Chapter 17

More grumbling.  Moses grows impatient with the grumbling of the people.  Water from the rock.  God tells Moses to strike this rock in the presence of some elders.  Apparently Moses does so.  This is not the rock where Moses disobeys God.  He names this place Massah (testing, because the people tested God) and Meribah (which means quarreling)

2021 - This is now the second time that the people have complained about the lack of water.  The first was at a place called Mara, three days into the wilderness from the Red Sea crossing.  The water was bitter there, so it was call Marah.  Moses threw a log into the water at Marah and that water became sweet.  God said that it was a test.  Now they are at Rephidim.  The people are so angry that they are without water that they are ready to stone Moses for bringing them out of Egypt - where water was plentiful when it was not blood.  This time, God tells Moses to take his staff and strike the"Rock at Horeb", and water will come out.  Moses does this.  Then Moses names the place Massah and Meribah.  Much is made of the people "testing" God here.  I suspect that at Marah, they had no idea what to expect, and were grateful for what God gave them.  By the time God sends manna, they are beginning to expect things from God, as though they can dictate to Him.  And here in Meribah, the attitude has escalated to something more like making demands of God.  They seem to be saying, So you're God huh?  Well then lets see you get us some water and be quick about it.  An arrogant, presumptive, ungrateful attitude.  Perhaps this is why this episode is brought up so many times through the rest of the Bible.  Meribah is mentioned here, at the time of the people's grumbling, and then Meribah is recalled an additional 8 times, up through Psalms.  Here are those references and the words used to describe what happened here:

13 These are the waters of Meribah, where the people of Israel quarreled with the LORD, and through them he showed himself holy. ... 24 "Let Aaron be gathered to his people, for he shall not enter the land that I have given to the people of Israel, because you rebelled against my command at the waters of Meribah. [Num 20:13, 24 ESV]

14 because you rebelled against my word in the wilderness of Zin when the congregation quarreled, failing to uphold me as holy at the waters before their eyes." (These are the waters of Meribah of Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.) [Num 27:14 ESV]

51 because you broke faith with me in the midst of the people of Israel at the waters of Meribah-kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin, and because you did not treat me as holy in the midst of the people of Israel. [Deu 32:51 ESV]

8 And of Levi he said, "Give to Levi your Thummim, and your Urim to your godly one, whom you tested at Massah, with whom you quarreled at the waters of Meribah; [Deu 33:8 ESV]

7 In distress you called, and I delivered you; I answered you in the secret place of thunder; I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah [Psa 81:7 ESV]

8 do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as on the day at Massah in the wilderness, [Psa 95:8 ESV]

32 They angered him at the waters of Meribah, and it went ill with Moses on their account, [Psa 106:32 ESV]

Hmm...I am not sure that all of these verses are referring back to Ex 17.  I think there is another time where Moses strikes a rock instead of speaking to it that is referred to by many of the verses above.  So it appears that they will come back to this spot at a later time.  I want to watch out for that.  It seems to me that the people are profoundly ungrateful even this time - Moses fears for his life here - and yet perhaps there will be a third "dispute" over water that is even worse.

Amalek comes to make war.  Moses holds his arms up all day.  King of the Amalekites I should say.  This was at a place called Rephidim, and would be Israel's first military engagement.  Not sure where Rephidim was, but found this verse from later on:

29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the Negeb. The Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the hill country. And the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and along the Jordan." [Num 13:29 ESV]  So the Amalekites in Numbers were inhabiting Canaan.  However, when God promises the land to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the Amalekites are never mentioned.  Perhaps they retreated to the Negeb after this defeat.  Or maybe God initially takes Israel to Canaan by a relatively direct route.

In vs 16, Moses builds an altar and names it "The Lord is my Banner".  Jehovah-Nisei.