Exodus

Exodus 17:2–3

²So the people contended with Moses, “Give us water to drink.”

“Why do you contend with me?” Moses replied. “Why do you test the LORD?”

³But the people thirsted for water there, and they grumbled against Moses: “Why have you brought us out of Egypt — to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?”

Read all of Exodus 17

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Exodus 17:2

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
So the people	הָעָם֙	hā·‘ām	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H5971 people
contended	וַיָּ֤רֶב	way·yā·reḇ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7378 strive, contend
with	עִם־	‘im-	Preposition	H5973 with
Moses	מֹשֶׁ֔ה	mō·šeh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H4872 Moses
Give	תְּנוּ־	tə·nū-	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural	H5414 give, put, set
us	לָ֥נוּ	lā·nū	Preposition; first person common plural
water	מַ֖יִם	ma·yim	Noun - masculine plural	H4325 water, juice, urine
to drink	וְנִשְׁתֶּ֑ה	wə·niš·teh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - first person common plural	H8354 drink
Why	מַה־	mah-	Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
do you contend	תְּרִיבוּן֙	tə·rî·ḇūn	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural; Paragogic nun	H7378 strive, contend
with me	עִמָּדִ֔י	‘im·mā·ḏî	Preposition; first person common singular	H5978 along with
Moses	מֹשֶׁ֔ה	mō·šeh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H4872 Moses
replied	וַיֹּ֤אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
Why	מַה־	mah-	Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
do you test	תְּנַסּ֖וּן	tə·nas·sūn	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine plural; Paragogic nun	H5254 test, try
the LORD	יְהוָֽה׃	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh

Exodus 17:3

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
But the people	הָעָם֙	hā·‘ām	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H5971 people
thirsted	וַיִּצְמָ֨א	way·yiṣ·mā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6770 be thirsty
for water	לַמַּ֔יִם	lam·ma·yim	Preposition-l, Article; Noun - masculine plural	H4325 water, juice, urine
there	שָׁ֤ם	šām	Adverb	H8033 there, thither
and they grumbled	וַיָּ֥לֶן	way·yā·len	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3885 lodge, pass the night
against	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
Moses	מֹשֶׁ֑ה	mō·šeh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H4872 Moses
Why	לָ֤מָּה	lām·māh	Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
have you brought us	הֶעֱלִיתָ֣נוּ	he·‘ĕ·lî·ṯā·nū	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - second person masculine singular; first person common plural	H5927 go up, ascend, climb
out of Egypt	מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם	mim·miṣ·ra·yim	Preposition-m; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H4714 Egypt, Egyptians
to make	לְהָמִ֥ית	lə·hā·mîṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct	H4191 die
us	אֹתִ֛י	’ō·ṯî	Direct object marker; first person common singular	H853 mark of the accusative
and	וְאֶת־	wə·’eṯ-	Conjunctive waw; Direct object marker	H853 mark of the accusative
our children	בָּנַ֥י	bā·nay	Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H1121 son
and livestock	מִקְנַ֖י	miq·nay	Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H4735 cattle
of thirst	בַּצָּמָֽא׃	baṣ·ṣā·mā	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H6772 thirst

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Exodus 17:2 Psalm 78:18 · Psalm 78:41 · 1 Corinthians 10:9 · Deuteronomy 6:16 · Hebrews 3:9 · Isaiah 7:12 · Acts 15:10 · Numbers 20:2–5 · Psalm 95:9 · Matthew 4:7 · Numbers 21:5 · Numbers 14:22

Exodus 17:3 Exodus 16:2–3 · Exodus 15:24

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.