Meriba (Heb. Merîbâh, “fight”). 1. One of the 2 names given by Moses to a place, near Horeb, where the children of Israel murmured against him when they needed water, and where, at the direction of God, he struck the rock from which it flowed in abundance (Exo 17 :1-7). It is not known whether Deu 33:8 and Psa 95:8 refer to this Meriba, or to Meriba 2. See Masah. 2. Place at or near Kadesh-barnea in the Wilderness of Sin where an incident similar to Meribah occurred 1. Once again water miraculously arose from the rock, though this time Moses did not follow God’s exact instructions , and as a consequence he was not allowed to enter Canaan (Num 20:2-13, 23, 24; 27:12-14; Deu 32:48-51). The waters of this place are mentioned as the “waters of Meriba” in Psa 106:32, AND as “the waters of quarrels” in Eze 47:19 and 48:28. Ezekiel refers to this site as the southern limit of the ideal land of restored Israel. It is not certain whether Deu 33:8 and Psa 95:8 refer to this Meriba or Meriba 1.
Source: Evangelical Bible Dictionary
(Heb., meribah, altercation).
1. A place northwest of Sinai where Moses, according to the command of the Lord, struck the rock and water came out to cool the people (Exo 17:1-7). Moses gave the place the name Massá, that is, the tempting and Meriba due to the disputes between the people of Israel and because they tempted Jehovah.
2. A place near Kadesh Barnea where the people again suffered from thirst and where the Lord commanded Moses to speak to the rock, but he disobeyed by beating him (Num 20:1-13). As a result of his disobedience, he was forbidden to enter the Promised Land.
Source: Hispanic World Bible Dictionary
(Containment). †¢Masah.
Source: Christian Bible Dictionary
guy, LUGA
see, MASAH
vet, (Heb. “strife”, “quarrel”). (a) Name associated with that of Masah to indicate the place of Horeb, near Rephidim, where the people quarreled with Moses (Ex. 17:1-7) because of the lack of water. There God made water come out of the rock (see MASAH). (b) Another place near Kadesh-barnea (cf. Josh. 14:6, 7) in the wilderness of Sin; the people rebelled again against Moses and against Jehovah. Moses became angry and, instead of speaking to the rock as Jehovah had commanded, he hit it twice. Because of this, God did not let them enter the promised land at the end of the desert wandering (Num. 20:1-13; cf. Deut. 3:23-29). For an examination of the important typological consequences of this incident, cf. Mackintosh, CH: “Numbers” (Ed. “The Good News”, Montebello, Calif., 1953, pp. 241-246). It is not surprising that the lack of water provoked numerous episodes of discontent, in distant places, throughout the almost forty years of wandering through the desert.
Source: New Illustrated Bible Dictionary
(Fight).
1. Place that was in the vicinity of Rephidim, the place where the Israelites camped in the desert. It was there that Jehovah miraculously supplied water when Moses struck “the rock at Horeb” with his rod. Moses called that place “Masah” (meaning “Examination; Test”) and “Meribah” (meaning “Riot”). These names recalled that Israel disputed with Moses and put God to the test due to the lack of water. (Ex 17:1-7.)
2. A place near Qades was also called †œMeribah†; the reason was the same: Israel quarreled with Moses and Jehovah for the lack of water. (Nu 20:1-13) Unlike the place near Rephidim, where the Israelites camped less than two months after leaving Egypt (Ex 16:1; 17:1; 19:1), this Meribah did not received the name Masah. The Scriptures sometimes make a distinction between this and the other location by referring to one as the “waters of Meribah” (Ps 106:32) or the other as the “waters of Meribah at Kadesh.” (Nu 27:14; De 32:51) However, when Psalm 81:7 says that Jehovah stood examining Israel by the “waters of Meribah,” he may be referring to the incident that occurred near Refidim. (Compare De 33:8.)
Moses and Aaron did not sanctify Jehovah in relation to the miraculous provision of water in Meribah, in the area of Qades. As a consequence, they lost the privilege of entering the Promised Land. This incident apparently occurred in the fortieth year of Israel wandering in the wilderness. (Nu 20:1, 9-13, 22-28; 33:38, 39)
Source: Dictionary of the Bible