Rephidim

Rephidim was a camp, and a hard one. Israel stopped there on the way from the wilderness of Sin, and “there was no water for the people to drink.” While they were still there, Amalek came and “fought with Israel in Rephidim.” Numbers 33 retraces the journey and mentions the same lack of water. Then Exodus 19:2 marks the moment the camp moves on: “they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai.” The place sits just before the mountain where the law is given, a stretch of thirst and fighting that comes before the meeting with God. Exodus 17 tells it in full.

5 verses

Exodus

Exodus 17:1

And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the LORD, and pitched in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drink.

Exodus 17:8

Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim.

Exodus 19:2

For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mount.

Numbers

Numbers 33:14

And they removed from Alush, and encamped at Rephidim, where was no water for the people to drink.

Numbers 33:15

And they departed from Rephidim, and pitched in the wilderness of Sinai.

From Easton's Bible Dictionary

Matthew George Easton, 1897

Supports, one of the stations of the Israelites, situated in the Wady Feiran, near its junction with the Wady esh-Sheikh. Here no water could be found for the people to drink, and in their impatience they were ready to stone Moses, as if he were the cause of their distress. At the command of God Moses smote “the rock in Horeb,” and a copious stream flowed forth, enough for all the people. After this the Amalekites attacked the Israelites while they were here encamped, but they were utterly defeated (Ex. 17:1, 8-16). They were the “first of the nations” to make war against Israel (Num. 24:20).

Leaving Rephidim, the Israelites advanced into the wilderness of Sinai (Ex. 19:1, 2; Num. 33:14, 15), marching probably through the two passes of the Wady Solaf and the Wady esh-Sheikh, which converge at the entrance to the plain er-Rahah, the “desert of Sinai,” which is two miles long and about half a mile broad. (See SINAI; MERIBAH.)

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From Smith's Bible Dictionary

William Smith, 1884

(Exodus 17:1,8; 19:2) The name means rests or stays , i.e. resting places. The place lies in the march of the Israelites from Egypt to Sinai. Its site is not certain, but it is perhaps Wady Feiran , a rather broad valley about 25 miles from Jebel Musa (Mount Sinai). Others place it in Wady es Sheikh , an eastern continuation of Feiran, and about 12 miles from Sinai. Here the Israelites fought their first battle and gained their first victory after leaving Egypt, the Amalekites having attacked them; here also the people murmured from thirst, and Moses brought water for them out of the rock. From this murmuring the place was called "Massah" and "Meribah."