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Exodus Chapter
Seventeen
New King James Version
(NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO
EXODUS 17
The children of Israel
coming to Rephidim
want water
and chide with Moses about it
who
crying to
the Lord
is bid to smite the rock
from whence came water for them
and he
named the place from their contention with him
Exodus 17:1 at this
place Amalek came and fought with Israel
who
through the prayer of Moses
signified by the holding up of his hands
and by the sword of Joshua
was vanquished
Exodus 17:8
for
the remembrance of which it was ordered to be recorded in a book
and an altar
was built with this inscription on it
"Jehovahnissi": it being the
will of God that Amalek should be fought with in every generation until utterly
destroyed
Exodus 17:14
Exodus 17:1 Then all the
congregation of the children of Israel set out on their journey from the
Wilderness of Sin
according to the commandment of the Lord
and camped in
Rephidim; but there was no water for the people to drink.
YLT 1And all the company of the sons of Israel
journey from the wilderness of Sin
on their journeyings
by the command of
Jehovah
and encamp in Rephidim
and there is no water for the people to drink;
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 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"F4על
פי "super ore"
Montanus
"ad
os"
Vatablus.
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 BuntingF5Travels
p. 82.
Dophkah was twelve miles from the
wilderness of Sin
and Alush twelve miles from Dophkah
and Rephidim eight
miles from Alush: and Jerom saysF6Epist. ad Fabiolam de 42 mansion.
tom. 3. fol. 15. B.
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.
Exodus 17:2 2 Therefore the people
contended with Moses
and said
“Give us water
that we may drink.”
So Moses said
to them
“Why do you contend with me? Why do you tempt the Lord?”
YLT 2and the people strive with Moses
and say
`Give us water
and we drink.' And Moses saith to them
`What? -- ye strive
with me
what? -- ye try Jehovah?'
Wherefore the
people did chide with Moses
.... Contended with him by words
expostulating with him in a very angry and indecent manner for bringing them
thither; loading him with reproaches and calumnies
wrangling and quarrelling
with him
and using him very ill
giving hard words and bad language:
and said
give
us water
that we may drink; directing their speech both to Moses and
Aaron
as the word "give"F7תנו
"Date"
Pagninus
Montanus
&c. being in the plural number shows;
which was requiring that of them which only God could do and signifying as if
they were under obligation to do it for them
since they had brought them out
of Egypt
and had the care of them; and having seen so many miracles wrought by
them
might conclude it was in their power to get them water when they pleased:
had they desired them to pray to God for them
to give them water
and
exercised faith on him
that he would provide for them
they had done well;
which they might reasonably conclude he would
who had brought them out of
Egypt
led them through the Red sea
had sweetened the waters at Marah for
them
conducted them to fountains of water at Elim
and had rained flesh and
bread about their tents in the wilderness of Sin
and still continued the manna
with them:
and Moses said
unto them
why chide ye with me? as if it was I that brought you hither
whereas it is the Lord that goes before you in the pillar of cloud and fire
and as if I kept water from you
or could give it you at pleasure; how
unreasonable
as well as how ungenerous is it in you to chide with me on this
account
wherefore do
you tempt the Lord? the Lord Christ
as appears from 1 Corinthians 10:9
who with the Father and Spirit is the one Jehovah; him they tempted or tried;
they tried whether he was present with them or not
Exodus 17:7
they
tried his power
whether he could give them water in a dry and desert land; and
they tried his patience by chiding with his servants
and showing so much distrust
of his power and providence
of his goodness and faithfulness; and by their
wretched ingratitude and rebellion they tempted him to work a miracle for them.
Exodus 17:3 3 And the people thirsted
there for water
and the people complained against Moses
and said
“Why is
it you have brought us up out of Egypt
to kill us and our children and our
livestock with thirst?”
YLT 3and the people thirst there for water
and
the people murmur against Moses
and say
`Why [is] this? -- thou hast brought
us up out of Egypt
to put us to death
also our sons and our cattle
with
thirst.'
