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Then the people complained and turned against Moses. “What are we going to drink?” they demanded.
Exodus 15:24 · New Living Translation
Parallel translations
  • WEB The people murmured against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?”
  • KJV And 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?”

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 16:2The whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron in the wilderness;
  • Exod 14:11They said to Moses, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you treated us this way, to bring us out of Egypt?
  • Num 20:2–5There was no water for the congregation; and they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron.
  • Ps 78:19–20Yes, they spoke against God. They said, “Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?
  • Num 14:1–4All the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night.
  • Exod 17:3–4The people were thirsty for water there; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us, our children, and our livestock with thirst?”
  • Num 11:1–6The people were complaining in the ears of Yahweh. When Yahweh heard it, his anger burned; and Yahweh’s fire burned among them, and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp.
  • Phil 2:14Do all things without murmurings and disputes,
  • Exod 16:8–9Moses said, “Now Yahweh shall give you meat to eat in the evening, and in the morning bread to satisfy you; because Yahweh hears your murmurings which you murmur against him. And who are we? Your murmurings are not against us, but against Yahweh.”
  • Num 16:41But on the next day all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, “You have killed Yahweh’s people!”
  • Num 17:10Yahweh said to Moses, “Put back the rod of Aaron before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the children of rebellion; that you may make an end of their murmurings against me, that they not die.”
  • 1 Cor 10:10Don’t grumble, as some of them also grumbled, and perished by the destroyer.
  • Num 21:5The people spoke against God, and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no bread, and there is no water; and our soul loathes this light bread.”
  • Num 16:11Therefore you and all your company have gathered together against Yahweh! What is Aaron that you murmur against him?”
  • Matt 6:25Therefore I tell you, don’t be anxious for your life: what you will eat, or what you will drink; nor yet for your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
  • Jude 1:16These are murmurers and complainers, walking after their lusts (and their mouth speaks proud things), showing respect of persons to gain advantage.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (6)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Exodus videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Exodus 15:24YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on ExodusMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

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

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.