17:1 以色列子民全会众按照上主的吩咐，由欣旷野起程，一站一站地前行，然后在勒非丁安了营。在那里百姓没有水喝，
From the desert of Sin the whole Israelite community journeyed by stages, as the LORD directed, and encamped at Rephidim. Here there was no water for the people to drink. 17:2 因此百姓与梅瑟争吵说：「给我们水喝罢!」梅瑟回答他们说：「你们为什么与我争吵，为什么试探上主﹖」
They quarreled, therefore, with Moses and said, "Give us water to drink." Moses replied, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the LORD to a test?" 17:3 因百姓在那里渴望水喝，就抱怨梅瑟说：「你为什么从埃及领我们上来﹖难道要使我们，我们的子女和牲畜都渴死吗﹖」
Here, then, in their thirst for water, the people grumbled against Moses, saying, "Why did you ever make us leave Egypt? Was it just to have us die here of thirst with our children and our livestock?" 17:4 梅瑟向上主呼号说：「我要怎样对待这百姓呢﹖他们几乎愿用石头砸死我!」
So Moses cried out to the LORD, "What shall I do with this people? A little more and they will stone me!" 17:5 上主回答梅瑟说：「你到百姓面前去，带上几个以色列长老，手中拿着你击打尼罗河的棍杖去!
The LORD answered Moses, "Go over there in front of the people, along with some of the elders of Israel, holding in your hand, as you go, the staff with which you struck the river. 17:6 看，我要在你面前站在曷勒布那里的盘石上，你击打盘石，就有水流出来，给百姓喝。」梅瑟就在以色列的长老眼前照样作了。
I will be standing there in front of you on the rock in Horeb. Strike the rock, and the water will flow from it for the people to drink." This Moses did, in the presence of the elders of Israel. 17:7 他称那地方为玛撒和默黎巴，因为以色列子民在那里争吵过，并试探过上主说：「上主是否在我们中间﹖」
The place was called Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites quarreled there and tested the LORD, saying, "Is the LORD in our midst or not?" 17:8 那时有阿玛肋克人，来在勒非丁同以色列人作战。
At Rephidim, Amalek came and waged war against Israel. 17:9 梅瑟向若苏厄说：「你给我们选拔壮丁，明天去同阿玛肋克人作战，我手中拿着天主的棍杖，站在这高岗顶上。」
Moses, therefore, said to Joshua, "Pick out certain men, and tomorrow go out and engage Amalek in battle. I will be standing on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand." 17:10 若苏厄就照梅瑟吩咐他的作了，去同阿玛肋克作战；同时梅瑟、亚郎和胡尔上了那高冈顶上。
So Joshua did as Moses told him: he engaged Amalek in battle after Moses had climbed to the top of the hill with Aaron and Hur. 17:11 当梅瑟举手的时候，以色列就打胜仗；放下手的时候，阿玛肋克就打胜仗。
As long as Moses kept his hands raised up, Israel had the better of the fight, but when he let his hands rest, Amalek had the better of the fight. 17:12 终于梅瑟的手举疲乏了。他们就搬了块石头来，放在他下边，叫他坐下，亚郎和胡尔，一边一个托着他的手：这样他的手举着不动，直到日落的时候。
Moses' hands, however, grew tired; so they put a rock in place for him to sit on. Meanwhile Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other, so that his hands remained steady till sunset. 17:13 于是若苏厄用刀剑打败了阿玛肋克和他的人民。
And Joshua mowed down Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. 17:14 上主向梅瑟说：「将这事写在书上作为记念，并训示若苏厄，我要从天下把阿玛肋克的记念完全消灭。」
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Write this down in a document as something to be remembered, and recite it in the ears of Joshua: I will completely blot out the memory of Amalek from under the heavens." 17:15 梅瑟筑了一座祭坛，给它起名叫「雅威尼息，」
Moses also built an altar there, which he called Yahweh-nissi; 17:16 说「向上主的旌旗举手，上主必世世代代与阿玛肋克作战。」
for he said, "The LORD takes in hand his banner; the LORD will war against Amalek through the centuries."