Meribah

dispute; quarrel

Meribah

(strife, contention). In (Exodus 17:7) we read, "he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah," where the people murmured and the rock was smitten. [For the situation see REPHIDIM] The name is also given to Kadesh, (Numbers 20:13,24; 27:14; 32:51) (Meribah-kadesh), because there also the people, when in want of water, strove with God.

Meribah

Strife,

1. A station of the Israelites between the Red Sea and Mount Sinai, where they murmured against the Lord, and a fountain gushed from the rock for their use, Exodus 17:1-7. It was also named Massah, temptation, when they tempted God there, De 33:8 Hebrews 3:8.

2. A similar miraculous fountain in the desert of Zin, near Kadesh, which see, Numbers 20:13,14. This was the scene of the transgression of Moses and Aaron, for which they were precluded from crossing the Jordan. It is called "the waters of Meribah," De 33:8 Psalm 81:7 106:32, and also Meribah-kadesh, Numbers 27:14 De 32:51 Ezekiel 47:19.

MASSAH AND MERIBAH

mas'-a, mer'-i-ba (maccah umeribhah, "proving and strife"; peirasmos kai loidoresis): These names occur together as applied to one place only in Exodus 17:7; they stand, however, in parallelism in Deuteronomy 33:8 Psalm 95:8. In all other cases they are kept distinct, as belonging to two separate narratives. The conjunction here may be due to conflation of the sources. Of course, it is not impossible that, for the reason stated, the double name was given, although elsewhere (Deuteronomy 6:16; Deuteronomy 9:22) the place is referred to as Massah.

1. First Instance:

This scene is laid in Exodus 17:1 at REPHIDIM (which see) and in 17:6 at HOREB (which see). It is near the beginning of the desert wanderings. In dearth of water the people murmur and complain. Moses, appealing to God, is told what to do. He takes with him the elders of Israel, and smites with his rod the rock on which the Lord stands in Horeb, whereupon water gushes forth, and the people drink. Here Moses alone is God's agent. There is no hint of blame attaching to him. He called the place Massah and Meribah, because of the of the striving of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the Lord (17:7). In some way not indicated, here and at Meribah, God put the Levites to proof (Deuteronomy 33:8).

2. Second Instance:

The second narrative describes what took place at Kadesh (i.e. "Kadesh-barnea") when the desert wanderings were nearly over (Numbers 20:1-13). The flow of water from the famous spring for some reason had ceased. In their distress the people became impatient and petulant. At the door of the tent of meeting Moses and Aaron received the Lord's instructions. In his speech of remonstrance to the people Moses seemed to glorify himself and his brother; and instead of speaking to the rock as God had commanded, he struck it twice with his rod. The flow of water was at once restored; but Moses and Aaron were heavily punished because they did not sanctify God in the eyes of the children of Israel. The "Waters of Meribah" was the name given to this scene of strife. The incident is referred to in Numbers 20:24, and Deuteronomy 32:51 (merobhath qadhesh, the King James Version "Meribah-Kadesh," the Revised Version (British and American) "Meribah of Kadesh"). In Psalm 81:7 God appears as having tested Israel here. The sin of Israel and the ensuing calamity to Moses are alluded to in Psalm 106:32.

The place appears in Ezekiel 47:19; Ezekiel 48:28, as on the southern border of the land of Israel, in the former as "Meriboth-kadesh," in the latter as "Meribath-kadesh" (Meriboth = plural Meribath = "construct singular") where the position indicated is that of `Ain Qadis, "Kadesh-barnea."

In Deuteronomy 33:2, by a slight emendation of the text we might read meribhoth qadhesh for meribhebhoth qodhesh. This gives a preferable sense.

W. Ewing

MERIBAH

mer'-i-ba, me-re'-ba.

See MASSAH AND MERIBAH.

Quarrel or strife.

(1.) One of the names given by Moses to the fountain in the desert of Sin, near Rephidim, which issued from the rock in Horeb, which he smote by the divine command, "because of the chiding of the children of Israel" (Exodus 17:1-7). It was also called Massah (q.v.). It was probably in Wady Feiran, near Mount Serbal.

(2.) Another fountain having a similar origin in the desert of Zin, near to Kadesh (Numbers 27:14). The two places are mentioned together in Deuteronomy 33:8. Some think the one place is called by the two names (Psalm 81:7). In smiting the rock at this place Moses showed the same impatience as the people (Numbers 20:10-12). This took place near the close of the wanderings in the desert (Numbers 20:1-24; Deuteronomy 32:51).

4809. Meribah -- "place of strife," two places in the desert
... << 4808, 4809. Meribah. 4810 >>. "place of strife," two places in the desert.
Transliteration: Meribah Phonetic Spelling: (mer-ee-baw') Short Definition: Meribah ...
/hebrew/4809.htm - 6k

4808. meribah -- strife, contention
... << 4807, 4808. meribah. 4809 >>. strife, contention. Transliteration: meribah Phonetic
Spelling: (mer-ee-baw') Short Definition: strife. ... meribah. 4809 >>. ...
/hebrew/4808.htm - 6k

6946. Qadesh -- "sacred," a place in the desert
... Word Origin from the same as qodesh Definition "sacred," a place in the desert NASB
Word Usage Kadesh (15), Meribah-kadesh* (1), Meribath-kadesh* (2). Kadesh. ...
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