In distress Moses cried to the Lord, "What shall I do unto this people?" He was directed to take the elders of Israel and the rod wherewith he had wrought wonders in Egypt, and to go on before the people. And the Lord said unto him, "Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink." He obeyed, and the waters burst forth in a living stream that abundantly supplied the encampment. Instead of commanding Moses to lift up his rod and call down some terrible plague, like those on Egypt, upon the leaders in this wicked murmuring, the Lord in His great mercy made the rod His instrument to work their deliverance.

I sin nød råbte Moses til Herren: "Hvad skal jeg gøre med dette folk?" Han fik befaling om at tage den stav, hvormed han havde udført mirakler i Ægypten, og træde frem for folket sammen med de ældste i Israel. Og Herren sagde til ham: "Se, jeg vil stå foran dig der på klippen ved Horeb, og når du slår på klippen, skal der strømme vand ud af den, så folkene kan få noget at drikke." Han adlød, og vandet brød frem i en levende strøm, så hele lejren fik rigeligt at drikke. I stedet for at befale Moses at løfte staven og ligesom i Ægypten nedkalde en frygtelig plage over dem, der var begyndt på denne onde knurren, benyttede Herren i sin store nåde staven til deres redning.