And the people
thirsted there for water
.... They saw there was no water when they first came thither
and therefore chid Moses for bringing them to such a place
where they could
not subsist; and having stayed some little time here
and all the water they
brought with them from Alush being spent
and having none to drink
began to be
very thirsty:
and the people
murmured against Moses; became more impatient and enraged
and threw out their
invectives against him with much acrimony and severity:
wherefore is
this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt? where it would have been
much better for us to have continued:
to kill us and
our children and our cattle with thirst: which is intolerable to
any
and especially to children and cattle
which require frequent drinking:
they could not suppose that Moses had such a murderous view in bringing them
out of Egypt
or that this was his intention in it
but that this would be the
issue and event of it.
Exodus 17:4 4 So Moses cried out to the Lord
saying
“What
shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me!”
YLT 4And Moses crieth to Jehovah
saying
`What do
I to this people? yet a little
and they have stoned me.'
And Moses cried
unto the Lord..... Or prayed unto him
as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan;
which shows the distress he was thrown into
the vehemence of his prayer
and
perhaps the loud and lamentable tone in which he expressed it: this was the
method he always took
and the refuge he fled unto in all his times of trouble;
in which he did well
and set a good example of piety and devotion to God
of
faith and trust in him: saying:
what shall I do
unto this people? or
"for this people"F8לעם
הזה "populo haic"
V. L. Pagninus
Montanus
&c. ; to relieve them in their present exigency; suggesting his
own inability to do any thing for them: yet not despairing of relief
but
rather expressing faith in the power and goodness of God to keep them
by his
application to him; desiring that he would open a way for their help
and
direct him what he must do in this case for them: something
he intimates
must
be done speedily for the glory of God
for his own safety
and to prevent the
people sinning yet more and more
and so bring destruction upon them; for
adds
he:
they be almost
ready to stone me or
"yet a little
and they will stone me"F9עוד מעט "adhuc paululum et
lapidabit me." V. L. "parum abest"
Tigurine version;
"adhuc modicum"
Pagninus
Montanus; "adhuc paulisper"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator; so Ainsworth. ; if the time of help is
protracted
if relief is not in a short time given
he had reason to believe
from the menaces they had given out
the impatience they had showed
the rage
they were in
they would certainly take up stones and stone him
being in a
stony and rocky place; and this they would do
not as a formal punishment of
him as a false prophet
telling them they should be brought to Canaan
when
they were brought into the wilderness and perishing there; which law respecting
such an one was not yet in being; but this he supposed as what an enraged
multitude was wont to do
and which was more ready at hand for them to do than
anything else
see Exodus 8:26.
Exodus 17:5 5 And the Lord said to Moses
“Go on before the people
and take with you some of the elders of Israel. Also
take in your hand your rod with which you struck the river
and go.
YLT 5And Jehovah saith unto Moses
`Pass over
before the people
and take with thee of the elders of Israel
and thy rod with
which thou hast smitten the River take in thy hand
and thou hast gone:
And the Lord
said unto Moses
.... Out of the pillar of cloud:
go on before
the people
lead them on nearer to Mount Sinai or Horeb
within sight of
which they now were. Jarchi adds
by way of explanation
"and see if they
will stone thee"; fear not
go on boldly
no harm shall come to thee:
and take with
thee of the elders of Israel; some of them for a witness
as the above
writer observes
that they may see that by thine hand water comes out of the
rock
and may not say there were fountains there from the days of old. These
were taken
because they were the principal men among the people
who
as they were
men of years
so of prudence and probity
and whose veracity might be depended
upon; and since so great a multitude could not all of them see the miracle
the
rock being smote
and the water only flowing in one part of it
and perhaps the
road to it but narrow
it was proper some persons should be singled out as
witnesses of it
and who so proper as the elders of the people?
and thy rod
wherewith thou smotest the river
take in thine hand and go; wherewith the
river Nile was smitten
and the water became blood
when Moses and Aaron first
went to Pharaoh; and which
though smitten by Aaron
yet being with the rod of
Moses
and by his order
is attributed to him; or else with which the Red sea
was smitten by Moses
and divided; which being but a narrow channel
or an arm
of the sea
might be called a river: and this circumstance is observed
as the
afore mentioned writer thinks
to let the Israelites know
that the rod was
not
as they thought
only designed for inflicting punishment
as on Pharaoh
and the Egyptians
but also for bringing good unto them; and when they saw this
in his hand
by which so many miracles had been wrought
they might be
encouraged to hope that something was going to be done in their favour
and
that water would be produced for them to drink.
