Exodus 17:2 “So the people contended with Moses, “Give us water to drink.” “Why do…”

Exodus 17:2

So the people contended with Moses, “Give us water to drink.” “Why do you contend with me?” Moses replied. “Why do you test the LORD?”

Berean Standard Bible

Other translations

King James Version

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?

World English Bible

Therefore the people quarreled with Moses, and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the LORD?”

American Standard Version

Wherefore the people strove with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why strive ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt Jehovah?

Geneva Bible 1599

Wherefore the people contended with Moses, and sayde, Giue vs water that we may drinke. And Moses sayde vnto them, Why contende yee with me? wherefore do ye tempt the Lord?

Darby Translation

And the people contended with Moses, and said, Give us water, that we may drink! And Moses said to them, Why do ye dispute with me? Why do ye tempt Jehovah?

Young's Literal Translation

and 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?'

Bible in Basic English

So the people were angry with Moses, and said, Give us water for drinking. And Moses said, Why are you angry with me? and why do you put God to the test?

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Cross references

“the people”

Numbers 21:5 Exodus 15:24 Exodus 5:21 Numbers 11:4–6 Numbers 14:2 Exodus 14:11

Numbers 21:5 · BSB

and spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you led us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread or water, and we detest this wretched food!”

Exodus 15:24 · BSB

So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?”

Exodus 5:21 · BSB

“May the LORD look upon you and judge you,” the foremen said, “for you have made us a stench before Pharaoh and his officials; you have placed in their hand a sword to kill us!”

Numbers 11:4–6 · BSB

Meanwhile, the rabble among them had a strong craving for other food, and again the Israelites wept and said, “Who will feed us meat?

Numbers 14:2 · BSB

All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt, or if only we had died in this wilderness!

Exodus 14:11 · BSB

They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us into the wilderness to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt?

“Give us”

Luke 15:12 1 Samuel 8:6 Genesis 30:1 Genesis 30:2

Luke 15:12 · BSB

The younger son said to him, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.

1 Samuel 8:6 · BSB

But when they said, “Give us a king to judge us,” their demand was displeasing in the sight of Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD.

Genesis 30:1 · BSB

When Rachel saw that she was not bearing any children for Jacob, she envied her sister. “Give me children, or I will die!” she said to Jacob.

Genesis 30:2 · BSB

Jacob became angry with Rachel and said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld children from you?”

“wherefore”

Psalm 78:18 Deuteronomy 6:16 Psalm 78:41 1 Corinthians 10:9 Isaiah 7:12 Hebrews 3:9

Psalm 78:18 · BSB

They willfully tested God by demanding the food they craved.

Deuteronomy 6:16 · BSB

Do not test the LORD your God as you tested Him at Massah.

Psalm 78:41 · BSB

Again and again they tested God and provoked the Holy One of Israel.

1 Corinthians 10:9 · BSB

We should not test Christ, as some of them did, and were killed by snakes.

Isaiah 7:12 · BSB

But Ahaz replied, “I will not ask; I will not test the LORD.”

Hebrews 3:9 · BSB

where your fathers tested and tried Me, and for forty years saw My works.

Also

Numbers 20:2–5

Numbers 20:2–5 · BSB

Now there was no water for the congregation, so they gathered against Moses and Aaron.

Cross references adapted from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0) and the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

In context

1Then the whole congregation of Israel left the Desert of Sin, moving from place to place as the LORD commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink.

3But the people thirsted for water there, and they grumbled against Moses: “Why have you brought us out of Egypt—to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?”

Read Exodus 17