And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the LORD, saying, Is the LORD among us, or not?
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?'
Moses named this place with two names that mean 'testing' and 'arguing' because the Israelites doubted whether God was truly with them during their difficulties.
📚 Historical Context
This occurred during the Israelites' journey through the wilderness after leaving Egypt, when they ran out of water at Rephidim and began complaining against Moses and God. The people had forgotten God's recent miracles of deliverance from Egypt and provision of manna, and instead questioned His presence and care when faced with this new challenge.
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