Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version The LORD answered Moses, “Go out in front of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. New Living Translation The LORD said to Moses, “Walk out in front of the people. Take your staff, the one you used when you struck the water of the Nile, and call some of the elders of Israel to join you. English Standard Version And the LORD said to Moses, “Pass on before the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel, and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. Berean Standard Bible And the LORD said to Moses, “Walk on ahead of the people and take some of the elders of Israel with you. Take along in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. Berean Literal Bible And YHWH said to Moses, “Pass on before the face of the people and take with you some of the elders of Israel. And your staff with which you struck the River, take in your hand and go. King James Bible And the LORD said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go. New King James Version And the LORD said to Moses, “Go on before the people, and take with you some of the elders of Israel. Also take in your hand your rod with which you struck the river, and go. New American Standard Bible Then the LORD said to Moses, “Pass before the people and take with you some of the elders of Israel; and take in your hand your staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. NASB 1995 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Pass before the people and take with you some of the elders of Israel; and take in your hand your staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. NASB 1977 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Pass before the people and take with you some of the elders of Israel; and take in your hand your staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. Legacy Standard Bible Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Pass before the people and take with you some of the elders of Israel; and take in your hand your staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. Amplified Bible Then the LORD said to Moses, “Pass before the people and take with you some of the elders of Israel; and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. Berean Annotated Bible And the LORD {YHWH} said to Moses (drawn out), “Walk on ahead of the people and take some of the elders of Israel (he wrestles with God) with you. Take along in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. Christian Standard Bible The LORD answered Moses, “Go on ahead of the people and take some of the elders of Israel with you. Take the staff you struck the Nile with in your hand and go. Holman Christian Standard Bible The LORD answered Moses, “Go on ahead of the people and take some of the elders of Israel with you. Take the staff you struck the Nile with in your hand and go. American Standard Version And Jehovah said unto Moses, Pass on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thy hand, and go. Contemporary English Version The LORD answered, "Take some of the leaders with you and go ahead of the rest of the people. Also take along the walking stick with which you struck the Nile River. English Revised Version And the LORD said unto Moses, Pass on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go. GOD'S WORD® Translation The LORD answered Moses, "Bring some of the leaders of Israel with you, and go to where the people can see you. Take the staff you used to strike the Nile River. Good News Translation The LORD said to Moses, "Take some of the leaders of Israel with you, and go on ahead of the people. Take along the stick with which you struck the Nile. International Standard Version Then the LORD told Moses, "Go over in front of the people and take some of the elders of Israel with you. Take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. NET Bible The LORD said to Moses, "Go over before the people; take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand your staff with which you struck the Nile and go. New Heart English Bible The LORD said to Moses, "Walk on before the people, and take the elders of Israel with you, and take the rod in your hand with which you struck the Nile, and go. Webster's Bible Translation And the LORD said to Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel: and thy rod, with which thou smotest the river, take in thy hand, and go. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleAnd the LORD said to Moses, “Walk on ahead of the people and take some of the elders of Israel with you. Take along in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. World English Bible Yahweh said to Moses, “Walk on before the people, and take the elders of Israel with you, and take the rod in your hand with which you struck the Nile, and go. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd YHWH says to Moses, “Pass over before the people, and take with you from [the] elderly of Israel, and take your rod in your hand, with which you have struck the River, and you have gone. Berean Literal Bible And YHWH said to Moses, “Pass on before the face of the people and take with you some of the elders of Israel. And your staff with which you struck the River, take in your hand and go. Young's Literal Translation And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'Pass over before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel, and thy rod with which thou hast smitten the River take in thy hand, and thou hast gone: Smith's Literal Translation And Jehovah will say to Moses, Pass over before the people and take with thee from the old men of Israel; and thy rod which thou didst strike with it the river, take in thy hand and go. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd the Lord said to Moses: God before the people, and take with thee of the ancients of Israel: and take in thy hand the rod wherewith thou didst strike the river, and go. Catholic Public Domain Version And the Lord said to Moses: “Go before the people, and take with you some of the elders of Israel. And take in your hand the staff, with which you struck the river, and advance. New American Bible The LORD answered Moses: Go on ahead of the people, and take along with you some of the elders of Israel, holding in your hand, as you go, the staff with which you struck the Nile. New Revised Standard Version The LORD said to Moses, “Go on ahead of the people, and take some of the elders of Israel with you; take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd the LORD said to Moses. Go on before the people and take with you some of the elders of Israel; and your staff with which you smote the river, take it in your hand and go. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And LORD JEHOVAH said to Moshe: “Pass before the people and take with you some Elders of Israel, and take your staff in your hand with which you struck the river, and go. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Pass on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thy hand, and go. Brenton Septuagint Translation And the Lord said to Moses, Go before this people, and take to thyself of the elders of the people; and the rod with which thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and thou shalt go. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Water from the Rock…4Then Moses cried out to the LORD, “What should I do with these people? A little more and they will stone me!” 5And the LORD said to Moses, “Walk on ahead of the people and take some of the elders of Israel with you. Take along in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6Behold, I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. And when you strike the rock, water will come out of it for the people to drink.” So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel.… Cross References And the LORD said to Moses, Exodus 19:3 Then Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain, “This is what you are to tell the house of Jacob and explain to the sons of Israel: Numbers 12:6 He said, “Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, will reveal Myself to him in a vision; I will speak to him in a dream. Deuteronomy 5:31 But you stand here with Me, that I may speak to you all the commandments and statutes and ordinances you are to teach them to follow in the land that I am giving them to possess.” “Walk on ahead of the people Numbers 27:17 who will go out and come in before them, and who will lead them out and bring them in, so that the congregation of the LORD will not be like sheep without a shepherd.” Joshua 3:6 And he said to the priests, “Take the ark of the covenant and go on ahead of the people.” So they carried the ark of the covenant and went ahead of them. Deuteronomy 31:8 The LORD Himself goes before you; He will be with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid or discouraged.” and take some of the elders of Israel with you. Exodus 24:1 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Come up to the LORD—you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of Israel’s elders—and you are to worship at a distance. Exodus 24:9 Then Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, Numbers 11:16-17 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Bring Me seventy of the elders of Israel known to you as leaders and officers of the people. Bring them to the Tent of Meeting and have them stand there with you. / And I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put that Spirit on them. They will help you bear the burden of the people, so that you do not have to bear it by yourself. Take along in your hand the staff Exodus 4:17 But take this staff in your hand so you can perform signs with it.” Exodus 4:20 So Moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey, and headed back to Egypt. And he took the staff of God in his hand. Numbers 20:8 “Take the staff and assemble the congregation. You and your brother Aaron are to speak to the rock while they watch, and it will pour out its water. You will bring out water from the rock and provide drink for the congregation and their livestock.” with which you struck the Nile, Exodus 7:20 Moses and Aaron did just as the LORD had commanded; in the presence of Pharaoh and his officials, Aaron raised the staff and struck the water of the Nile, and all the water was turned to blood. Psalm 78:44 He turned their rivers to blood, and from their streams they could not drink. Psalm 105:29 He turned their waters to blood and caused their fish to die. and go. Exodus 4:19 Now the LORD had said to Moses in Midian, “Go back to Egypt, for all the men who sought to kill you are dead.” Treasury of Scripture And the LORD said to Moses, Go on before the people, and take with you of the elders of Israel; and your rod, with which you smote the river, take in your hand, and go. go on Ezekiel 2:6 And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house. Acts 20:23,24 Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me… thy rod Exodus 7:19,20 And the LORD spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and stretch out thine hand upon the waters of Egypt, upon their streams, upon their rivers, and upon their ponds, and upon all their pools of water, that they may become blood; and that there may be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood, and in vessels of stone… Numbers 20:8-11 Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink… Jump to Previous Ahead Chiefs Elders Hand Israel Moses Nile River Rod Smite Smitten Staff Stretched Struck Walk WherewithJump to Next Ahead Chiefs Elders Hand Israel Moses Nile River Rod Smite Smitten Staff Stretched Struck Walk WherewithExodus 17 1. The people murmur for water to Rephidim6. God send them for water to the rock in Horeb 7. The place is called Massah and Meribah 8. Amalek is overcome by Joshua, while Moses holds up his hand 14. Amalek is doomed to destruction; and Moses builds the altar Jehovah-nissi And the LORD said to Moses This phrase indicates direct divine communication, emphasizing Moses' role as a prophet and leader chosen by God. It reflects the ongoing relationship between God and Moses, where God provides guidance and instructions. This communication is consistent with other instances in the Pentateuch where God speaks directly to Moses, such as in Exodus 3:4 at the burning bush. Walk on ahead of the people and take some of the elders of Israel with you Take along in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile and go Persons / Places / Events 1. The LORDThe covenant-keeping God of Israel, who guides and provides for His people. 2. Moses The leader of the Israelites, chosen by God to deliver His people from Egypt and lead them through the wilderness. 3. The Elders of Israel Representatives of the Israelite community, signifying leadership and witness to God's actions. 4. The Staff A symbol of God's power and authority, previously used by Moses to perform miracles, such as striking the Nile. 5. The Wilderness of Rephidim The location where the Israelites camped and experienced a lack of water, leading to their complaints against Moses. Teaching Points God's Faithful GuidanceGod provides clear instructions to His leaders, ensuring His people are cared for even in dire circumstances. Symbol of Authority The staff represents God's authority and power. Believers are reminded to rely on God's strength rather than their own. Community Leadership Involving the elders signifies the importance of shared leadership and accountability within the community of faith. Trust in God's Provision Just as God provided water in the wilderness, He continues to meet our needs today. Trust in His timing and methods. Witness to God's Works The presence of the elders as witnesses underscores the importance of sharing testimonies of God's faithfulness with others. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Exodus 17:5?2. How does God's instruction in Exodus 17:5 demonstrate His provision for Israel's needs? 3. What leadership qualities does Moses exhibit by following God's command in Exodus 17:5? 4. How does Exodus 17:5 connect to God's guidance in other parts of Exodus? 5. How can we apply Moses' obedience in Exodus 17:5 to our daily lives? 6. What does Exodus 17:5 teach about trusting God's direction in challenging situations? 7. Why did God instruct Moses to use his staff in Exodus 17:5? 8. What is the significance of the elders accompanying Moses in Exodus 17:5? 9. How does Exodus 17:5 demonstrate God's provision for His people? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Exodus 17? 11. What events occur in the biblical book of Exodus? 12. If Moses wrote the Torah, why are there anachronisms such as references to kings in Genesis? 13. Isaiah 41:18–19: Where is the archeological or historical evidence for deserts turning into pools of water and forests suddenly appearing in barren regions? 14. What does Jehovah-Nissi mean? What Does Exodus 17:5 Mean And the LORD said to Moses• The scene opens with direct revelation: “Thus the LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend” (Exodus 33:11). • God’s voice carries absolute authority; Moses does not guess at God’s will—he receives it (Exodus 14:15). • Every word that follows rests on this unshakable foundation; the instruction is not a suggestion but divine command (Numbers 12:6-8). Walk on ahead of the people • Leadership is forward-looking; the shepherd steps out first so the flock can follow safely (Deuteronomy 1:32-33). • Moving “ahead” demonstrates faith amid crisis—Israel is thirsty and grumbling, yet Moses must walk on in trust (Hebrews 11:29). • God often sends His servants out front: “Take up the ark of the covenant and go on ahead of the people” (Joshua 3:6). His leaders model obedience before the