Deuteronomy 6:16 Made Simple

KJV ORIGINAL

Ye shall not tempt the LORD your God, as ye tempted him in Massah.

Close to the original. Clear modern English.

✦ MADE SIMPLE

You must not test the LORD your God, like you tested him at Massah.

⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE

This verse is warning God's people not to test or challenge God's faithfulness and power, especially when they doubt whether He will provide for them.

📚 Historical Context

Moses is reminding the Israelites of an incident at Massah (meaning 'testing') where they complained about lack of water and questioned whether God was really with them (Exodus 17:1-7). This happened during their 40-year wilderness journey after leaving Egypt. The name Massah became a symbol of Israel's tendency to doubt God's provision despite His repeated faithfulness.

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Deuteronomy 33:8

About the tribe of Levi, Moses said: 'Let your sacred objects for seeking God's guidance—the Thummim and Urim—be with your holy servant, the one you tested at Massah and argued with at the waters of Meribah.'

Exodus 17:7

And Moses named that place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites complained and argued, and because they tested the LORD by asking, 'Is the LORD really with us or not?'

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