The Tanakh · JPS 1917 Translation

Exodus 17

Jewish Publication Society 1917 · Torah

Exodus chapter 17 — part of the Torah in the Jewish Bible. In the classic JPS 1917 translation it opens: “And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, by their stages, according to the commandment of HaShem, and encamped…” — the complete text of all 16 verses is below, free to read online.

1And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, by their stages, according to the commandment of HaShem, and encamped in Rephidim; and there was no water for the people to drink.

2Wherefore the people strove with Moses, and said: 'Give us water that we may drink.' And Moses said unto them: 'Why strive ye with me? wherefore do ye try HaShem?'

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 HaShem, saying: 'What shall I do unto this people? they are almost ready to stone me.'

5And HaShem said unto Moses: 'Pass on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy 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 the name of the place was called Massah, and Meribah, because of the striving of the children of Israel, and because they tried HaShem, saying: 'Is HaShem 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; tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of G-d in my hand.'

10So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.

11And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.

12But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.

13And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

14And HaShem said unto Moses: 'Write this for a memorial in the book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.'

15And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Adonai-nissi.

16And he said: 'The hand upon the throne of HaShem: HaShem will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.'

16 verses · JPS 1917 (public domain)

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