BibleWord.ai› Bible› Exodus› Chapter 17› Verse 6

Exodus 17:6

Old Testament Law (Torah) ASV (1901)

What does Exodus 17:6 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.
Exodus 17:6 — American Standard Version

Context — Exodus 17

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
3And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore hast thou brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?
4And Moses cried unto Jehovah, saying, What shall I do unto this people? They are almost ready to stone me.
5And Jehovah said unto Moses, Pass on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and they rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thy hand, and go.
6Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.
7And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the striving of the children of Israel, and because they tempted Jehovah, saying, Is Jehovah among us, or not?
8Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim.
9And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to-morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand.
← Exodus 17:5Exodus 17:7 →
← Full Chapter 17 Exodus Overview

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb, etc.] Or “upon that rock” f541, a particular rock which was pointed unto, where the Lord in the pillar of cloud would stand; not as a mere spectator of this affair, but as a director of Moses where to smite the rock; and to exert his power in producing water from it, and by his presence to encourage Moses to do it, and to expect and believe the issue of it: and thou shalt smite the rock: or “on the rock”, or “in it” f542; which made Jarchi fancy that the rod of Moses was something very hard, that it was a sapphire by which the rock was cleft: and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink, they, their children,…”
Read attributed excerpt →
Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“The rock in Horeb - (a rock situated, according to Arab tradition, in Wady Feiran. Horeb was a name given to the whole desert of Sinai and subsequently attached to the mountain. Palmer). It is questioned whether the water thus supplied ceased with the immediate occasion; see 1 Corinthians 10:4, the general meaning of which appears to be that their wants were ever supplied from Him, of whom the rock was but a symbol, and who accompanied them in all their wanderings. return to 'Top of Page'”
Read attributed excerpt →
Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“17:6 Mount Sinai: See study note on 3:1. • water gushed out: Note the similar provision in Num 20:11 (see also Ps 78:15-16; 105:41; 114:8; Isa 48:21).”
Read attributed excerpt →
Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“I will: Exo 16:10 the rock: This rock, which is a vast block of red granite, 15 feet long, 10 broad, and 12 high, lies in the wilderness of Rephidim, to the west of Mount Horeb, a part of Sinai. There are abundant traces of this wonderful miracle remaining at this day. This rock has been visited, drawn, and described by Dr. Shaw and others; and holes and channels appear in the stone, which could only have been formed by the bursting out and running of water. in Horeb: Exo 3:1-5 and thou: Num 20:9-11; Deu 8:15; Neh 9:15; Psa 78:15, Psa 78:16, Psa 78:20, Psa 105:41, Psa 114:8; Isa 48:21; Co1 10:4 that the people: Psa 46:4; Isa 41:17, Isa 41:18, Isa 43:19, Isa 43:20; Joh 4:10, Joh 4:14, Joh…”
Read attributed excerpt →

Related study paths

Read Exodus 17 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification