Dictionary Article

Two Hebrew words meaning, respectively, “to put to the test” and “to find fault, quarrel.” According to Exodus 17:7, after Moses got water from the rock at Rephidim, he called the place by these two names to memorialize the Israelites’ “testing” of God’s faithful provision.

Show passage in OET: EXO 17:7

OET-RV EXO 17:7

7 Mosheh named that place both ‘Masah’ (which means ‘testing’) and ‘Merivah’ (which means ‘complaining’), because of the conflict among the Israelis and because of how they tested Yahweh by saying, ‘Is Yahweh among us or not?’

OET-LV EXO 17:7

7 And_he/it _called the _name _of the _place Maşşāh and_Mərīⱱāh on the _quarrel _of the _people _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) and_because they_put _to _the _test DOM YHWH to_say (there) is_YHWH in_midst _of_our or not.

Jump to OET EXO 17:7 section.

Massah is mentioned four times as the site of the rebellious rejection of God by the Israelites (Dt 6:16; 9:22; 33:8; Ps 95:8). In contrast, Numbers 20:13, 24 OET NUM 20:13 · OET NUM 20:24; 27:14; and Deuteronomy 32:51 place Meribah near Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin where Moses struck the rock twice to produce water. Psalm 81:7 and Deuteronomy 33:8 suggest that God was testing the Israelites in these instances.

Show passage in OET: DEU 6:16

OET-RV DEU 6:16

16 Don’t test the patience of your god Yahweh again like you all did over water at Masah.

OET-LV DEU 6:16

16 Not you(pl)_will _put _to _the _test DOM YHWH god _of_your(pl) just_as you(pl)_put_him_to _the _test at_Maşşāh.

Show passage in OET: DEU 9:22

OET-RV DEU 9:22

22 ⇔You all also provoked Yahweh to get angry at Tav’erah, at Masah, and at Kivrot-Hata’avah.

OET-LV DEU 9:22

22 And_at_Taⱱˊērāh and_at_Maşşāh and_at_Qiⱱrōt- hattaʼₐvāh provoking _to _anger you(pl)_were DOM YHWH.

Show passage in OET: DEU 33:8

OET-RV DEU 33:8

¶  8 Then for Levi, he said,
⇔ “Your Tumim and your Urim
⇔ belong to your godly man,
⇔ who you tested at Masah.
⇔ ≈ You strove against him at the Merivah springs.

OET-LV DEU 33:8

8 And_of_Lēvī he _said Thummim _of_your and_Urim _of_your belong_to_a _man _of your _faithful _of_one whom you_put _him _to _the _test at_Maşşāh you_contended _with _him at the _waters _of Mərīⱱāh.

Show passage in OET: PSA 95:8

OET-RV PSA 95:8

8 Don’t become stubborn like your ancestors did at Merivah,
⇔ ≈ and like they did in the wilderness at Masah.

OET-LV PSA 95:8

8 Do _not harden heart _of_your(pl) like_Mərīⱱāh like_the _day _of Massah in_wilderness.

Show passage in OET: NUM 20:13; NUM 20:24

OET-RV NUM 20:13

13 That spring was named ‘Merivah’ (meaning ‘Quarrelling’) because that was where the Israelis argued with Yahweh, and where he demonstrated his absolute truthfulness to them.

OET-RV NUM 20:24

24 “Aharon will be taken to join his ancestors because he won’t not enter the land that I have given to the Israelis, because you two rebelled against what I said at the Merivah rock that gave water.

OET-LV NUM 20:13

13 They were_the _waters _of Mərīⱱāh where the _people _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) they _quarrelled with YHWH and_he _showed _himself _holy among_them.

OET-LV NUM 20:24

24 ʼAhₐron he _will _be _gathered to people(s)_of_his if/because not he _will _go into the_earth/land which I _have _given to_the _people _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) on that you(pl)_rebelled _against DOM mouth _of_my to_the _waters _of Mərīⱱāh.

Show passage in OET: NUM 27:14

OET-RV NUM 27:14

14 That’s because back in the Tsin (Zin) wilderness when the people complained about water, you two rebelled against my command and failed to respect my holiness in front of them. That was when you struck the rock at Merivah near Kadesh in the Tsin wilderness.”

OET-LV NUM 27:14