Water from the rock (Exod 17:1-7)

A friend of mine likes to travel but she was reminded some years ago what a difference it makes when she has her husband with her to take care of the details, book the airport shuttle, ensure that they get there in time, have reservations for hotels at the other end, etc. For her, it took the stress out of the journey that there was someone to sort issues out if needed. For Israel, the fundamental question behind their grumbling and panic when things go awry on their journey is ‘Is God among us?’. Indeed, all the events from the exodus through the Sinai covenant and lawgiving to the building of the tabernacle leads to this conclusion: God wants to live with His people. The very fact of a movable sanctuary later will present a God who wanders with them, going ahead of them on their journey. Yet, again and again, Israel cannot see the Lord.

In our reading, once again there are obstacles, this time it is a lack of water. That the people stop to make camp at Rephidim suggests an oasis where they would normally expect water, but for some reason they find none. Once again, they turn on Moses, but unlike the previous two occasions when they only grumbled (Exod 15:24; 16:2), their attitude escalates into a ‘quarrel’ (Exod 17:2). The atmosphere is mutinous, so much so that Moses fears for his life. The Hebrew for ‘quarrel’ (riv, also transliterated into English as rib, hence the place name Meribah) has judicial overtones and can mean a lawsuit (e.g. Mic 6:1-2). We might say that the people levy a charge against Moses, though as their leader points out to them, their quarrel is with the Lord. Similarly, those antagonistic to Christianity in the secular West often take out on Christians their anger against God.

The people’s attitude at Rephidim is astonishing, given all that they have seen of God’s presence in the plagues, the Passover, in the parting of the waters and the destruction of the Egyptian army, as well as in the turning of bitter waters into sweet and the provision of the manna. Nevertheless, God once again responds with remarkable forbearance, perhaps because these events are still before Israel makes a firm commitment to obey Him at Sinai (Exod 24:3).[1] The command for Moses to use the staff that previously turned the Nile’s water into blood (Exod 17:5) is a subtle reminder of what God had accomplished before on their behalf. Now that same staff is used to achieve the opposite: provide water rather than make it undrinkable.

The most striking aspect of this story is that God is there all the time. While Israel questions whether He is among them, He is standing in the spot where Moses is to strike the rock (Exod 17:6-7). As so often, in these ‘miraculous’ events, commentators debate the question whether this is a natural or supernatural event. Some argue that the rock is porous limestone that can absorb and retain water. When struck, it cracks open so that water can gush out. Others insist that the logic of the story requires a supernatural explanation. Whichever it is, Scripture’s emphasis on God’s presence underlines the important point: it was God who provided and far from being absent at a time of need was very much there for His people. Israel missed the fact because they did not approach the Lord with faith. May we have eyes to see His presence. He will not leave us or forsake us.

[1] Commentators frequently note this difference between the grumblings before Sinai and after. Compare Num 11:1, 33.