And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?
Parallel translations
- WEB The people murmured against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?”
- BSB So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?”
- NKJV And the people complained against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?”
- NASB So the people grumbled at Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?”
- NLT Then the people complained and turned against Moses. “What are we going to drink?” they demanded.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The people murmured against Moses, asking what they should drink.
Overview
Faced with need, the people grumble rather than trust the God who had just split the sea. Their quick complaint reveals how short-lived gratitude can be when hardship returns. The recurring murmuring exposes the unbelief God will patiently address through provision and instruction.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- Exod 16:2And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness:
- Exod 14:11And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?
- Num 20:2–5And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron.
- Ps 78:19–20Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?
- Num 14:1–4And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night.
- Exod 17:3–4And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?
- Num 11:1–6And when the people complained, it displeased the LORD: and the LORD heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the LORD burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp.
- Phil 2:14Do all things without murmurings and disputings:
- Exod 16:8–9And Moses said, This shall be, when the LORD shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that the LORD heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the LORD.
- Num 16:41But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of the LORD.
- Num 17:10And the LORD said unto Moses, Bring Aaron’s rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not.
- 1 Cor 10:10Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.
- Num 21:5And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.
- Num 16:11For which cause both thou and all thy company are gathered together against the LORD: and what is Aaron, that ye murmur against him?
- Matt 6:25Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
- Jude 1:16These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.
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Christ at the center
The Passover lamb whose blood turns away death, the exodus through the sea, the manna, the rock, and the tabernacle where God dwells with his people all foreshadow Jesus — our Passover, our redemption, the bread from heaven, and God-with-us in the flesh.
How Exodus 15:24 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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