Exodus 17:6 6 Behold
I will stand
before you there on the rock in Horeb; and you shall strike the rock
and water
will come out of it
that the people may drink.”
And Moses did
so in the sight of the elders of Israel.
YLT 6Lo
I am standing before thee there on the
rock in Horeb
and thou hast smitten on the rock
and waters have come out from
it
and the people have drunk.' And Moses doth so before the eyes of the elders
of Israel
Behold
I will
stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb
.... Or "upon that
rock"F11על הצור
"super illam petram"
Junius & Tremellius; "super illa
petra"
Piscator.
a particular rock which was pointed unto
where the
Lord in the pillar of cloud would stand; not as a mere spectator of this
affair
but as a director of Moses where to smite the rock; and to exert his
power in producing water from it
and by his presence to encourage Moses to do
it
and to expect and believe the issue of it:
and thou shalt
smite the rock: or "on the rock"
or "in it"F12בצור "in petram"
Pagninus
Montanus
"in
petra seu rupe"; so Jarchi
and the Targums. ; which made Jarchi fancy
that the rod of Moses was something very hard
that it was a sapphire by which
the rock was cleft:
and there shall
come water out of it
that the people may drink
they
their children
and their cattle
ready to die for thirst. Thus God showed himself gracious and
merciful to a murmuring and ungrateful people:
and Moses did
so in the sight of the elders of Israel; he smote the rock with
his rod
and the waters gushed out in great abundance
like streams and rivers
for the refreshment of the people
and their flocks
Psalm 78:20. The
Heathens have preserved some footsteps of this miracle in their writings
though disguised. PausaniasF13Laconic sive
l. 3. p. 209. speaks of
a fountain of cold water springing out of a rock
and reports how Atalantes
coming from hunting thirsty
smote a rock with his spear
and water flowed out.
This rock at Rephidim
and the apertures through which the waters flowed
are
to be seen to this day
as travellers of veracity relate. Monsieur ThevenotF14Travels
into the Levant
par. 1. B. 2. ch. 26. p. 167. says the rock at Rephidim is
only a stone of a prodigious height and thickness
rising out of the ground: on
the two sides of that stone we saw several holes
by which the water hath run
as may be easily known by the prints of the water
which hath much hollowed it
but at present no water issues out of them. A later travellerF15Dr.
Shaw's Travels
p. 317. Ed. 2. gives us a more distinct account of it: after we
had descended the western side of this Mount (Sinai)
says he
we came into the
plain or wilderness of Rephidim
where we saw that extraordinary antiquity
the
rock of Meribah
which was continued to this day
without the least injury from
time or accidents. This is rightly called
from its hardness
Deuteronomy 8:15
צור החלמיש
"a rock of
flint"
though
from the purple or reddish colour of it
it may be rather
rendered the rock of חלם or אחלמה
amethyst
or the amethystine
or granite rock. It is about six yards square
lying tottering as it were
and loose
near the middle of the valley
and seems
to have been formerly a cliff of Mount Sinai
which hangs in a variety of
precipices all over this plain; the water which gushed out
and the stream
which flowed withal
Psalm 78:20 have
hollowed across one corner of this rock
a channel about two inches deep
and
twenty wide
all over incrusted like the inside of a tea kettle that has been
long used. Besides several mossy productions that are still preserved by the
dew
we see all over this channel a great number of holes
some of them four or
five inches deep
and one or two in diameter
the lively and demonstrative
tokens of their having been formerly so many fountains. Neither could art nor
chance be concerned in the contrivance
inasmuch as every circumstance points
out to us a miracle; and
in the same manner with the rent in the rock of Mount
Calvary at Jerusalem
never fails to produce the greatest seriousness and
devotion in all who see it. The Arabs
who were our guards
were ready to stone
me in attempting to break off a corner of it: and another late travellerF16Journal
from Cairo to Mount Sinai
A. D. 1722
35
36
37. Ed. 2. informs us
that the
stone called the stone of the fountains
or the solitary rock
is about twelve
feet high
and about eight or ten feet broad
though it is not all of one equal
breadth. It is a granite marble
of a kind of brick colour
composed of red and
white spots
which are both dusky in their kind; and it stands by itself in the
fore mentioned valley (the valley of Rephidim) as if it had grown out of the
earth
on the right hand of the road toward the northeast: there remains on it
to this day the lively impression of the miracle then wrought; for there are
still to be seen the places where the water gushed out
six openings towards
the southwest
and six towards the northeast; and in those places where the
water flowed the clefts are still to be seen in the rock
as it were with lips.
