Dictionary Article

1. Noun meaning “strife,” named for a place at Horeb, near Rephidim (Wadi Feiran), where Israel contended with Moses for water near the beginning of the wilderness wanderings (Ex 17:7). This is the place probably alluded to in Deuteronomy 33:8 and Psalm 95:8, and is alternately called Massah.

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.

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.

Jump to OET EXO 17:7 section.

Jump to OET DEU 33:8 section.

Jump to OET PSA 95:8 section.

2. Another place, near Kadesh-barnea in the wilderness of Zin, where Israel also quarreled with Moses for water, and God again provided it from a rock (Nm 20:13, 24 OET NUM 20:13 · OET NUM 20:24; 27:14); alternately called Meribath-kadesh in Deuteronomy 32:51. This episode took place toward the close of the desert wanderings. The waters of Meribah were waters of contention. Here God’s anger was provoked against Moses and Aaron because they did not listen to him and sanctify him before Israel. Instead of speaking to the rock as God commanded, Moses—angered at Israel’s hardness of heart—struck the rock twice with his rod. The psalmist records that here God tested Israel (Ps 81:7), and Israel’s subsequent rebellion prodded Moses to sin (106:32). Meribah-kadesh is mentioned as a place on Israel’s southern border (Ez 47:19; 48:28).

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

14 Just_as you(pl)_rebelled _against mouth _of_my in_the _wilderness _of Tsin/(Zin) in_the _strife _of the _congregation to_treat_me _as _holy at_waters to_eyes _of_their they were_the _waters _of Mərīⱱāh Qādēsh the _wilderness _of Tsin/(Zin).

Show passage in OET: DEU 32:51

OET-RV DEU 32:51

51 That’s because you were unfaithful to me among the Israelis at the Merivah springs in Kadesh, in the wilderness of Tsin (Zin), because you didn’t regard me as holy in front of the Israelis.

OET-LV DEU 32:51

51 On that you(pl)_acted _unfaithfully against_me in _the_middle the _people _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) at_the _waters _of Mərīⱱāh _of Qādēsh the _wilderness _of Tsin/(Zin) on that not you(pl)_honoured _as _holy me in _the_middle the _people _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel).

Show passage in OET: PSA 81:7

OET-RV PSA 81:7

7 In your distress you called out, and I helped you.
⇔ I answered you from a dark thundercloud.
⇔ I tested you at the waters of Merivah. (Instrumental break.)

OET-LV PSA 81:8

8  In_trouble you _called _out and_I_rescued _you I_answered _you in_the_hiding _place _of thunder I_tested _you at the _waters _of Mərīⱱāh Şelāh.

Show passage in OET: PSA 106:32

OET-RV PSA 106:32

⇔  32 They also made Yahweh angry at the Merivah springs,
⇔ and that led to trouble for Mosheh (Moses),

OET-LV PSA 106:32

32 And_they _provoked_him_to _anger at the _waters _of Mərīⱱāh and_it _was _bad for_Mosheh because_of_them.

Show passage in OET: EZE 47:19

OET-RV EZE 47:19

19 On the southern side, the boundary will extend from Tamar to the springs near Merivah -Kadesh. Then it’ll extend west along the brook of Mitsrayim (Egypt) to the Mediterranean Sea. That’ll be the southern boundary.

OET-LV EZE 47:19

19 And_the_side _of the_south southward_on will_be_from _Tāmār to the _waters _of Mərīⱱāh Qādēsh the_wadi to the_sea (the)_great and_DOM the_side _of southward_of southward_toward.

Show passage in OET: EZE 48:28

OET-RV EZE 48:28

28 Gad’s southern boundary will extend from Tamar south to the waters of Merivah -Kadesh, and farther west to the brook of Mitsrayim (Egypt), and then on to the Mediterranean Sea.

OET-LV EZE 48:28

28 And_at the _border _of Gād to the_side _of the_south southward_toward and_ the_border _it _was from_Tāmār the _waters _of Mərīⱱāh _of Qādēsh the_wadi on the_sea (the)_great.

Jump to OET NUM 20:13 section. · OET NUM 20:24 section.

Jump to OET NUM 27:14 section.

Jump to OET DEU 32:51 section.

Jump to OET PSA 81:7 section.

Jump to OET PSA 106:32 section.

Jump to OET EZE 47:19 section.

Jump to OET EZE 48:28 section.

Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary