Then the whole people of Israel left the desert of Sin, moving on from stage to stage as the Lord directed them, and encamped at Raphidim. But here they had no water to drink,

so they turned upon Moses crying out, We have nothing to drink; find water for us. Why do you turn upon me? asked Moses. Will you challenge the Lord?

But the people, thirsting for lack of water, grew loud in their complaints against Moses; Didst thou bring us away from Egypt, they said, only to let as die here, with our children and our cattle, of thirst?

Moses had recourse to the Lord; What can be done with them? he asked. A little more of this, and they will begin stoning me.

So the Lord bade Moses march out at the head of the people, taking some of the elders of Israel with him; and as he went, he was to carry in his hand the staff which he had used to smite the river.

I will meet thee, he said, at the rock of Horeb; thou hast but to smite that rock, and water will flow out of it, to give the people drink. All this Moses did, with the elders of Israel to witness it;

and the name he gave to that place was Challenge,✻ because it was there the Israelites turned on him and challenged the Lord, by asking whether the Lord still went with them or not.

And while they were at Raphidim, the Amalecites came and offered the Israelites battle.

So Moses said to Josue, Muster me an army, and go out to fight against Amalec; I will take my stand to-morrow on the hill top, with the miraculous staff in my hand.

And Josue did as Moses bade him, going out to do battle with Amalec, while Moses, Aaron and Hur went up to the hill top.

Whenever Moses lifted up his hands, Israel had the better of it; only when he rested for a little did the victory go to Amalec.

But now Moses’ arms grew weary; so they found him a stone to sit on and bade him be seated on it; then, one on each side, Aaron and Hur kept his hands lifted up. In this way, the strength of his arms held out until set of sun,

while Josue routed Amalec, and all the forces Amalec could rally, at the sword’s point.

Put this on record in writing, the Lord said to Moses, and recite it in Josue’s hearing: I mean to efface the very name of Amalec from this earth.

Moses, too, built an altar there, and called it The Lord raises me up;✻ and he cried out,

Lift up your hands to the Lord’s throne! The Lord declares war against Amalec, for all ages to come.✻