Editing Rephidim (section)

== Biblical account ==
{{also|Battle of Refidim}}
This episode is described in the [[Book of Exodus]]. The Israelites under [[Moses]] have come from the [[Wilderness of Sin]]. At Rephidim, they can find no water to drink, and angrily demand that Moses give them water. Moses, fearing they will stone him, calls on [[Jehovah]] for help and is told to strike a certain "rock in [[Mount Horeb|Horeb]]," in God's name which causes a stream to flow from it, providing ample water for the people. He names the place [[Massah and Meribah]] (meaning "testing" and "quarreling").<ref>{{Bibleverse|Exodus|17:1-7|NRSV}}</ref> In the [[Book of Numbers]] a similar event is described as taking place near [[Kadesh (Israel)|Kadesh]].<ref name="CROSSCross2009">{{cite book|author=Frank Moore Cross|title=Canaanite Myth and Hebrew Epic: Essays in the History of the Religion of Israel|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bJqwWRDOMgEC&pg=PA311|date=2009|publisher=Harvard University Press|isbn=978-0-674-03008-4|page=311}}</ref> 

Afterwards, the [[Amalek]]ites attack the Israelites encamped at Rephidim, but are defeated. The Israelites are led in the battle by [[Joshua]], while Moses, [[Aaron]] and [[Hur (Bible)|Hur]] watch from a nearby hill. Moses notices that when his arms are raised the Israelites gained the upper hand, but when they are down the Amalekites prevail. He sits with his hands held up by Aaron and Hur until sunset, securing the Israelite victory.<ref>{{Bibleverse|Exodus|17:8-16|NRSV}}</ref> The image of Moses raising his arms in battle against Amalek has been seen by allegorical Christian commenters as a [[typology (theology)|prefiguration]] of Jesus's arms extended on the cross battling sin.<ref name="Paczkowski">{{cite journal |last1=Paczkowski |first1=Mieczysław Celestyn |title=Amalek and the Amalekites in the ancient Christian literature |journal=Teologia i Człowiek |date=12 November 2014 |volume=26 |issue=2 |pages=137–160 |doi=10.12775/TiCz.2014.021 |url=https://apcz.umk.pl/TiCz/article/view/TiCz.2014.021/4518 |access-date=18 November 2021 |language=en |issn=2391-7598 |quote=Origen certainly sees Jesus crucified in the image of Moses lifting his hands, while he also notes the difference – Jesus is not simply another Moses.|doi-access=free }}</ref>