eyes of those they serve. and take some of the elders of Israel with you • Shared leadership lends credibility; witnesses will later confirm the miracle (Exodus 3:16). • The elders’ presence teaches that spiritual oversight is plural, not solitary (Numbers 11:16-17). • They stand as representatives of every tribe, ensuring the lesson reaches the whole community (Exodus 18:21). Take along in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile • The same staff that turned the Nile to blood (Exodus 7:17) and parted the Red Sea (Exodus 14:16) now confronts a new need. • God reuses familiar instruments to remind His people of past deliverance; yesterday’s victories fuel today’s faith (Psalm 77:11-12). • The staff is nothing magical; its power lies in the God who commands its use (1 Corinthians 1:27-29). and go • Immediate movement seals obedience. As with Abram—“Go from your country” (Genesis 12:1)—action follows command. • Faith walks, it does not wait for ideal conditions (James 2:17). • Every “go” in Scripture, from Moses here to the Great Commission—“Therefore go and make disciples” (Matthew 28:19)—carries the promise that God goes with His servants (Matthew 28:20). summary Exodus 17:5 shows God giving Moses precise, authoritative instruction in the midst of Israel’s need. Moses must lead decisively, accompanied by accountable witnesses, wielding the proven symbol of divine power, and moving without delay. The verse underscores God’s faithful guidance, the importance of visible leadership, collective testimony, remembrance of past deliverance, and prompt obedience. (5) Go on before the people.--The people were probably in no condition to move. They were exhausted. with a long day's march--weary, faint, nerveless. Moses and the elders, who probably journeyed on asses, would have more strength.Take with thee of the elders--as witnesses. Each miracle had an educational value, and was designed to call forth, exercise, and so strengthen the faith of the people. The rock in Horeb must necessarily designate some particular rock of the Horeb region already known to Moses during his previous stay in these parts. It cannot possibly, however, have been the traditional "rock of Moses" in the Seil Leja, under Ras Sufsafeh, since that rock is a long day's journey from the site of Rephidim, near which the miracle must have been performed. (See Stanley, Sinai and Palestine, pp. 46-48.) Verse 5. - Go on before the people. "Leave the people," i.e., "where they are, in Rephidim, and go on in front of them, with some of the elders as witnesses, that the miracle may be sufficiently attested." On the other occasion, when water was brought forth out of the rock (Numbers 20:8-11), it was done in the presence of the people. Perhaps now there was a real danger of their stoning Moses, had he not quitted them. Thy rod with which thou smotest the river. See above, Exodus 7:20.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew The LORDיְהוָ֜ה (Yah·weh) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel answered וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (way·yō·mer) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 559: To utter, say Moses, מֹשֶׁ֗ה (mō·šeh) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 4872: Moses -- a great Israelite leader, prophet and lawgiver “Walk on עֲבֹר֙ (‘ă·ḇōr) Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular Strong's 5674: To pass over, through, or by, pass on ahead of לִפְנֵ֣י (lip̄·nê) Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct Strong's 6440: The face the people הָעָ֔ם (hā·‘ām) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock and take וְקַ֥ח (wə·qaḥ) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular Strong's 3947: To take some of the elders מִזִּקְנֵ֣י (miz·ziq·nê) Preposition-m | Adjective - masculine plural construct Strong's 2205: Old of Israel יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (yiś·rā·’êl) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc with you. אִתְּךָ֖ (’it·tə·ḵā) Preposition | second person masculine singular Strong's 854: Nearness, near, with, by, at, among Take along קַ֥ח (qaḥ) Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular Strong's 3947: To take in your hand בְּיָדְךָ֖ (bə·yā·ḏə·ḵā) Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular Strong's 3027: A hand the staff וּמַטְּךָ֗ (ū·maṭ·ṭə·ḵā) Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular Strong's 4294: A staff, rod, shaft, branch, a tribe with which אֲשֶׁ֨ר (’ă·šer) Pronoun - relative Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that you struck הִכִּ֤יתָ (hik·kî·ṯā) Verb - Hifil - Perfect - second person masculine singular Strong's 5221: To strike the Nile, הַיְאֹ֔ר (hay·’ōr) Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular Strong's 2975: Nile -- a channel, a fosse, canal, shaft, the Nile, the Tigris and go. וְהָלָֽכְתָּ׃ (wə·hā·lā·ḵə·tā) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk Links Exodus 17:5 NIVExodus 17:5 NLT Exodus 17:5 ESV Exodus 17:5 NASB Exodus 17:5 KJV Exodus 17:5 BibleApps.com Exodus 17:5 Biblia Paralela Exodus 17:5 Chinese Bible Exodus 17:5 French Bible Exodus 17:5 Catholic Bible OT Law: Exodus 17:5 Yahweh said to Moses Walk on before (Exo. 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