The account Dr. PocockF17Travels
p. 148. gives of it is
this
"it is on the foot of Mount Seriah
and is a red granite stone
fifteen feet long
ten wide
and about twelve high: on both sides of it toward
the south end
and at the top of it for about the breadth of eight inches
it
is discoloured as by the running of water; and all down this part
and both
sides
and at top
are a sort of openings and mouths
some of which resemble
the lion's mouth that is sometimes cut in stone spouts
but appear not to be
the work of a tool. There are about twelve on each side
and within everyone is
an horizontal crack
and in some also a crack down perpendicularly. There is
also a crack from one of the mouths next to the hill
that extends two or three
feet to the north
and all round to the south. The Arabs call this the stone of
Moses; and other late travellersF18Egmont and Heyman's Travels
vol.
2. p. 174
175. say
that about a mile and a half
in the vale of Rephidim
is
this rock; this
say they
is a vast stone
of a very compact and hard granite
and as it were projecting out of the ground; on both sides are twelve fissures
which the monk our guide applied to the twelve apostles
and possibly not
amiss
had he joined the twelve tribes of Israel with them: as we were observing
these fissures
out of which the water gushed
one would be tempted to think
added he
it is no longer ago than yesterday the water flowed out; and indeed
there is such an appearance
that at a distance one would think it to be a
small waterfall lately dried up: and oneF19Baumgarten. Peregrinatio
l. 1. c. 24. p. 62. that travelled hither in the beginning of the sixteenth
century says
that to this day out of one of the marks or holes there sweats a
sort of moisture
which we saw and licked.'We are taught by the Apostle Paul
the mystical and spiritual meaning of this rock
which he says was Christ
that
is
a type of him
1 Corinthians 10:4
as it was for his external unpromising appearance among men at his birth
in
his life and death; for his height
being higher than the kings of the earth
than the angels of heaven
and than the heavens themselves
and for strength
firmness
and solidity. The water that flowed from this rock was typical of the
grace of Christ
and the blessings of it
which flow from him in great
abundance to the refreshment and comfort of his people
and to be had freely;
and of the blood of Christ
which flowed from him when stricken and smitten.
And the rock being smitten with the rod of Moses
typified Christ being smitten
by the rod of the law in the hand of justice
for the transgressions of his
people; and how that through his having being made sin
and a curse for them
whereby the law and justice of God are satisfied
the blessings of grace flow
freely to them
and follow them all the days of their lives
as the waters of
the rock followed the Israelites through the wilderness.
Exodus 17:7 7 So he called the name of
the place Massah[a] and
Meribah
[b] because of
the contention of the children of Israel
and because they tempted the Lord
saying
“Is
the Lord
among us or not?”
YLT 7and he calleth the name of the place Massah
and Meribah
because of the `strife' of the sons of Israel
and because of
their `trying' Jehovah
saying
`Is Jehovah in our midst or not?'
And he called
the name of the place Massah
and Meribah
.... The former signifies
"temptation"
and the latter "contention": the reason of
which names being given by Moses
or whoever was the name of the place
follows: "because of the chiding of the children of Israel"; that was
the reason why it was called by the last name
Meribah
because here
the
Israelites chid and contended with Moses
and used him opprobriously:
and because
they tempted the Lord; therefore it had the former name of Massah:
saying
is the
Lord among us or not? as if they should say
if we perish through thirst
the Lord is
not among us
nor takes any care of us; nor was it he that brought us out of
Egypt
but Moses; nor is he in the pillar of cloud and fire
as is said; but if
he works a miracle
and gives us water
for us
our children
and cattle
then
it will appear he is among us; and thus they tempted the Lord
though without
this they had full proof
by many instances
that he was among them
and even
in a very extraordinary manner.
Exodus 17:8 8 Now Amalek came and fought
with Israel in Rephidim.
YLT 8And Amalek cometh
and fighteth with Israel
in Rephidim
Then came
Amalek
.... The Amalekites
who were not the posterity of Amalek
a son
of Eliphaz
the son of Esau
by Timna the concubine of Eliphaz
Genesis 36:12 who
dwelt in the desert
to the south of Judea
beyond the city Petra
as you go to
Aila
as Jerom saysF20De locis Hebr. fol. 87. M. ; and so the Targum
of Jonathan describes them as coming from the south; and Aben Ezra interprets
them a nation that inhabited the southern country. JosephusF21Antiqu.
l. 3. c. 2. sect. 1. calls them the inhabitants of Gobolitis and Petra; but
they were the descendants of Cush
and the same with those who were in
Abraham's time long before Amalek
the descendant of Esau
was in being
Genesis 14:7 and
who bordered eastward on the wilderness of Shur:
and fought with
Israel in Rephidim; so that this was before they came from hence to Sinai
very
probably as they were on the march thither
and before the rock was smitten
and they had been refreshed with water
and so while they were in distress for
want of that
and therefore this must be a great trial and exercise to them.
What should move the Amalekites to come and fight with them
is not easy to
say; it is by many thought to be the old grudge of the children of Esau against
the children of Israel
because of the affair of the birthright and blessing
which Jacob got from Esau
who were now on their march for the land of Canaan
which came to him thereby: but it is hardly probable that these people should
know anything of those matters at this distance
and besides were not of the
race of Esau; and if anything of this kind was in remembrance
and still
subsisted
it is most likely that the Edomites would have been concerned to
stop them
rather than these: it is more probable
that these had heard of
their coming out
of Egypt with great riches
the spoils of the Egyptians; and
being an unarmed
undisciplined people
though numerous
thought to have taken
this advantage against them of their distress and contentious
and plundered
them of their wealth; unless we can suppose them to be an ally of the
Canaanites
and so bound by treaty to obstruct their passage to the land of
Canaan: but be it as it may; they came out against them
and fought with them
without any provocation
the Israelites not attempting to enter their country
but rather going from it; for these seem to follow them
to come upon the back
of them
and fall upon their rear
as appears from Deuteronomy 25:17.
Exodus 17:9 9 And Moses said to Joshua
“Choose us some men and go out
fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the
top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand.”
YLT 9and Moses saith unto Joshua
`Choose for us
men
and go out
fight with Amalek: to-morrow I am standing on the top of the
hill
and the rod of God in my hand.'
And Moses said
unto Joshua
.... The son of Nun
who was his minister
and was a man of war
from his youth
trained up in the art of war
and afterwards succeeded Moses
and was captain of the armies of Israel
and fought at the head of them
and
subdued the Canaanites. Moses knew he was a fit person for the present purpose
and therefore gave him the following orders:
choose us out
men; the stoutest and most courageous
best able to bear arms
and
engage in war; for the multitude in common was not qualified for such service
nor was there any necessity of engaging them all in it:
and go out; out of the
camp
and meet them at some distance
that the women and children might not be
terrified with the enemy:
fight with
Amalek; for their cause was just
Amalek was the aggressor
Israel was
on the defensive part; and should it be asked where they had arms to fight
with
it may be remembered that the Egyptian army that was drowned in the Red
sea
and whose bodies were cast upon the shore
might furnish them with a large
quantity of armour
which they stripped them of
and arrayed themselves with:
tomorrow I will
stand upon the top of the hill
with the rod of God in my hand: on the top of
Mount Horeb or Sinai
where he might be seen by the army of Israel with that
rod in his hand
lifted up as a banner
by which God had done so many wonderful
things; and by which they might be encouraged to hope that victory would go on
their side
and this he promised to do "tomorrow"
the day following;
for sooner a select body of men could not be taken out from the people
and
accoutred for war
and go forth to meet the enemy.
Exodus 17:10 10 So Joshua did as Moses
said to him
and fought with Amalek. And Moses
Aaron
and Hur went up to the
top of the hill.
YLT 10And Joshua doth as Moses hath said to him
to
fight with Amalek
and Moses
Aaron
and Hur
have gone up [to] the top of the
height;
So Joshua did
as Moses had said to him
.... He singled out some proper persons for the battle
and
arrayed them with armour
and led them forth out of the camp
and went forth at
the head of them:
and fought with
Amalek; upon both armies meeting
a battle ensued:
and Moses
Aaron
and Hur
went up to the top of the hill; to the top of Mount
Sinai or Horeb
not so much to see the battle fought
as to be seen by Joshua
and the people of Israel
especially Moses with the rod in his hand lifted up
that they might behold it
and be encouraged through it to hope for and expect
victory; and the other two went up with him to assist him in holding up his
hands with the rod
as appears by what follows. Aaron
it is well known
was
his brother
but who Hur was is not so clear
though no doubt a very eminent
and principal man. There was an Hur
the son of Caleb
who descended from Judah
in the line of Phares and Hezron
and which Hur was the grandfather of Bezaleel
1 Chronicles 2:5
but whether the same with this cannot be said with certainty; it is most likely
that he was the husband of Miriam
as Josephus saysF23Antiqu. l. 3.
c. 2. sect. 4.
and so the brother-in-law of Moses and Aaron; though some
Jewish writers sayF24Pirke Eliezer
c. 45. Shalshalet Hakabala
fol.
7. 1. that he was their sister's son
the son of Miriam.
Exodus 17:11 11 And
so it was
when Moses held up his hand
that Israel prevailed; and when he let
down his hand
Amalek prevailed.
YLT 11and it hath come to pass
when Moses lifteth
up his hand
that Israel hath been mighty
and when he letteth his hands rest
that Amalek hath been mighty.
And it came to
pass
when Moses held up his hand
that Israel prevailed
.... With his
rod in it as a banner displayed
as some think
which inspired the Israelites
with courage to fight
and they had the better of it; though Aben Ezra rejects
that notion
observing
that if that had been the case
Aaron or Hur would have
lifted it up
or fixed it in a high place on the mount
that it might have been
seen standing; and therefore he thinks the sense of the ancients the most
correct
that it was a prayer gesture. And among the Heathens
Moses was famous
for the efficacy of his prayers; Numenius
the Pythagoric philosopherF25Apud
Euseb. Praepar
Evangel. l. 9. c. 8. p. 411.
says of him
that he was a man
very powerful in prayer with God: and so all the Targums interpret it
and
particularly the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem paraphrase the
words
"when Moses lift up his hands in prayer
the house of Israel
prevailed
but when he restrained his hands from prayer
the house of Amalek
prevailed
'as it follows:
when he let
down his hand
Amalek prevailed; so that victory seemed to go sometimes on
one side
and sometimes on the other
according as the hand of Moses
with the
rod in it
was held up or let down; when it was held up
and Israel saw it
they fought valiantly
but when it was let down
and they could not see it
their hearts failed them
and they feared it portended ill to them
which
caused them to give way to the enemy. The spiritual Israel of God are engaged
in a warfare with spiritual enemies
some within
and some without; and
sometimes they prevail over their enemies
and sometimes their enemies prevail
over them for a while; and things go on very much as a man either keeps up or
leaves off praying
which is signified by the lifting up of holy hands without
wrath and doubting
1 Timothy 2:8 and
which when rightly performed
under the influence of the divine Spirit in
faith
in sincerity
and with fervency and constancy
has great power with God
and Christ
and against Satan and every spiritual enemy.
Exodus 17:12 12 But Moses’ hands became
heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him
and he sat on it. And
Aaron and Hur supported his hands
one on one side
and the other on the other
side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.
