Exodus 17:4 Then Moses cried out to the LORD, "What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me."

◄ Exodus 17:4 ►

Parallel Verses

New International Version
Then Moses cried out to the LORD, "What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me."

English Standard Version
So Moses cried to the LORD, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.”

New American Standard Bible
So Moses cried out to the LORD, saying, "What shall I do to this people? A little more and they will stone me."

King James Bible
And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then Moses cried out to the LORD, "What should I do with these people? In a little while they will stone me!"

International Standard Version
So Moses cried out to the LORD: "What am I to do with these people? Just a little more and they'll stone me."

American Standard Version
And Moses cried unto Jehovah, saying, What shall I do unto this people? They are almost ready to stone me.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And Moses cried to the Lord, saying: What shall I do to this people? Yet a little more and they will stone me.

Darby Bible Translation
And Moses cried to Jehovah, saying, What shall I do with this people? Yet a little, and they will stone me!

Young's Literal Translation
And Moses crieth to Jehovah, saying, 'What do I to this people? yet a little, and they have stoned me.'

Commentaries

Matthew Henry's Commentary

17:1-7 The children of Israel journeyed according to the commandment of the Lord, led by the pillar of cloud and fire, yet they came to a place where there was no water for them to drink. We may be in the way of duty, yet may meet with troubles, which Providence brings us into, for the trial of our faith, and that God may be glorified in our relief. They began to question whether God was with them or not. This is called their tempting God, which signifies distrust of him after they had received such proofs of his power and goodness. Moses mildly answered them. It is folly to answer passion with passion; that makes bad worse. God graciously appeared to help them. How wonderful the patience and forbearance of God toward provoking sinners! That he might show his power as well as his pity, and make it a miracle of mercy, he gave them water out of a rock. God can open fountains for us where we least expect them. Those who, in this wilderness, keep to God's way, may trust him to provide for them. Also, let this direct us to depend on Christ's grace. The apostle says, that Rock was Christ, 1Co 10:4, it was a type of him. While the curse of God might justly have been executed upon our guilty souls, behold the Son of God is smitten for us. Let us ask and receive. There was a constant, abundant supply of this water. Numerous as believers are, the supply of the Spirit of Christ is enough for all. The water flowed from the rock in streams to refresh the wilderness, and attended them on their way towards Canaan; and this water flows from Christ, through the ordinances, in the barren wilderness of this world, to refresh our souls, until we come to glory. A new name was given to the place, in remembrance, not of the mercy of their supply, but of the sin of their murmuring: Massah, Temptation, because they tempted God; Meribah, Strife, because they chid with Moses. Sin leaves a blot upon the name.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

4. Moses cried unto the Lord, saying, What shall I do unto this people?—His language, instead of betraying any signs of resentment or vindictive imprecation on a people who had given him a cruel and unmerited treatment, was the expression of an anxious wish to know what was the best to be done in the circumstances (compare Mt 5:44; Ro 12:21).