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mas´a, mer´i-ba (וּמריבה מסּה, masÌ£sÌ£aÌ„h uÌ„merı̄bhaÌ„h, “proving and strifeâ€; πειÏασμὸς καὶ λοιδοÌÏησις, peirasmoÌs kaÄ±Ì loidoÌreÌ„sis): These names occur together as applied to one place only in ; they stand, however, in parallelism in ; . 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 (; ) the place is referred to as Massah.
1. First Instance:
This scene is laid in at REPHIDIM (which see) and in 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 (). In some way not indicated, here and at Meribah, God put the Levites to proof ().
2. Second Instance:
The second narrative describes what took place at Kadesh (i.e. “Kadesh-barneaâ€) when the desert wanderings were nearly over (-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 , and (merı̄bhath kÌ£aÌ„dheÌ„sh, the King James Version “Meribah-Kadesh,†the Revised Version (British and American) “Meribah of Kadeshâ€). In God appears as having tested Israel here. The sin of Israel and the ensuing calamity to Moses are alluded to in .
The place appears in ; , 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 singularâ€) where the position indicated is that of ‛Ain KÌ£adı̄s, “Kadesh-barnea.â€
In , by a slight emendation of the text we might merı̄bhōth ḳādhēsh for mēribhebhōth ḳōdhesh. This gives a preferable sense.