Exodus 17:3 But 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?"

◄ Exodus 17:3 ►

New International Version
But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?”

New Living Translation
But tormented by thirst, they continued to argue with Moses. “Why did you bring us out of Egypt? Are you trying to kill us, our children, and our livestock with thirst?”

English Standard Version
But the people thirsted there for water, and the people grumbled against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?”

Berean Standard Bible
But 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?”

King James Bible
And 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?

New King James Version
And the people thirsted there for water, and the people complained against Moses, and said, “Why is it you have brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?”

New American Standard Bible
But the people were thirsty for water there; and they grumbled against Moses and said, “Why is it that you have you brought us up from Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?”

NASB 1995
But the people thirsted there for water; and they grumbled against Moses and said, “Why, now, have you brought us up from Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?”

NASB 1977
But the people thirsted there for water; and they grumbled against Moses and said, “Why, now, have you brought us up from Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?”

Legacy Standard Bible
But the people thirsted there for water; and they grumbled against Moses and said, “Why, now, have you brought us up from Egypt, to put us and our children and our livestock to death with thirst?”

Amplified Bible
But the people were thirsty for water; and the people murmured against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us up from Egypt to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?”

Christian Standard Bible
But the people thirsted there for water and grumbled against Moses. They said, “Why did you ever bring us up from Egypt to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst? ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But the people thirsted there for water, and grumbled against Moses. They said, “Why did you ever bring us out of Egypt to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?”

American Standard Version
And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore hast thou brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?

Contemporary English Version
But the people were thirsty and kept on complaining, "Moses, did you bring us out of Egypt just to let us and our families and our animals die of thirst?"

English Revised Version
And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore hast thou brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
But the people were thirsty for water there. They complained to Moses and asked, "Why did you bring us out of Egypt? Was it to make us, our children, and our livestock die of thirst?"

Good News Translation
But the people were very thirsty and continued to complain to Moses. They said, "Why did you bring us out of Egypt? To kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?"

International Standard Version
But the people were thirsty there for water, so they complained against Moses: "Why did you bring us up from Egypt to kill us, our children, and our livestock with thirst?"

Majority Standard Bible
But 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?”

NET Bible
But the people were very thirsty there for water, and they murmured against Moses and said, "Why in the world did you bring us up out of Egypt--to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?"

New Heart English Bible
The 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?"

Webster's Bible Translation
And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Why is this that thou hast brought us out of Egypt to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?

World English Bible
The people were thirsty for water there; so 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?”

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
And the people thirst for water there, and the people murmur against Moses, and say, “Why [is] this [that] you have brought us up out of Egypt to put us to death, also our sons and our livestock, with thirst?”

Young's Literal Translation
and the people thirst there for water, and the people murmur against Moses, and say, 'Why is this? -- thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to put us to death, also our sons and our cattle, with thirst.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And the people will thirst there for water; and the people will murmur against Moses, and will say, For what this did ye bring us up out of Egypt to kill us and our sons and our cattle with thirst?

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
So the people were thirsty there for want of water, and murmured against Moses, saying: Why didst thou make us go forth out of Egypt, to kill us and our children, and our beasts with thirst?

Catholic Public Domain Version
And so the people were thirsty in that place, due to the scarcity of water, and they murmured against Moses, saying: “Why did you cause us to go out of Egypt, so as to kill us and our children, as well as our cattle, with thirst?”

New American Bible
Here, then, in their thirst for water, the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “Why then did you bring us up out of Egypt? To have us die of thirst with our children and our livestock?”

New Revised Standard Version
But the people thirsted there for water; and the people complained against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and livestock with thirst?”

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
And the people thirsted there for water; and they murmured against Moses, and said to him, Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And there the people were thirsty for water and the people complained against Moshe and they said to him, “Why have you brought us out from Egypt to kill us, us and our children and our animals with thirst?”

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said: 'Wherefore hast thou brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the people thirsted there for water, and there the people murmured against Moses, saying, Why is this? hast thou brought us up out of Egypt to slay us and our children and our cattle with thirst?

