
TORAH
NEVI'IM
KETUVIM
Chapter 17
Translation and Transliteration of
Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:
- Commentary
- Buy E-book
- Buy the Israel Bible
1From the wilderness of Sin the whole Israelite community continued by stages as Hashem would command. They encamped at Rephidim, and there was no water for the people to drink.
vai-YIS-u kol-a-dat b'-nay yis-ra-AYL mi-mi-d'-BAR sin l'-mas-E-hem al-PI a-do-NAI va-ya-kha-NU bi-r'-fi-DIM v'-AYN ma-YIM lish-TOT ha-AM
אוַ֠יִּסְע֠וּ כׇּל־עֲדַ֨ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֧ל מִמִּדְבַּר־סִ֛ין לְמַסְעֵיהֶ֖ם עַל־פִּ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וַֽיַּחֲנוּ֙ בִּרְפִידִ֔ים וְאֵ֥ין מַ֖יִם לִשְׁתֹּ֥ת הָעָֽם׃
2The people quarreled with Moshe. “Give us water to drink,” they said; and Moshe replied to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you try Hashem?”
vai-YA-rev ha-AM im mo-SHE va-YO-meru, te-NU-la-NU MA-yim ve-nish-TEH, va-YO-mer la-HEM mo-SHE, ma-te-REE-vun i-ma-DEE, ma-te-NA-suN et a-do-NAI
בוַיָּ֤רֶב הָעָם֙ עִם־מֹשֶׁ֔ה וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ תְּנוּ־לָ֥נוּ מַ֖יִם וְנִשְׁתֶּ֑ה וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהֶם֙ מֹשֶׁ֔ה מַה־תְּרִיבוּן֙ עִמָּדִ֔י מַה־תְּנַסּ֖וּן אֶת־יְהֹוָֽה׃
3But the people thirsted there for water; and the people grumbled against Moshe and said, “Why did you bring us up from Egypt, to kill us and our children and livestock with thirst?”
vai-YITZ-ma sham ha-AM la-MA-yim va-YA-len ha-AM al mo-SHE va-YO-mer la-MA ze he-e-lee-TA-nu mi-mitz-RA-yim l'-ha-MEET o-TEE v'-et ba-NAI v'-et miK-NAI ba-TZA-ma
גוַיִּצְמָ֨א שָׁ֤ם הָעָם֙ לַמַּ֔יִם וַיָּ֥לֶן הָעָ֖ם עַל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיֹּ֗אמֶר לָ֤מָּה זֶּה֙ הֶעֱלִיתָ֣נוּ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם לְהָמִ֥ית אֹתִ֛י וְאֶת־בָּנַ֥י וְאֶת־מִקְנַ֖י בַּצָּמָֽא׃
4Moshe cried out to Hashem, saying, “What shall I do with this people? Before long they will be stoning me!”
vai-YITZ-a-ak mo-SHE el a-do-NAI lay-MOR: ma e-a-SEH la-AM ha-ZEH, OD m'-AT u-s'-ka-LU-nee
דוַיִּצְעַ֤ק מֹשֶׁה֙ אֶל־יְהֹוָ֣ה לֵאמֹ֔ר מָ֥ה אֶעֱשֶׂ֖ה לָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֑ה ע֥וֹד מְעַ֖ט וּסְקָלֻֽנִי׃
5Then Hashem said to Moshe, “Pass before the people; take with you some of the elders of Yisrael, and take along the rod with which you struck the Nile, and set out.
vai-YO-mer a-do-NAI el mo-SHEH, a-VOR li-FNAY ha-AM, v'-KAKH it-KHA mi-zik-NAY yis-ra-AYL, u-ma-TE-kha a-SHER hi-KEE-ta BO et ha-ya-OR, KAkh b'-ya-d'-KHA v'-ha-LAKH-ta.
הוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה עֲבֹר֙ לִפְנֵ֣י הָעָ֔ם וְקַ֥ח אִתְּךָ֖ מִזִּקְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וּמַטְּךָ֗ אֲשֶׁ֨ר הִכִּ֤יתָ בּוֹ֙ אֶת־הַיְאֹ֔ר קַ֥ח בְּיָדְךָ֖ וְהָלָֽכְתָּ׃
6I will be standing there before you on the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock and water will issue from it, and the people will drink.” And Moshe did so in the sight of the elders of Yisrael.
hi-ne-ni o-MED l'-fa-NE-kha sham al ha-TZUR b'-kho-REV v'-hi-ki-TA va-TZUR v'-ya-tze-U mi-ME-nu MA-yim v'-sha-TA ha-AM va-YA-as KEN mo-SHE l'-ay-NAY zi-k'-NAY yis-ra-AYL
והִנְנִ֣י עֹמֵד֩ לְפָנֶ֨יךָ שָּׁ֥ם ׀ עַֽל־הַצּוּר֮ בְּחֹרֵב֒ וְהִכִּ֣יתָ בַצּ֗וּר וְיָצְא֥וּ מִמֶּ֛נּוּ מַ֖יִם וְשָׁתָ֣ה הָעָ֑ם וַיַּ֤עַשׂ כֵּן֙ מֹשֶׁ֔ה לְעֵינֵ֖י זִקְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
7The place was named Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites quarreled and because they tried Hashem, saying, “Is Hashem present among us or not?”
va-yik-RA SHAYM ha-ma-KOM ma-SAH um-ree-VAH al REEV b'-NAY yis-ra-AYL v'-AL na-so-TAM et a-do-NAI lay-MOR ha-YAYSH a-do-NAI b'-kir-BAY-nu im A-yin
זוַיִּקְרָא֙ שֵׁ֣ם הַמָּק֔וֹם מַסָּ֖ה וּמְרִיבָ֑ה עַל־רִ֣יב ׀ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וְעַ֨ל נַסֹּתָ֤ם אֶת־יְהֹוָה֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הֲיֵ֧שׁ יְהֹוָ֛ה בְּקִרְבֵּ֖נוּ אִם־אָֽיִן׃
17:7 Is Hashem present among us or not?
The People of Israel are not questioning their faith in Hashem. Rather, they are wondering to what extent He is involved in their everyday lives. In Egypt, and in other civilizations at that time, God was understood as a static force, and nature as governed by unchanging rules. The newly freed Children of Israel are therefore questioning God’s involvement in their day-to-day affairs. In turn, Hashem is educating the Nation about His supremacy and control over nature and all the workings of the world. Not only did Hashem create water, but He also controls its supply, providing it or withholding it as He sees fit. This message becomes embedded in the psyche of the Chosen Nation and its practical application bears fruit in the Chosen Land where the Jews pray daily to God for water and see His active involvement in everyday life.
8Amalek came and fought with Yisrael at Rephidim.
va-YA-vo a-ma-LEK va-yi-LA-khem im yis-ra-AYL bi-r'-fi-DAM
חוַיָּבֹ֖א עֲמָלֵ֑ק וַיִּלָּ֥חֶם עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בִּרְפִידִֽם׃
9Moshe said to Yehoshua, “Pick some men for us, and go out and do battle with Amalek. Tomorrow I will station myself on the top of the hill, with the rod of Hashem in my hand.”
vai-YO-mer MO-she el y'-ho-SHU-a b'-KHA-r LA-nu a-na-SHEEM v'-TZAY tze ha-li-KHEM ba-a-ma-LEK, ma-KHAR a-NO-khee ni-TZAV al-ROSH ha-gi-BAH u-ma-TEH ha-e-lo-HEEM b'-ya-DEE
טוַיֹּ֨אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֤ה אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁ֙עַ֙ בְּחַר־לָ֣נוּ אֲנָשִׁ֔ים וְצֵ֖א הִלָּחֵ֣ם בַּעֲמָלֵ֑ק מָחָ֗ר אָנֹכִ֤י נִצָּב֙ עַל־רֹ֣אשׁ הַגִּבְעָ֔ה וּמַטֵּ֥ה הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים בְּיָדִֽי׃
10Yehoshua did as Moshe told him and fought with Amalek, while Moshe, Aharon, and Chur went up to the top of the hill.
vai-YA-as y'-ho-SHU-a ka-a-SHER a-MAR-lo MO-she l'-hi-la-KHEM ba-a-ma-LEK, u-MO-she, a-ha-RON v'-KHUR a-LU rosh ha-gi-VAH
יוַיַּ֣עַשׂ יְהוֹשֻׁ֗עַ כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר אָֽמַר־לוֹ֙ מֹשֶׁ֔ה לְהִלָּחֵ֖ם בַּעֲמָלֵ֑ק וּמֹשֶׁה֙ אַהֲרֹ֣ן וְח֔וּר עָל֖וּ רֹ֥אשׁ הַגִּבְעָֽה׃
11Then, whenever Moshe held up his hand, Yisrael prevailed; but whenever he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.
