The community of the Israelites left the desert of Sin, as the Lord had said and camped in Rephidim, but there was no water to drink. The people complained, “Give us water to drink. Why do you bring us out of Egypt, to destroy us, our children and livestock with complete thirst?” Moses prayed, “What can I do with those people? They are almost ready to stone me.” The Lord said clearly to Moses, “Take some of Israel’s leaders with you and go ahead of the people. Take along the stick with which you struck the Nile. I will stand there and see you on the rock at Mount Sinai. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it so that the people will drink.” Moses did so in the presence of the leaders of Israel. The name of the place was called Massah and Meribah.
The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. Moses told Joshua, “Choose some men to fight the Amalekites tomorrow. I will stand on the top of the hill holding the stick which God told me to carry.” Joshua did and fought with Amalek. Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the hilltop. When Moses held up his hand, Israel won, and when he put his hand down, the Amalekites started winning. When Moses grew tired, Aaron and Hur bought a stone for him to sit on while they stood and held up their arms, holding it steady until the sun went down. Joshua defeated the Amalekites.
The Lord told Moses, “Write an account of this victory so that it will always be remembered. Tell Joshua that I will destroy the Amalekites.” Moses built an altar and named it, “The Lord is My Banner,” for he said, “Hold the banner of the Lord high! The Lord will continue to fight against the Amalekites forever!”