Exodus 17

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	NEW JERUSALEM
1 From the desert of Sin the whole Israelite community journeyed by stages, as the LORD directed, and encamped at Rephidim. Here there was no water for the people to drink.	1 The whole community of Israelites left the desert of Sin, travel ing by stages as Yahweh ordered. Theypitched camp at Rephidim where there was no water for the people to drink.
2 They quarreled, therefore, with Moses and said, "Give us water to drink." Moses replied, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the LORD to a test?"	2 The people took issue with Moses for this and said, 'Give us water to drink.' Moses replied, 'Why takeissue with me? Why do you put Yahweh to the test?'
3 Here, then, in their thirst for water, the people grumbled against Moses, saying, "Why did you ever make us leave Egypt? Was it just to have us die here of thirst with our children and our livestock?"	3 But tormented by thirst, the people complained to Moses. 'Why did you bring us out of Egypt,' theysaid, 'only to make us, our children and our livestock, die of thirst?'
4 So Moses cried out to the LORD, "What shall I do with this people? A little more and they will stone me!"	4 Moses appealed to Yahweh for help. 'How am I to deal with this people?' he said. 'Any moment nowthey will stone me!'
5 The LORD answered Moses, "Go over there in front of the people, along with some of the elders of Israel, holding in your hand, as you go, the staff with which you struck the river.	5 Yahweh then said to Moses, 'Go on ahead of the people, taking some of the elders of Israel with you;in your hand take the staff with which you struck the River, and go.
6 I will be standing there in front of you on the rock in Horeb. Strike the rock, and the water will flow from it for the people to drink." This Moses did, in the presence of the elders of Israel.	6 I shal be waiting for you there on the rock (at Horeb). Strike the rock, and water wil come out for thepeople to drink.' This was what Moses did, with the elders of Israel looking on.
7 The place was called Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites quarreled there and tested the LORD, saying, "Is the LORD in our midst or not?"	7 He gave the place the names Massah and Meribah because of the Israelites' contentiousness andbecause they put Yahweh to the test by saying, 'Is Yahweh with us, or not?'
8 At Rephidim, Amalek came and waged war against Israel.	8 The Amalekites then came and attacked Israel at Rephidim.
9 Moses, therefore, said to Joshua, "Pick out certain men, and tomorrow go out and engage Amalek in battle. I will be standing on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand."	9 Moses said to Joshua, 'Pick some men and tomorrow morning go out and engage Amalek. I, for mypart, shal take my stand on the hil top with the staff of God in my hand.'
10 So Joshua did as Moses told him: he engaged Amalek in battle after Moses had climbed to the top of the hill with Aaron and Hur.	10 Joshua did as Moses had told him and went out to engage Amalek, while Moses, Aaron and Hurwent up to the top of the hil .
11 As long as Moses kept his hands raised up, Israel had the better of the fight, but when he let his hands rest, Amalek had the better of the fight.	11 As long as Moses kept his arms raised, Israel had the advantage; when he let his arms fall, theadvantage went to Amalek.
12 Moses' hands, however, grew tired; so they put a rock in place for him to sit on. Meanwhile Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other, so that his hands remained steady till sunset.	12 But Moses' arms grew heavy, so they took a stone and put it under him and on this he sat, withAaron and Hur supporting his arms on each side. Thus his arms remained unwavering til sunset,
13 And Joshua mowed down Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.	13 and Joshua defeated Amalek, putting their people to the sword.
14 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Write this down in a document as something to be remembered, and recite it in the ears of Joshua: I will completely blot out the memory of Amalek from under the heavens."	14 Yahweh then said to Moses, 'Write this down in a book to commemorate it, and repeat it over toJoshua, for I shal blot out al memory of Amalek under heaven.'
15 Moses also built an altar there, which he called Yahweh-nissi;	15 Moses then built an altar and named it Yahweh-Nissi
16 for he said, "The LORD takes in hand his banner; the LORD will war against Amalek through the centuries."	16 meaning, 'Lay hold of Yahweh's banner! Yahweh wil be at war with Amalek generation aftergeneration.'