WATER WAS MADE TO GUSH FROM THE ROCK BY GOD
The Bible recounts that the Israelites received water from a rock, miraculously on two separate occasions.
There are two distinct types of hardness of the heart: one is natural and arises from the inherent corruption of human nature, while the other is habitual and evolves over time due to persistent involvement in sinful conduct and an ongoing resistance to moral or spiritual guidance.
“Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:” ( Psalms 95:8 )
The references to Meribah and Massah in the Bible are associated with two separate incidents in the Israelites’ journey through the wilderness, both involving issues related to water and God’s provision. These incidents are recorded in the Book of Exodus and the Book of Numbers in the Old Testament. According to the Bible the Israelites, led by Moses, were wandering in the desert and facing a severe shortage of water. They complained to Moses and questioned why they had been brought out of Egypt to die of thirst in the desert. Moses, in turn, sought guidance from God. And they received water from a rock two times.
“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. 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? And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst? And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me. And the LORD said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go. 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.” ( Exodus 17: 1 – 7 )
Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in the first month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there. And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the LORD. And why have ye brought up the congregation of the LORD into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there? And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place? it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink. And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell upon their faces: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto them. And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
( Numbers 20:1-14 )
MERIBAH
In the Bible, “Meribah” means “quarrel” or “strife.” It is a term associated with a specific event in the wilderness where the Israelites complained to Moses and quarrelled with him about the lack of water. God instructed Moses to strike a rock, and water miraculously flowed from it, resolving the dispute. This event is often referred to as “Meribah,” and it serves as a symbol of the Israelites’ testing and questioning of God’s provision during their journey through the wilderness. ( Numbers 20:2-19 )
Meribah, one of the names Moses gave to the spring in the desert of Sin, near Rephidim, which flowed from the rock in Horeb when struck by divine command.
“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. 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? And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst? And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me. And the LORD said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go.“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.” 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? ( Exodus 17:1-7 )
MASSAH
“It is a location where individuals’ faith was put to the test by God.”
The term “testing the Lord” refers to a situation where people challenge or question God’s authority, power, or provision by demanding miraculous signs or solutions to their problems. In this case, the Israelites’ lack of faith and their confrontational attitude toward Moses and Yahweh’s ability to provide for them can be seen as a form of testing God. This lack of trust and faith in God’s guidance and provision led to consequences for the Israelites. God declared that Moses and Aaron, his brother, would not be the ones to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. Instead, they would die in the wilderness, and Joshua would succeed Moses as their leader.
“And of Levi he said, Let thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy holy one, whom thou didst prove at Massah, and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah;” ( Deuteronomy 33:8 )
“And at Taberah, and at Massah, and at Kibrothhattaavah, ye provoked the LORD to wrath.” ( Deuteronomy 9:22 )
So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water. ( Exodus 15:22 )
LOCATION- “It is a unified record of the two traditions (Meribah and Massah )”:
This account combines the narratives of the two traditions at Meribah and Massah into a single cohesive record.(Meribah J and Masah E). As per the Book of Exodus, Meribah was situated in Rephidim. However, according to the Book of Numbers,Meribah was found in Kadesh, within the wilderness of Zin.
“ Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in the first month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there. And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the LORD!” ( Numbers 20:1-3 )
‘For ye rebelled against my commandment in the desert of Zin, in the strife of the congregation, to sanctify me at the water before their eyes: that is the water of Meribah in Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.” ( Numbers 27:14 )
“Because ye trespassed against me among the children of Israel at the waters of Meribah-Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin; because ye sanctified me not in the midst of the children of Israel.” ( Dueteronomy 32:51 )
And the south side southward, from Tamar even to the waters of strife in Kadesh, the river to the great sea. And this is the south side southward. ( Ezekiel 47:19 )
As per the Book of Exodus, Meribah was situated in Rephidim. However, according to the Book of Numbers, Meribah was found in Kadesh, within the wilderness of Zin.
( Ezekiel 48:28 )
These two incidents, at Meribah and Massah, are often intertwined because they both involve the Israelites’ complaints about water and their testing of God. They serve as lessons about faith, trust, and the consequences of challenging God’s authority and provision during their wilderness journey. It also underscores the notion of God providing for His people even in challenging circumstances, as He miraculously provided water from a rock in response to their need.