YLT 12And the hands of Moses [are] heavy
and they take
a stone
and set [it] under him
and he sitteth on it: and Aaron and Hur have
taken hold on his hands
on this side one
and on that one
and his hands are
stedfast till the going in of the sun;
But Moses's
hands were heavy
.... And hung down through weariness
holding up the rod first in
one hand
and then in another
for so long a time; and thus sometimes
through
infirmity
the best of men grow remiss in prayer
their hands are weak and hang
flown through the corruptions of their hearts
the power of unbelief
the
temptations of Satan
and want of immediate answers of prayer
or through long
delays of it
and then the enemy gets an advantage over them:
and they took a
stone
and put it under him
and he sat thereon; so that it seems not
only that his hands were heavy
but he could not well stand on his feet any
longer
being a corpulent man as well as in years
as Ben Gersom suggests; and
therefore Aaron and Hur took a stone that lay on the mount for him to sit upon
where he might be raised as high
and be as well seen
as standing: this stone
may be an emblem of Christ the stone of Israel
the foundation of his people
their prop and support
which sustains and upholds them
their Ebenezer
or
stone of help in all their times of difficulty and distress:
and Aaron and
Hur stayed up his hands
the one on the one side
and the other on the other
side; the one was on his right
and the other on his left; and when
the rod was in his right hand
he that was on that side held up that; and when
it was in his left hand
he that was on the left side supported that: these may
be an emblem of Christ
and of the Spirit of Christ
from whom the saints have
their supports and assistance in prayer: Aaron the priest may represent Christ
from whose blood
righteousness
and sacrifice
and from whose advocacy
mediation
and intercession
the people of God receive much encouragement and
strength in their addresses at the throne of grace: and Hur
who has his name
from a word which signifies freedom and liberty
may be an emblem of the Holy
Spirit of God; who helps the saints in prayer under all their infirmities
and
makes intercession for them
by filling their hearts and mouths with arguments
and is a free spirit to them; by whom they are upheld
and where he is there is
liberty
and a soul can come forth in prayer to God
and in the exercise of
grace with freedom:
and his hands
were steady until the going down of the sun; when the victory was
decided in favour of Israel; this may denote steadiness of faith in prayer
the
constant performance of it
and continuance in it as long as a man lives.
Exodus 17:13 13 So Joshua defeated Amalek
and his people with the edge of the sword.
YLT 13and Joshua weakeneth Amalek and his people by
the mouth of the sword.
And Joshua
discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. Amalek being
distinguished from "his people"
has led some to think that Amalek
was the name of the king
or general of the army
and that it was a common name
to the kings of that nation
as Pharaoh was to the kings of Egypt; but for this
there is no foundation in the Scriptures: as Amelek signifies the Amalekites
his people may design the confederates and auxiliaries
the other people
as
Ben Gersom expresses it
they brought with them to fight against Israel. And so
JeromF26Ut supra. (De Locis Hebr. fol. 87. M.) says
by him another
Canaanite dwelt
who also fought against Israel in the wilderness
of whom it
is so written
and Amalek and the Canaanite dwelt in the valley
Numbers 14:25 and
who were all
the one as the other
at least the greatest part of them
cut to
pieces by the edge of the sword of Joshua and the Israelites
who obtained a
complete victory over them; as the spiritual Israel of God will at last over
all their spiritual enemies
sin
Satan
the world
and death.
Exodus 17:14 14 Then the Lord said to Moses
“Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the
hearing of Joshua
that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from
under heaven.”
YLT 14And Jehovah saith unto Moses
`Write this
a
memorial in a Book
and set [it] in the ears of Joshua
that I do utterly wipe
away the remembrance of Amalek from under the heavens;'
And the Lord
said unto Moses
.... After the battle was over
and the Israelites had got the
victory:
write this for
a memorial in a book: not in loose papers
but in a book
that it might continue;
meaning that the account of this battle with Amelek should be put down in the
annals or journal of Moses
in the book of the law he was writing
or was about
to write
and would write
as he did
see Joshua 1:7 that so
it might be kept in memory
and transmitted to the latest posterity; it being
on the one hand an instance of great impiety
inhumanity
and rashness
in
Amalek
and on the other a display of the goodness
kindness
and power of God
on the behalf of his people: and
rehearse it in
the ears of Joshua; who was a principal person concerned in this battle
and
therefore
when the account was written and rehearsed
could bear witness to
the truth of it
as well as he was to be the chief person that should be
concerned in introducing the Israelites into the land of Canaan
and subduing
the Canaanites; and therefore this
and what follows
was to be rehearsed to
him
as the rule of his conduct toward them
and particularly Amalek:
for I will
utterly put out the remembrance of Amelek from under heaven; so that they
shall be no more a nation
and their name never mentioned
unless with disgrace
and contempt. This was fulfilled partly by Saul
1 Samuel 15:8 and
more completely by David
1 Samuel 30:17
and
the finishing stroke the Jews give to Mordecai and Esther
as the Targum of
Jerusalem on Exodus 17:6.
