Water from the Rock, and the Law at Sinai

Going on from there, the people were again tried by lack of water, and they barely held back from killing their leader. Then Moses, at God’s command, struck the rock with his rod at the place called Horeb and brought out plenty of water. But when they came to Rephidim, the Amalekites killed many of the people in their attacks. Moses led his men out to battle and put Joshua at the head of the army. He himself, together with Aaron and Hur, was simply to watch the fight, and at the same time he went up to the top of a mountain to pray to the Lord. When the armies had met and the outcome was in doubt, through the prayers of Moses Joshua cut down the enemy until nightfall. [a]

At the same time Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, having heard what Moses was doing, came to him with his daughter Zipporah and the children. Zipporah, though married to Moses, had stayed at home when her husband went into Egypt. On Jethro’s advice Moses divided the people into ranks and set tribunes, centurions, and decurions over them, and so handed down to later ages a pattern of discipline and order. Jethro then went back to his own country, while the Israelites came on to Mount Sinai.

There Moses was told by the Lord that the people must be made holy, since they were to hear the words of God; and this was carefully done. When God rested on the mountain, the air shook with the loud blasts of trumpets, and thick clouds rolled around with frequent flashes of lightning. Moses and Aaron were on the top of the mountain beside the Lord, while the people stood around the foot of the mountain. So a law was given, with many parts, full of the words of God, and often repeated; but anyone who wants to know its details must consult the original, since we only touch on it briefly here.

God said: “There shall be no strange gods among you, but you shall worship me alone. You shall not make yourself any idol. You shall not take the name of your God in vain. You shall do no work on the Sabbath. Honor your father and your mother. You shall not kill. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. You shall not covet anything that belongs to your neighbor.”