Exodus 17:3
A focused desk for reading, commentary, cross-references, original language notes, and your own observations.
Exodus 17:3
3 And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?
Chapter Context
Exodus 17 is a narrative with legal sections chapter in the Old Testament that explores themes of sacrifice, salvation, discipleship. Written during the Egyptian bondage and wilderness wandering (c. 1446-1406 BCE), this chapter should be understood within its historical context: Egypt was the dominant superpower with a complex polytheistic religion and a god-king pharaoh.
The chapter can be divided into several sections:
- Verses 1-5: Introduction and setting the context
- Verses 6-12: Development of key themes
- Verses 13-16: Central message and teachings
This chapter is significant because it offers practical wisdom for godly living in a fallen world. When studying this passage, it's important to consider both its immediate context within Exodus and its broader place in the scriptural canon.
Verse Study
Exodus 17:3
3 And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?
Analysis
And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses—Physical thirst produces spiritual complaint. The verb 'murmured' (לוּן, lun) appears again (cf. Ex 16:2), showing Israel's default response to hardship. Their accusation that Moses brought them from Egypt 'to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst' reveals staggering unbelief: they interpret every trial as murderous intent. This projecting of evil motives onto God's servants (and thereby onto God) demonstrates how unbelief breeds paranoia. The thirst is real, but the interpretation—that God/Moses intends their death—is blasphemous. Christ also faced false accusations that He worked by Beelzebub (Matt 12:24), showing that unbelief interprets divine works as demonic.
Historical Context
The Sinai wilderness is extremely arid. Without supernatural provision, no large group could survive. Israel's thirst was genuine crisis, making their need legitimate but their response faithless.
Reflection
- How does unbelief interpret God's testing as God's attempt to destroy us?
- What does accusing leaders of murderous intent reveal about the murmurer's heart toward God?
Cross-References
- References Moses: Exodus 15:24