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Water from the Rock
…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?” 4Then Moses cried out to the LORD, “What should I do with these people? A little more and they will stone me!”…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Numbers 20:2-5
Now there was no water for the congregation, so they gathered against Moses and Aaron. / The people quarreled with Moses and said, “If only we had perished with our brothers before the LORD! / Why have you brought the LORD’s assembly into this wilderness for us and our livestock to die here? ...

Psalm 78:19-20
They spoke against God, saying, “Can God really prepare a table in the wilderness? / When He struck the rock, water gushed out and torrents raged. But can He also give bread or supply His people with meat?”

Numbers 21:5
and spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you led us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread or water, and we detest this wretched food!”

Deuteronomy 8:15
He led you through the vast and terrifying wilderness with its venomous snakes and scorpions, a thirsty and waterless land. He brought you water from the rock of flint.

Psalm 106:13-14
Yet they soon forgot His works and failed to wait for His counsel. / They craved intensely in the wilderness and tested God in the desert.

1 Corinthians 10:4
and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.

John 4:13-14
Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again. / But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a fount of water springing up to eternal life.”

Numbers 11:4-6
Meanwhile, the rabble among them had a strong craving for other food, and again the Israelites wept and said, “Who will feed us meat? / We remember the fish we ate freely in Egypt, along with the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic. / But now our appetite is gone; there is nothing to see but this manna!”

Psalm 95:8-9
do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, in the day at Massah in the wilderness, / where your fathers tested and tried Me, though they had seen My work.

Hebrews 3:8-9
do not harden your hearts, as you did in the rebellion, in the day of testing in the wilderness, / where your fathers tested and tried Me, and for forty years saw My works.

Numbers 14:2-3
All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt, or if only we had died in this wilderness! / Why is the LORD bringing us into this land to fall by the sword? Our wives and children will become plunder. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?”

Deuteronomy 6:16
Do not test the LORD your God as you tested Him at Massah.

Matthew 4:7
Jesus replied, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

Numbers 16:13-14
Is it not enough that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey to kill us in the wilderness? Must you also appoint yourself as ruler over us? / Moreover, you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey or given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards. Will you gouge out the eyes of these men? No, we will not come!”

Psalm 105:41
He opened a rock, and water gushed out; it flowed like a river in the desert.

Treasury of Scripture

And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Why is this that you have brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?

thou hast

Exodus 16:3
And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.

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Cattle Children Death Die Egypt Great Grumbled Kill Livestock Moses Murmur Murmured Need Outcry Thirst Thirsted Thirsty Water Wherefore

Exodus 17

1. The people murmur for water to Rephidim
6. God send them for water to the rock in Horeb
7. The place is called Massah and Meribah
8. Amalek is overcome by Joshua, while Moses holds up his hand
14. Amalek is doomed to destruction; and Moses builds the altar Jehovah-nissi

Berean Study Bible

But the people thirsted there for water
The Hebrew word for "thirsted" is צָמָא (tsama), which conveys a deep, desperate need for water. This physical thirst symbolizes a spiritual longing and dependence on God. In the wilderness, the Israelites' need for water highlights their vulnerability and reliance on divine provision. Historically, the arid conditions of the Sinai Peninsula would have made water a precious and scarce resource, emphasizing the severity of their situation. Spiritually, this thirst can be seen as a metaphor for the soul's longing for God, as expressed in Psalm 42:1, "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul longs after You, O God."

and they grumbled against Moses
The Hebrew root for "grumbled" is לוּן (lun), which means to murmur or complain. This word is often used in the context of the Israelites' repeated complaints during their wilderness journey. Their grumbling reflects a lack of faith and trust in God's provision and leadership through Moses. Historically, this behavior is consistent with the human tendency to resist change and fear the unknown, especially when faced with hardship. From a scriptural perspective, grumbling is seen as a sign of rebellion against God's appointed leaders and His plans, as seen in Numbers 14:27, where God expresses His displeasure with the Israelites' constant complaints.