v'-ha-YA ka-a-SHER ya-RIM mo-SHEH ya-DO v'-ga-VAR yis-ra-AYL, v'-ka-a-SHER ya-NEE-akh ya-DO v'-ga-VAR a-ma-LAYK
יאוְהָיָ֗ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר יָרִ֥ים מֹשֶׁ֛ה יָד֖וֹ וְגָבַ֣ר יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְכַאֲשֶׁ֥ר יָנִ֛יחַ יָד֖וֹ וְגָבַ֥ר עֲמָלֵֽק׃
12But Moshe' hands grew heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it, while Aharon and Chur, one on each side, supported his hands; thus his hands remained steady until the sun set.
v'-yi-DAY mo-SHEH ke-VE-deem va-yik-KHU e-VEN va-ya-SEE-mu ta-KH'-TA-yu va-YAY-shev a-LE-ha, v'-a-ha-RON v'-KHUR ta-M'-Khu b'-ya-DAV mi-ZEH e-KHAD u-mi-ZEH e-KHAD va-Y'-hee ya-DAV e-mu-NAH ad-BO ha-SHA-mesh
יבוִידֵ֤י מֹשֶׁה֙ כְּבֵדִ֔ים וַיִּקְחוּ־אֶ֛בֶן וַיָּשִׂ֥ימוּ תַחְתָּ֖יו וַיֵּ֣שֶׁב עָלֶ֑יהָ וְאַהֲרֹ֨ן וְח֜וּר תָּֽמְכ֣וּ בְיָדָ֗יו מִזֶּ֤ה אֶחָד֙ וּמִזֶּ֣ה אֶחָ֔ד וַיְהִ֥י יָדָ֛יו אֱמוּנָ֖ה עַד־בֹּ֥א הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃
13And Yehoshua overwhelmed the people of Amalek with the sword.
vai-ya-kha-LOSH y'-ho-SHU-a et a-ma-LEK v'-et a-MO l'-fi-kha-REV.
יגוַיַּחֲלֹ֧שׁ יְהוֹשֻׁ֛עַ אֶת־עֲמָלֵ֥ק וְאֶת־עַמּ֖וֹ לְפִי־חָֽרֶב׃
14Then Hashem said to Moshe, “Inscribe this in a document as a reminder, and read it aloud to Yehoshua: I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven!”
va-YO-mer a-do-NAI el mo-SHEH, k'-TOV zo-TA zi-KA-ron ba-SE-fer, v'-SEEM b'-o-z'-NAY y'-ho-SHU-a, kee-ma-KHOH em-KHEH et ZE-kher a-ma-LEK mit-TA-khat ha-sha-MA-yim.
ידוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה כְּתֹ֨ב זֹ֤את זִכָּרוֹן֙ בַּסֵּ֔פֶר וְשִׂ֖ים בְּאׇזְנֵ֣י יְהוֹשֻׁ֑עַ כִּֽי־מָחֹ֤ה אֶמְחֶה֙ אֶת־זֵ֣כֶר עֲמָלֵ֔ק מִתַּ֖חַת הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃
15And Moshe built a mizbayach and named it Adonai-nissi.
vai-YI-ven mo-SHEH miz-BAY-akh vai-YIK-ra sh'-MO a-do-NAI ni-SEE
טווַיִּ֥בֶן מֹשֶׁ֖ה מִזְבֵּ֑חַ וַיִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ יְהֹוָ֥ה ׀ נִסִּֽי׃
16He said, “It means, ‘Hand upon the throne of Hashem!' Hashem will be at war with Amalek throughout the ages.”
u-ve-raKH-ti o-TAH v'-GAM na-ta-TI mi-m'-NEH l'-KHA ben u-ve-raKH-ti-HA v'-ha-Y'-ta l'-go-YIM mal-khay a-mi-YIM mi-m'-NEH yi-h'-YU
טזוַיֹּ֗אמֶר כִּֽי־יָד֙ עַל־כֵּ֣ס יָ֔הּ*(בכתר ארם צובה היה כתוב כֵּ֣סְיָ֔הּ בתיבה אחת) מִלְחָמָ֥ה לַיהֹוָ֖ה בַּֽעֲמָלֵ֑ק מִדֹּ֖ר דֹּֽר׃