Exodus 17:6. I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb— That is, "I will manifest my presence upon a certain rock in Horeb, whence water shall flow upon thy smiting the rock; as proper witnesses of which, thou art to take the elders of Israel with thee," Exodus 17:5. The word there, שׁם sham, must either denote, that God pointed out the particular part of the rock in Horeb, where he would appear; or, it may denote only, a rock there in Horeb. The LXX render it, and go where I stood before thee upon the rock in Horeb; alluding to the place where God had appeared to Moses at the first. See note on ch. Exodus 3:1. "Miracles," says Bp. Warburton, "are of two sorts: those where the laws of nature are suspended, or reversed, (such as the budding of Aaron's rod, and the raising of Lazarus from the dead:) and those which only give a new direction to its laws; (such as bringing water from the rock, and stopping the issue of blood.) Who would affirm that the water, which came from the rock at the command of Moses, was just then created to do honour to his ministry? In this case, what more would a rational believer conclude, than that GOD, by making a fissure in the rock, gave room for the water to burst out, which had before been lodged there by nature, as in its proper reservoir? And the sober critic, who proceeds in this manner, only follows that method of interpreting, which God himself useth, in working the miracle; which is, to give to nature all that nature could easily perform."

Exodus 17:7. He called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah— The meaning of which names is, as usual, given in the context; Meribah, chiding, or strife, because of the chiding of the children of Israel; Massah, temptation, because they tempted the Lord. See Exodus 17:2.Matthew 16:1; Matthew 16:1.Psalms 78:18-19; Psalms 78:18-19. "After we had descended, with no small difficulty, down the other or western side of Mount Sinai," says Dr. Shaw, "are came into the plain, or wilderness, of Rephidim, where we saw that extraordinary antiquity, the rock of Meribah, which has continued down to this day without the least injury from time or accidents. This is rightly called, from its hardness, (Deuteronomy 8:15.) a rock of flint; though, from the purple or reddish colour of it, it may be justly termed the rock of 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 part or cliff of Mount Sinai, which hangs, in a variety of precipices, all over this plain. The waters which gushed out, and the streams which overflowed withal, (Psalms 78:20.) have hollowed across one corner of this rock, a channel about two inches deep, and twenty wide, all over incrustated, like the inside of a tea-kettle which has been long used. Besides several mossy productions, which are 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 or 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 guard, were ready to stone me for attempting to break off a corner of it."
REFLECTIONS.—In the way of duty we may meet with difficulties.
1. The children of Israel again want water; and as before, but too impatient, quarrel with their best friend, and question, after all they had seen, the reality of God's care and providence. Note; (1.) It is no uncommon thing for the greatest kindnesses to be thus ill requited. (2.) Who has not at some time felt the same provoking questions of unbelief under distressing circumstances, some even to the very doubt of the providence, perhaps of the being of God? Such is man's fallen nature.
2. Moses rebukes their unbelief, flies to God, casts his burdens upon him, for they threatened his life, and begs the Lord's assistance in their present perilous situation. Such dangers must they sometimes run, who stand up eminently for God. Note; Prayer is the best means to compose our spirits under every disturbance, and to obtain direction in all our difficulties.
3. God hears and answers. Instead of pouring out his wrath upon the rebellious, he pours out his water upon the thirsty, and floods on the dry ground. Moses is commanded to smite the rock; instant the copious torrent flows, and deep drink the parched Israelites of these refreshing streams. Note; (1.) God can open in our deepest distresses the most abundant supplies. Every believer spiritually experiences the same favour. This rock is Christ, smitten by the rod of God for our offences, opening a fountain in his side, quenching the thirst of the guilty soul, satisfying it with the abundance of his consolations, and springing up in our hearts as a well of water unto everlasting life.
4. We have the name of the place. Note; We should long remember our sins, and the places where and the times when committed, for our constant humiliation, and for our future caution.

Exodus 17:8. Then came Amalek— We learn from Deu 25:18 that the Amalekites fell upon the hindmost part of the Israelitish army, and smote all that were feeble behind, at a time when they were all faint and weary at Rephidim. After this attack upon the rear, they came to a pitched battle in the plain below Mount Horeb, Exodus 17:10. The Amalekites inhabited some part of Arabia Petraea, near Rephidim, between that place and Canaan. They were descendants of Esau; and are therefore supposed to have hated the Israelites, the descendants of Jacob; whose settlement in the land of Canaan they, perhaps, were desirous to prevent, as imagining they themselves had an equal right to it.

Exodus 17:9. Moses said unto Joshua— This is the first time mention is made of Joshua, or Jesus, who makes so distinguished a figure in the subsequent part of the sacred history. He is often styled the servant of Moses. Formed under the conduct of that great master, he is appointed general under his direction, and ordered to select proper men to fight with Amalek; while Moses proposes to stand on the hill, with the miraculous rod in his hand, in sight of the warriors, to inspire them with faith and courage; and to teach them and all succeeding generations, that though all human power is weak without the aid of GOD; yet, we should not so rely on that aid, as to omit the use of all rational means. God blesses his people in the use of these. Chosen men were appointed to fight; but they prevailed only while Moses held up his hands, Exodus 17:11.

Exodus 17:10. Hur— It is uncertain who this person was: he is thought by some to have been the same who is mentioned, 1 Chronicles 2:19 : Josephus tells us, that he was the husband of Miriam. See Antiquities, book 3: ch. 2. To account for this event in an ordinary way, appears very difficult. We must understand it as a blessing upon prayer, and as an admonition to perseverance in it; see Luk 18:1 otherwise, that the holding up of the hand, or the ceasing to do so, should influence the battle, seems not easy to be conceived. Some, indeed, suppose that the sight of the rod, held up, inspirited the Israelites; as the loss of it had the contrary effect.

Exodus 17:13. Amalek and his people— If we understand this disjunctively, Amalek must signify the prince of this people; or, if Amalek be understood of the Amalekites, collectively, his people must signify those confederated with him; or, perhaps, the words might be rendered, discomfited Amalek, even the people thereof.

Exodus 17:14. The Lord said unto Moses, write this, &c.— God commands Moses here, not only to write his decree concerning Amalek, but to rehearse it in the ears of Joshua; thus strongly declaring his fixed purpose; while it affords us one proof among many others, that Moses was the writer of this book, and that he wrote by the inspiration of the Lord. See Num 33:2 and Deuteronomy 25:17; Deuteronomy 25:19.
I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek— Balaam (Numbers 24:20.) foretels this utter extirpation of Amalek. Saul, David, and the children of Simeon, were instruments of their destruction. See 1Sa 15:1-3; 1 Samuel 30:17. 1 Chronicles 4:43.