After centuries of oppression, Yahweh takes the Hebrews out of Egypt. And the first thing they do is complain about being taken out of Egypt. Why?

Desert Battle Story / Ezekiel (Exodus 14, verses:)

4 When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, the Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about them and said, "What have we done? We have let the Israelites go and have lost their labor!"

5 So he had his chariot made ready and took his army with him.

10 As Pharaoh drew near, the Israelites looked back, and there were the Egyptians advancing on them. In great fear the Israelites cried out to Yahweh. 

11 They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us, bringing us out of Egypt? 

12 Is this not the very thing we told you in Egypt, ‘Let us alone so that we can serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.” 

13 But Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid, stand firm, and see the deliverance that Yahweh will accomplish for you today, for the Egyptians whom you see today you shall never see again. 

14 Yahweh will fight for you, and you have only to keep still.”

23 During the last watch of the night Yahweh overlooked the Egyptian armies in the form of a pillar of fire and smoke and he threw their armies into confusion.

24 He jammed the wheels of their chariots so that they had difficulty driving. And the Egyptians said, "Let's get away from the Israelites! Yahweh is fighting for them against Egypt."

29 That day Yahweh saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore.

30 And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand of Yahweh displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared Yahweh and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant.

Staff on the Stone Story / Ezekiel (Exodus 15 and then 17, verses:)

22 So Moses led Israel into the wilderness, and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water. 

23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter. That is why it was called Marah.

24 And the people complained against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” 

*

2 The people quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test Yahweh?” 

3 But the people thirsted there for water, and the people complained against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and livestock with thirst?” 

4 So Moses cried out to Yahweh, “What shall I do for this people? They are almost ready to stone me.” 

5 Yahweh 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 and go. 

6 I will be standing there in front of you on the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it, so that the people may drink.” Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. 

7 He called the place Massah and Meribah,because the Israelites quarreled and tested Yahweh, saying, “was Yahweh among us or not?”

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The podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron