Exodus 17-20 - Prayer Tents

Exodus 17

Water From the Rock

17The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place as the LORD commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink.H5712H1121H3478H5265H4057H5512H4550H6310H3068H2583H7508H4325H5971H83542So they quarreled with Moses and said, "Give us water to drink." Moses replied, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the LORD to the test?"H5971H7378H4872H559H5414H4325H8354H4872H559H7378H5254H30683But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, "Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?"H5971H6770H4325H5971H3885H4872H559H5927H4714H4191H1121H4735H67724Then Moses cried out to the LORD, "What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me."H4872H6817H3068H559H6213H5971H4592H56195The LORD answered Moses, "Walk on ahead of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go.H3068H559H4872H5674H6440H5971H3947H2205H3478H4294H5221H2975H3947H3027H19806I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink." So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel.H5975H6440H6697H2722H5221H6697H3318H4325H5971H8354H4872H6213H5869H2205H34787And he called the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the LORD saying, "Is the LORD among us or not?"H7121H8034H4725H4532H4809H7379H1121H3478H5254H3068H559H3426H3068H7130

The Amalekites Defeated

8The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim.H935H6002H3898H3478H75089Moses said to Joshua, "Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands."H4872H559H3091H977H582H3318H3898H6002H4279H5324H7218H1389H4294H430H302710So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill.H3091H6213H4872H559H3898H6002H4872H175H2354H5927H7218H138911As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning.H4872H7311H3027H3478H1396H5117H3027H6002H139612When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset.H4872H3027H3515H3947H68H7760H3427H175H2354H8551H3027H259H259H3027H530H935H812113So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.H3091H2522H6002H5971H6310H271914Then the LORD said to Moses, "Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven."H3068H559H4872H3789H2146H5612H7760H241H3091H4229H4229H2143H6002H806415Moses built an altar and called it The LORD is my Banner.H4872H1129H4196H7121H8034H307116He said, "For hands were lifted up to the throne of the LORD. The LORD will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation."H559H3050H3027H3676H3068H4421H6002H1755H1755

Exodus 18

Jethro Visits Moses

18Now Jethro, the priest of Midian and father-in-law of Moses, heard of everything God had done for Moses and for his people Israel, and how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt.H3503H3548H4080H4872H2859H8085H430H6213H4872H3478H5971H3068H3318H3478H47142After Moses had sent away his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro received herH3503H4872H2859H3947H6855H4872H802H310H79643and her two sons. One son was named Gershom, for Moses said, "I have become an alien in a foreign land";H8147H1121H8034H259H1647H559H1616H5237H7764and the other was named Eliezer, for he said, "My father's God was my helper; he saved me from the sword of Pharaoh."H8034H259H461H430H1H5828H5337H2719H65475Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, together with Moses' sons and wife, came to him in the desert, where he was camped near the mountain of God.H3503H4872H2859H935H1121H802H4872H4057H2583H2022H4306Jethro had sent word to him, "I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons."H559H4872H2859H3503H935H802H8147H11217So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. They greeted each other and then went into the tent.H4872H3318H7125H2859H7812H5401H7592H376H7453H7965H935H1688Moses told his father-in-law about everything the LORD had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel's sake and about all the hardships they had met along the way and how the LORD had saved them.H4872H5608H2859H3068H6213H6547H4714H3478H182H8513H4672H1870H3068H53379Jethro was delighted to hear about all the good things the LORD had done for Israel in rescuing them from the hand of the Egyptians.H3503H2302H2896H3068H6213H3478H5337H3027H471410He said, "Praise be to the LORD, who rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who rescued the people from the hand of the Egyptians.H3503H559H1288H3068H5337H3027H4714H3027H6547H5337H5971H3027H471411Now I know that the LORD is greater than all other gods, for he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly."H3045H3068H1419H430H1697H210212Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and other sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law in the presence of God.H3503H4872H2859H3947H5930H2077H430H175H935H2205H3478H398H3899H4872H2859H6440H43013The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening.H4283H4872H3427H8199H5971H5971H5975H4872H1242H615314When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, "What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?"H4872H2859H7200H6213H5971H559H1697H6213H5971H3427H5971H5324H1242H615315Moses answered him, "Because the people come to me to seek God's will.H4872H559H2859H5971H935H1875H43016Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God's decrees and laws."H1697H935H8199H376H7453H3045H2706H430H845117Moses' father-in-law replied, "What you are doing is not good.H4872H2859H559H1697H6213H289618You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone.H5034H5034H5971H1697H3515H3201H621319Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people's representative before God and bring their disputes to him.H8085H6963H3289H430H1961H5971H4136H430H935H1697H43020Teach them the decrees and laws, and show them the way to live and the duties they are to perform.H2094H853H2706H8451H3045H1870H3212H4639H621321But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.H2372H5971H2428H582H3373H430H582H571H8130H1215H7760H8269H505H8269H3967H8269H2572H8269H623522Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you.H8199H5971H6256H1419H1697H935H6996H1697H8199H7043H537523If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied."H6213H1697H430H6680H3201H5975H5971H935H4725H796524Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said.H4872H8085H6963H2859H6213H55925He chose capable men from all Israel and made them leaders of the people, officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.H4872H977H2428H582H3478H5414H7218H5971H8269H505H8269H3967H8269H2572H8269H623526They served as judges for the people at all times. The difficult cases they brought to Moses, but the simple ones they decided themselves.H8199H5971H6256H7186H1697H935H4872H6996H1697H1992H819927Then Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and Jethro returned to his own country.H4872H2859H7971H3212H776

