah and with whom you contended at the waters of Meribah.
You called in trouble and I rescued you. I answered you in the secret place of thunder. I tested you at the waters of Meribah..
Do not harden your hearts, as in the day of strife, as in the day of testing in the wilderness.
They made God angry by the water at Meribah. Things turned out badly for Moses because of what they did.
On the east side the border will run between Hauran and Damascus. The Jordan River will serve as the border between Gilead and the land of Israel. The border will continue from the Dead Sea down to Tamar. This is the east side. On the south side the border will run from Tamar to the oasis at Meribah in Kadesh along the ravine to the Mediterranean Sea. This is the southern border.
The southern border of Gad will run south from Tamar to the oasis at Meribah in Kadesh, and it will run along the Brook of Egypt to the Mediterranean Sea.