Why have you brought us out of Egypt
This phrase reveals the Israelites' short-sightedness and ingratitude. The Hebrew word for "brought" is יָצָא (yatsa), meaning to lead out or deliver. Despite their miraculous deliverance from slavery, the Israelites quickly forget God's past faithfulness. This question reflects a common human tendency to romanticize the past when faced with present difficulties. Historically, Egypt was a place of bondage, yet in their discomfort, the Israelites view it as preferable to their current struggle. This highlights the challenge of trusting God's long-term plan over immediate comfort.

to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?
The phrase "die of thirst" underscores the severity of their fear and desperation. The Hebrew word for "die" is מוּת (muth), which signifies physical death. The inclusion of "children and livestock" emphasizes the communal and familial nature of their concern, as well as the economic impact, since livestock were vital for their survival. This reflects a genuine fear for their future and well-being. From a theological perspective, this fear contrasts with God's promise of provision and protection, as seen in His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The Israelites' focus on immediate needs blinds them to God's overarching promise of a land flowing with milk and honey, as described in Exodus 3:8.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(3) To kill us.--This was no exaggeration. Thirst kills as surely as hunger, and more quickly. Whole armies have died of it. (Herod. iii. 26.) Ships' crews have perished of it on the ocean, with "water, water everywhere, and not a drop to drink." Unless a supply could somehow or other have been provided speedily, the whole people must have been exterminated.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 3. - The people thirsted there for water. There is probably no physical affliction comparable to intense thirst. His thirst was the only agony which drew from the Son of Man an acknowledgment of physical suffering, in the words "I thirst." Descriptions of thirst in open boats at sea are among the most painful of the records of afflicted humanity. Thirst in the desert can scarcely be less horrible. The people murmured and said When the worst comes on men, if they are alone, they bear it silently; but if they can find a scapegoat, they murmur. To lay the blame of the situation on another is a huge satisfaction to the ordinary human mind, which shrinks from responsibility, and would fain shift the burthen on some one else. To kill us. Compare Exodus 14:11, 16:3. The circumstances of their life in the wilderness were such, that, until accustomed to them, the people thought that, at each step, they must perish. It may be freely admitted, that without continual miraculous aid this would have been the natural denouement. And our cattle. It is interesting to see that the "cattle" still survived, and were regarded as of great importance. How far they served as a secondary head of subsistance to the people during the 40 years, is a point not yet sufficiently elaborated.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

But the people
הָעָם֙ (hā·‘ām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

thirsted
וַיִּצְמָ֨א (way·yiṣ·mā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6770: To be thirsty

for water
לַמַּ֔יִם (lam·ma·yim)
Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 4325: Water, juice, urine, semen

there,
שָׁ֤ם (šām)
Adverb
Strong's 8033: There, then, thither

and they grumbled
וַיָּ֥לֶן (way·yā·len)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3885: To stop, to stay permanently, to be obstinate

against
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

Moses:
מֹשֶׁ֑ה (mō·šeh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4872: Moses -- a great Israelite leader, prophet and lawgiver

“Why
לָ֤מָּה (lām·māh)
Interrogative
Strong's 4100: What?, what!, indefinitely what

have you brought us
הֶעֱלִיתָ֣נוּ (he·‘ĕ·lî·ṯā·nū)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - second person masculine singular | first person common plural
Strong's 5927: To ascend, in, actively

out of Egypt—
מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם (mim·miṣ·ra·yim)
Preposition-m | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 4714: Egypt -- a son of Ham, also his descendants and their country in Northwest Africa

to kill
לְהָמִ֥ית (lə·hā·mîṯ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct
Strong's 4191: To die, to kill

us and our children
בָּנַ֥י (bā·nay)
Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular
Strong's 1121: A son

and livestock
מִקְנַ֖י (miq·nay)
Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular
Strong's 4735: Something bought, property, livestock, acquisition

with thirst?”
בַּצָּמָֽא׃ (baṣ·ṣā·mā)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6772: Thirst

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OT Law: Exodus 17:3 The people were thirsty for water there (Exo. Ex)