Exo 17:3 | NET2full | STEP | But the people were very thirsty there for water , and they murmured against Moses and said , “ Why in the world did you bring us up from Egypt —to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst ?”

Exodus 17:3

3 But the people were very thirsty ^{▼▼tn The verbs and the pronouns in this verse are in the singular because “the people” is singular in form.} there for water, and they murmured against Moses and said, “Why in the world ^{▼▼tn The demonstrative pronoun is used as the enclitic form for special emphasis in the question; it literally says, “why is this you have brought us up?” (R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 24, §118).} did you bring us up from Egypt—to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?” ^{▼▼sn Their words deny God the credit for bringing them out of Egypt, impugn the integrity of Moses and God by accusing them of bringing the people out here to die, and show a lack of faith in God’s ability to provide for them.}