Exodus 19

At Mount Sinai

19In the third month after the Israelites left Egypt—on the very day—they came to the Desert of Sinai.H7992H2320H1121H3478H3318H776H4714H3117H935H4057H55142After they set out from Rephidim, they entered the Desert of Sinai, and Israel camped there in the desert in front of the mountain.H5265H7508H935H4057H5514H2583H4057H3478H2583H20223Then Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain and said, "This is what you are to say to the house of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel:H4872H5927H430H3068H7121H2022H559H559H1004H3290H5046H1121H34784'You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself.H7200H6213H4714H5375H5404H3671H9355Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine,H8085H6963H8085H8104H1285H5459H5971H7766you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites."H4467H3548H6918H1471H1697H1696H1121H34787So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words the LORD had commanded him to speak.H4872H935H7121H2205H5971H7760H6440H1697H3068H66808The people all responded together, "We will do everything the LORD has said." So Moses brought their answer back to the LORD.H5971H6030H3162H559H3068H1696H6213H4872H7725H1697H5971H30689The LORD said to Moses, "I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you." Then Moses told the LORD what the people had said.H3068H559H4872H935H5645H6051H5971H8085H1696H539H5769H4872H5046H1697H5971H306810And the LORD said to Moses, "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothesH3068H559H4872H3212H5971H6942H3117H4279H3526H807111and be ready by the third day, because on that day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.H3559H7992H3117H7992H3117H3068H3381H5869H5971H2022H551412Put limits for the people around the mountain and tell them, 'Be careful that you do not go up the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death.H1379H5971H5439H559H8104H5927H2022H5060H7097H5060H2022H4191H419113He shall surely be stoned or shot with arrows; not a hand is to be laid on him. Whether man or animal, he shall not be permitted to live.' Only when the ram's horn sounds a long blast may they go up to the mountain."H3027H5060H5619H5619H176H3384H3384H929H518H376H2421H3104H4900H5927H202214After Moses had gone down the mountain to the people, he consecrated them, and they washed their clothes.H4872H3381H2022H5971H6942H5971H3526H807115Then he said to the people, "Prepare yourselves for the third day. Abstain from sexual relations."H559H5971H1961H3559H7969H3117H5066H80216On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled.H7992H3117H1242H6963H1300H3515H6051H2022H6963H7782H3966H2389H5971H4264H272917Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.H4872H3318H5971H4264H7125H430H3320H8482H202218Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the LORD descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, the whole mountain trembled violently,H2022H5514H6225H6440H834H3068H3381H784H6227H5927H6227H3536H2022H2729H396619and the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder. Then Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him.H6963H7782H6963H1980H2390H3966H4872H1696H430H6030H696320The LORD descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses went upH3068H3381H2022H5514H7218H2022H3068H7121H4872H413H7218H2022H4872H592721and the LORD said to him, "Go down and warn the people so they do not force their way through to see the LORD and many of them perish.H3068H559H4872H3381H5749H5971H2040H3068H7200H7227H530722Even the priests, who approach the LORD, must consecrate themselves, or the LORD will break out against them."H3548H5066H3068H6942H3068H655523Moses said to the LORD, "The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, because you yourself warned us, 'Put limits around the mountain and set it apart as holy.'"H4872H559H3068H5971H3201H5927H2022H5514H5749H559H1379H2022H694224The LORD replied, "Go down and bring Aaron up with you. But the priests and the people must not force their way through to come up to the LORD, or he will break out against them."H3068H559H3212H3381H5927H175H3548H5971H2040H5927H3068H655525So Moses went down to the people and told them.H4872H3381H5971H559

Exodus 20

The Ten Commandments

20And God spoke all these words:H430H1696H1697H5592"I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.H3068H430H3318H776H4714H1004H56503"You shall have no other gods before me.H312H430H64404"You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.H6213H6459H8544H834H8064H4605H776H4325H7765You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,H7812H5647H3068H430H7067H410H6485H5771H1H1121H8029H7256H81306but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.H6213H2617H505H157H8104H46877"You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.H5375H8034H3068H430H7723H3068H5352H5375H8034H77238"Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.H2142H7676H3117H69429Six days you shall labor and do all your work,H8337H3117H5647H6213H439910but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates.H7637H3117H7676H3068H430H6213H4399H1121H1323H5650H519H929H1616H817911For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.H8337H3117H3068H6213H8064H776H3220H5117H7637H3117H3068H1288H7676H3117H694212"Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.H3513H1H517H3117H748H127H3068H430H541413"You shall not murder.H752314"You shall not commit adultery.H500315"You shall not steal.H158916"You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.H6030H8267H5707H745317"You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."H2530H7453H1004H2530H7453H802H5650H519H7794H2543H745318When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distanceH5971H7200H6963H3940H6963H7782H2022H6226H5971H7200H5128H5975H735019and said to Moses, "Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die."H559H4872H1696H8085H430H1696H419120Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning."H4872H559H5971H3372H430H935H5668H5254H3374H6440H239821The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.H5971H5975H7350H4872H5066H6205H430

Idols and Altars

22Then the LORD said to Moses, "Tell the Israelites this: 'You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven:H3068H559H4872H559H1121H3478H7200H1696H806423Do not make any gods to be alongside me; do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gods of gold.H6213H430H3701H6213H430H209124"'Make an altar of earth for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, your sheep and goats and your cattle. Wherever I cause my name to be honored, I will come to you and bless you.H4196H127H6213H2076H5930H8002H6629H1241H4725H2142H8034H935H128825If you make an altar of stones for me, do not build it with dressed stones, for you will defile it if you use a tool on it.H6213H4196H68H1129H1496H5130H2719H249026And do not go up to my altar on steps, lest your nakedness be exposed on it.'H5927H4609H4196H6172H1540