Exodus 17:15 15 And Moses built an altar
and called its name
The-Lord-Is-My-Banner;[c]
YLT 15and Moses buildeth an altar
and calleth its
name Jehovah-Nissi
And Moses built
an altar
.... On Horeb
as Aben Ezra; on the top of the hill
as Ben
Gersom
where sacrifices of thanksgiving were offered up for the victory
obtained
or however a monument erected in memory of it:
and he called
the name of it Jehovahnissi; which signifies either "the Lord is my
miracle" who wrought a miracle for them in giving them the victory over
Amalek
as well as
through smiting the rock with the rod
brought out water
from thence for the refreshment of the people
their children and cattle; or
"the Lord is my banner": alluding to the hands of Moses being lifted
up with the rod therein
as a banner displayed
under which Joshua and Israel
fought
and got the victory. This may fitly be applied to Christ
who is both
altar
sacrifice
and priest
and who is the true Jehovah
and after so called;
and who is lifted up as a banner
standard
or ensign in the everlasting
Gospel
in order to gather souls unto him
and enlist them under him
and to
prepare them for war
and encourage them in it against their spiritual enemies;
and as a token of their victory over them
and a direction to them where they
shall stand
when to march
and whom they shall follow; and to distinguish them
from all other bands and companies
and for the protection of them from all
their enemies
see Isaiah 11:10. These
words were inscribed upon the altar
or the altar was called the altar of
Jehovahnissi
in memory of what was here done; from hence it has been thoughtF1Vid.
Bochart. Canaan
l. 1. c. 18. col. 440.
that Baachus
among the Heathens
had
his name of Dionysius
as if it was Jehovahnyssaeus.
Exodus 17:16 16 for he said
“Because the Lord has sworn: the
Lord will have
war with Amalek from generation to generation.”
YLT 16and saith
`Because a hand [is] on the throne
of Jah
war [is] to Jehovah with Amalek from generation -- generation.'
For he said
because the Lord hath sworn
.... So some Jewish writersF2R.
Sol. Urbin. fol. 95. 1. take it for an oath
as we do; or "because the
hand is on the throne of the Lord"F3כי
יד על כס־יה
"quia manus super thronum Domini"
Pagninus
Montanus; "sublata
manu super solium Dei (juro)"
Tigurine version. ; which the Targum of
Jonathan
Jarchi
and Aben Ezra
interpret of the hand of the Lord being lifted
up
of his swearing by the throne of his glory; but
as Drusius observes
it is
not credible that God should swear by that which is prohibited by Christ
Matthew 5:24 rather
the words are to be rendered
"because the hand"
that is
the hand
of Amalek
"is against the throne of the Lord"F4"Quia
manus (Hamaleki) fuit contra solium Jah"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator; so Ainsworth. ; against his people
among whom his throne was
and
over whom he ruled
so against himself
and the glory of his majesty; because
he was the first that made war upon Israel
when the Lord brought them out of
Egypt
and unprovoked fell upon their rear
and smote the hindmost
faint and
weary among them: therefore
the Lord will
have war with Amalek from generation to generation; until they
are utterly destroyed; and so in fact he had
and thus it was. The Targum of
Jonathan is
"he by his word will make war against those that are of the
house of Amalek
and destroy them to three generations
from the generation of
this world
from the generation of the Messiah
and from the generation of the
world to come;'and Baal Hatturim on the place observes
that this phrase
"from generation to generation"
by gematry
signifies the days of
the Messiah. Amalek may be considered as a type of antichrist
whose hand is
against the throne of God
his tabernacle
and his saints; who
with all the
antichristian states which make war with the Lamb
will be overcome and
destroyed by him.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New
King James Version (NKJV)
a.
Exodus 17:7
Literally Tempted
b.
Exodus 17:7 Literally
Contention
c.Exodus 17:15
Hebrew YHWH Nissi