Exodus 17

And all the community of the sons of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, journeying at the mouth of God. And they camped at Rephidim, and there was no water for the people to drink.

And the people quarreled with Moses, and they said, “Give us water to drink.” And Moses said to them, “Why are you quarreling with me? Why do you test God?”

And the people were thirsty for water there, and the people murmured against Moses. And he said, “Is this why you brought us up from Egypt? To kill me and my sons and my cattle, with thirst?” \*

And Moses cried out to God, saying, “What should I do for this people? A little longer and they will stone me.”

And God said to Moses, “Pass before the face of the people, and take with you some of the elders of Israel, and your staff, the one with which you struck the river, take in your hand; and go.

Behold me! I will stand before your face there on the rock at Horeb. And you will strike on the rock, and water will come from it, and the people will drink.” And Moses did so in the eyes of the elders of Israel. \*

And he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, for the conflict of the sons of Israel and for their testing of God by saying, “Is God among us or not?” \*

And Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim.

And Moses said to Joshua, “Choose men for us and go out. Fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will be stationed on top of the hill, and the staff of God will be in my hand.”

And Joshua did as Moses said to him, to fight Amalek. \* And Moses, Aaron, and Hur climbed up to the top of the hill.

And so it was, when Moses raised his hand, then Israel would be winning, and when he set his hand down, then Amalek would be winning.

And the hands of Moses became heavy. And they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, and Aaron and Hur held his hands up, one from this, and one from that. And so his hands were steady until the sun went down.

And Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. \*

And God said to Moses, “Write this memory in the book and put it in the ears of Joshua, because I will certainly blot out the memory of Amalek from under the skies.”

And Moses built an altar, and he called its name “God is my banner.”

And he said, “Because a hand was against the throne of Yah, war is to God against Amalek from generation to generation.” \*